Synopsis This book attempts to examine the critical issues presently confronting the North-west region of the Indian economy which is credited to have made rapid strides in the post-independence period. In particular, it encompasses in its fold diverse set of issues pertaining to Economic performance, The State of agriculture, Indebtedness and Distress culminating into the deepening of the ongoing Agrarian Crisis, The Management of Public Finances, Pattern of Public Expenditure on Education, Micro-finance, Dynamics of Human Development, Gender Issues, Utilization of Maternal and Child Health care Facilities, Outmigration, and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. It is contended that although efficient policy-making, good governance in tune with the emerging needs and concerns and above all the synchronized coordination amongst the various competing trade-offs are important in their own right for redressing the various problems facing the North-West region, yet alongside it is the growing use of bio-technology that holds the key to the process of economic development in the times to come. Needless to overemphasize, this volume will be highly useful to economists, researchers, and all those involved in planning and policymaking of the North-West region and of the situations identical to it.