The study by Professor Kade¬kodi fills an important gap in the existing literature on Indian planning. While there are a large number of studies on the industrial and agricul¬tural sectors, extractive indus¬tries like iron ore, coal, man¬ganese, bauxite, etc have receiv¬ed but scant attention from economists. Given the import¬ance of these industries as primary resources for the domestic industry and as ex¬port-earners in their own right, rigorous quantitative studies of the type undertaken here are essential inputs for plan¬ning and policy making. The use of different quantitative methods, the compact argu¬ment and the relatively narrow focus of the book does not, however, make it the easiest work to review for a varied readership. As the work is intended almost exclusively for either iron ore specialists or students of quantitative methods in economics, I shall not even attempt to relate the review to any broader issues of political economy in India.
Sept-Oct 1983, volume 8, No 2