The Department of Economics of Meenakshi College for Women organized a two day National Seminar titled "Rural Infrastructure in India—Issues and Prospects" on 24th and 25th of November, 2016. The Seminar focused on different areas in rural infrastructure, the challenges therein and future prospects. It aimed at providing a platform for sharing the knowledge of experts in the field and an inspiring opportunity for exchange of ideas among researchers and scholars. The purpose of this seminar was to make an objective assessment of our successes and failures in our efforts, to throw light on such issues and suggest measures to improve the status of rural infrastructure, to identify the research areas relating to rural infrastructure, to search for solutions leading to better rural productivity and better life. Discussion Themes: Planning for Rural Infrastructure Irrigation Rural Housing Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Rural Electrification Rural Telecommunication Land Disputes and Land Acquisition Issues Programmes on Rural Infrastructure Sustainable Development and Rural Infrastructure Public-Private Partnership.

This Conference Proceedings of the National Seminar entitled “Multidisciplinary Research and Practice” compiled by Dr. M. Kanika Priya records various research papers written by eminent scholars, professors and students. The articles range from English literature to Tamil literature, Arts, Humanities, Social Science, Education, Performing Arts, Information and Communication Technology, Engineering, Technology and Science, Medicine and Pharmaceutical Research, Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Business, Management, Commerce and Accounting, Teacher Education, Higher Education, Primary and Secondary Education, Law, Science (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany), Agriculture and Computer Science. Researchers and faculty members from various disciplines have contributed their research papers. This book contains articles in Three languages, namely: English, Tamil and Hindi. As a editor Dr. M. Kanika Priya has taken up the tedious job of checking the validity and correctness of the research work in bringing out this conference proceedings in a beautiful manner. In its present shape and size, this anthology will, hopefully, find a place on the library shelves and enlighten the academics all round the world.

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has emerged as a highly vibrant and dynamic sector of the Indian economy over the last six decades. MSMEs not only play crucial role in providing large employment opportunities at comparatively lower capital cost than large industries but also help in industrialization of rural & backward areas, thereby, reducing regional imbalances, assuring more equitable distribution of national income and wealth. MSMEs are complementary to large industries as ancillary units and this sector contributes enormously to the socio-economic development of the country. The principal focus of this seminar is to create an awareness about MSME amongst the participants and also make them understand the process of starting an enterprise. This Seminar will provide a platform where the Government programmes related to MSMEs can be very well understood.

This Conference Proceedings of the National Seminar entitled “Multidisciplinary Research and Practice” compiled by Dr. M. Kanika Priya records various research papers written by eminent scholars, professors and students. The articles range from English literature to Tamil literature, Arts, Humanities, Social Science, Education, Performing Arts, Information and Communication Technology, Engineering, Technology and Science, Medicine and Pharmaceutical Research, Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Business, Management, Commerce and Accounting, Teacher Education, Higher Education, Primary and Secondary Education, Law, Science (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany), Agriculture and Computer Science. Researchers and faculty members from various disciplines have contributed their research papers. This book contains articles in Three languages, namely: English, Tamil and Hindi. As a editor Dr. M. Kanika Priya has taken up the tedious job of checking the validity and correctness of the research work in bringing out this conference proceedings in a beautiful manner. In its present shape and size, this anthology will, hopefully, find a place on the library shelves and enlighten the academics all round the world.

Dr V Basil Hans MA, MPhil, PhD is Associate Professor and Head, Dept of Economics and dean Faculty of Arts, St Aloysius Evening College, Mangalore. He has more than 30 years of teaching experience at UG and PG levels. Dr Hans has guided six MPhil and three PhD candidates successfully. He is an editor/reviewer for 31 journals. He has authored 18 books, edited 7 volumes and written 212 articles. He has presented 82 papers in national seminars and 12 in international conferences. His forthcoming book in on sanitation culture in India.

The main objective of this Seminar proceedings book is to analyse the performance of the present development programmes, the issues and challenges and also reflect and think about whether and to what extent the benefits of these programmes have percolated to the weaker sections of our society- indeed, have they reached those they were meant to reach ?