Rural Banking is basically aimed at economic upliftment of rural poor through provision of adequate and timely credit to agriculturists and rural artisans. The multi-agency approach and target oriented institutional financing in rural areas has resulted in escalation of burden of debt. Probably this burden of debt in the absence of generating adequate repaying capacity did hinder the repayment of loan in time. Non-payment of rural credit has paralysed the recycling process of the agricultural credit institutions. The mounting overdues not only caused serious concern to the financing institutions, but also to the government and borrowers alike. The book presents the magnitude of the problem, the repayment behaviour of the loanees, different probable causes of mounting overdues in the rural credit sector and a few suggestions to improve the scenario. Since it is a comprehensive and research based work on the subject, this book may prove useful for planners as well as for central and state governments and also financing institutions while formulating lending and recovery policies for development of agriculture and rural artisans. It should be found useful not only by rural banking institutions but also by researchers, students and teachers of economics, banking and finance.

The present publication assumes considerable significance in view of the present government's revived interest in the possibility of levying an expenditure tax in India. The present study in an attempt in the direction of developing a case for the re-introduction of an expenditure tax. Its major objectives are (i) an in-depth examination of different definitions of income.(ii) to point out difficulties in the measurement of income as an index of ability to pay, (iii) to clear doubts regarding the administrative feasibility of an expenditure tax and (iv) to propose a system of direct taxation based on multiple criteria in which an expenditure tax occupies a prominent position. The book therefore has extensive coverage which includes definitions of income and equity, recent developments in the taxation of personal income and the growing hybridizations of income base, arguments in favour of the expenditure tax and its feasible design, review of the performance of an earlier expenditure tax in India and, above all, a plan for a modified expenditure tax (MET). The author sets to substantiate his proposition that in the area of personal taxation exclusive reliance should not be placed on income tax, and the system could be improved upon with the inclusion of an expenditure tax. The book would be of immense interest and value to all tax and fiscal experts, planners and policy-makers, as well as to economists, students, researchers and public finance scholars.

The University Grants Commission, New Delhi, has recommended a syllabus for +3 students of Commerce known as 'Business Economics'. The knowledge about the working of the economy, price system market structure, factors of production, pricing of factors etc. are of immense value for students in their higher study. The students of BBA, MBA, bankers and others preparing for competitive examinations are also required to have fundamental knowledge about Business Economics. Hence, an attempt has been made in this book to fill the long felt needs of the +3 students of Commerce. The authors on the basis of their ling standing teaching experiences have tried their best to provide the subject matter in the lucid and easily understandable manner. Lengthy descriptions are avoided and the main points are highlighted in this book. It is hoped that the book will be appreciated by the student community as well as by teacher fraternity.

Encyclopaedia of Nanotechnology is one of its kinds in terms of coverage, scope, elaboration, usefulness and futuristic perspective. Nanotechnology is now a rapidly growing field of research and development that is cutting across many traditional boundaries. This technology has the ability to control or manipulate on the atomic scale. Nano is a prefix meaning one billionth (1/1,000,000,000). This is why; Nanotechnology overlaps with a wide range of the existing sciences. Subjects that seem at present to have the most direct and constructive involvement with Nanotechnology are: Optical and Quantum Physics; Molecular Biology; Biomedical Engineering (through genetics and Microbiology); Electrical Engineering (through MEMS systems); Software Engineering (through AI, Communication and Information Systems). The applications of nanotechnology are near limitless, but the main focus seems to be on its use in medical applications. That seems to be what's driving the research, since it would give us to opportunity to cure most diseases, even possibly eliminating the concept of natural death. There are so many other applications, however, ranging from mundane to incredibly profound. Other applications include ultra-fast & high memory capacity computers, highly advanced communication systems, advanced display technology, advanced biological imaging, stem-cell engineering, medical diagnostic tools, sensors for airborne pollutants energy storage materials, photovoltaic cells, fuel cells, polymer nanocomposites, super-tough nanocoatings, landmine detectors, and thousands more. Nanotechnology has, therefore, become the hottest topic of discussion in the scientific world, media, government circles and corporate circles. Although it is a field that has already seen its share of hype, there is a general consensus that over the long term, nanotechnology is likely to reconfigure everything.