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One major impact of demonetisation is rise of cashless or digital transactions. The extension of the transition from a cash-based to a cashless economy has expanded even more now, based on the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic. This chapter discusses the various electronic payment methods used by the people, the frequency of using these methods and also to examine the reasons of changing habits in using electronic modes of payments. This study is both theoretical and empirical in nature, based on both primary and secondary data. Digitalising rural and poor population is much in talks but earlier literature did not acknowledge the status of slums and its inhabitants. Slum dwellers are the ones to be in the margin, and therefore are subject to more societal sufferings. In the context of female population particularly, the mechanism of urbanisation and increment in urban slums are subject to unique causes and unique consequences, and still these challenges are greatly underexplored by earlier literature in this field. Thus, the aim of this chapter is to find out the schemes, achievements and challenges for the cashless transaction practised by the female slum dwellers. To be extremely explicit, the sample area consists of two biggest slums of Kolkata and 100 female respondents are inquired for this study, taking 50 from each slum. For analysing the collected data, descriptive statistics tools and percentage analysis have been used. This chapter will also analyse India's gradual transition towards a cashless economy. Through the examination of digitalisation of slum dwellers, this study also attempts to identify whether digital modes result in empowerment of these women, of any kind. By paying a visit in the discussion of women empowerment, this chapter wants to revisit the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in 2015, that embodies a roadmap for progress which leaves no one behind. The questions impacting achievement of SDG through women empowerment may not seem of utmost concern during the current situation but is equally important and needs to be discussed on a platform of its own.

Drawing findings from the river erosion-prone district Bhola in Bangladesh, this study presents the nature and causes of human displacement and the types of resilience livelihood options for reducing risks caused by river erosion. The study used a quantitative research approach, in which a survey was employed. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 371 heads of households from three unions of three Upazilas (sub-divisions) in the Bhola District. Results showed that 95% of the households were displaced by river erosion, 54% of them were displaced two to four times in the last five years, 30% of the households were displaced to embankments, and 22% were displaced to their relatives’ houses. Nearly 70% of the households reported river erosion as a main cause and 42% referred other disasters. Regarding livelihood options, 47% of the households desired to engage in fishing labour, 44% in day labour, and 33% in independent fishing. During river erosion, 93% of the household members had to engage in income-generating activities, and one-half of them had to change their livelihood options. Finding new livelihood options and resilience strategies to reduce displacement would be an important guideline for disaster managers, policy-makers, and development practitioners.

Chalta hai (it is fine or it is acceptable) is an Indian cultural phenomenon that influences attitude towards work and business and diachronically adversely affects both. The purpose of this study is to explore its impact on the sustainability of business firms operating in India.

The research has firstly undertaken a theoretical study towards the development of appropriate hypotheses and a corresponding conceptual model, with emphasis on the effects of chalta hai culture as a moderator of the predictor-sustainability linkages. The model has been validated statistically through partial least square- structural equation modelling analysis of usable feedbacks from 349 respondents.

The research has concluded that the cultural notion of chalta hai impacts adversely the sustainability of business firms operating in India, with its effects being dominant.

The research has scholarly and executive implications, as well as socio-cultural implications. The sample, however, allows for conclusions to be drawn reliably but with limited generalizability. Additionally, only three predictors have been considered, bestowing upon future research the task of building on the present model through additional pertinent predictors and boundary conditions that will enhance its explanative power.

The research has provided a scientifically developed model that guides Indian firm managers through appropriate steps that dissuade stakeholders from exhibiting the behavioural traits and attitudes of chalta hai culture, highlighting along the way its detrimental effects on Indian business sustainability.

There is little research on the business impacts of chalta hai and regarding the sustainability perspective/focus. In addition, this is in sharp contrast to the spread and impact of the phenomenon. This research and its findings, therefore, are valuable with regard to both their wider context (“chalta hai” business effects) and their specific focus (sustainability).

The purpose of this paper is to synthesize chitosan, N-octyl chitosan (NOCh) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh) derivative from prawn shell wastes and identify their applications as modifiers on cellulosic fibres, jute and cotton, to develop quality textile fibres.

Chitosan was obtained by deacetylation of chitin. NOCh was obtained by reductive amination of chitosan. Water-soluble CMCh was prepared by reacting chitosan with monochloroacetic acid in aqueous alkaline media at ambient conditions. Chitosan, NOCh and CMCh were applied on cellulosic fibres, and structure and physico-chemical characteristics of chitosan derivatives and modified fibres were investigated and analysed.

The molecular weight, degree of deacetylation and ash content of prepared chitosan were 1,39,958 Da, 85 and 2.33 per cent, respectively. The moisture content, water holding capacity and total nitrogen content were above 10, 450 and 6.5 per cent, respectively. Average degree of substitution of CMCh was 0.82 as determined by titrimetric analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra showed characteristic peaks of carbonyl group at 1,659 cm⁻¹, –NH2 at 1,600 cm⁻¹, symmetric stretching of C-H in the methyl group at 1,520 cm⁻¹ and carboxylic group at 1,737 cm⁻¹. Thermograms showed moderate thermal stability in treated fibres compared to untreated fibres. Surface morphology of the modified fibres exhibited smoother surface due to the absorption of chitosan, NOCh and CMCh.

Modification of jute and cotton by sorption of NOCh and CMCh introduced new functional groups on the fibre surface with chemical bonding, which was confirmed by FTIR. Surface morphology of the fibres was carried out by scanning electron microscopy. As the modified fibres also showed good dyeability and colour fastness as well as other properties, the chitosan derivatives as a textile modifier would be helpful to avoid synthetic petroleum-based chemical modifiers as well as to manage the environmental pollution from prawn shell waste and other toxic chemicals.

This study aims to investigate the influence of wall curvature in a semicircular thermal annular system on magneto-nanofluidic flow, heat transfer and entropy generation. The analysis is conducted under constant cooling surface and fluid volume constraints.

The mathematical equations describing the thermo-fluid flow in the semicircular system are solved using the finite element technique. Four different heating wall configurations are considered, varying the undulation numbers of the heated wall. Parametric variations of bottom wall undulation (f), buoyancy force characterized by the Rayleigh number (Ra), magnetic field strength represented by the Hartmann number (Ha) and inclination of the magnetic field (γ) on the overall thermal performance are studied extensively.

This study reveals that the fluid circulation strength is maximum in the case of a flat bottom wall. The analysis shows that the bottom wall contour and other control parameters significantly influence fluid flow, entropy production and heat transfer. The modified heated wall with a single undulation exhibits the highest entropy production and thermal convection, leading to a heat transfer enhancement of up to 21.85% compared to a flat bottom. The magnetic field intensity and orientation have a significant effect on heat transfer and irreversibility production.

Further research can explore a wider range of parameter values, alternative heating wall profiles and boundary conditions to expand the understanding of magneto-nanofluidic flow in semicircular thermal systems.

This study introduces a constraint-based analysis of magneto-nanofluidic thermal behavior in a complex semicircular thermal system, providing insights into the impact of wall curvature on heat transfer performance. The findings contribute to the design and optimization of thermal systems in various applications.