• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.229-240
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• 2022

This article examines the link between regional disparity and social mobility in India. There has been a steady rise in economic inequality in India. The rapid economic growth coupled with a rise in income inequality is a serious concern in India. While the emphasis is on inclusive growth, it appears difficult to tackle the problem without looking at the intricacies of the problem. The Social Mobility Index is an important tool that focuses on bringing long-term equality by identifying priority policy areas in the country. We used a multivariate statistical approach to construct a social mobility index at the regional level by considering several social and economic variables. Our findings show that while the Union Territory of Delhi ranks first in the social mobility index, Chhattisgarh has the least social mobility. From a policy perspective, a comprehensive examination of the determinants of the social mobility index shows that health, education access, and quality, and equity of education are of great importance in improving social mobility. Considering India's potential economic growth resulting from its 'demographic dividend' and improved access, markets, and technology, increasing social mobility through facilitating equal opportunities in society is key to achieving inclusive growth.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.249-253
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• 2009

Raily ecorace of Indian tasar silkworm is wild in nature and distributed abundantly in dense deciduous forest on Shorea robusta (Sal) in Bastar ($17^{\circ}4'$ and $20^{\circ}34'$ N, $80^{\circ}15'$ and $82^{\circ}15'$ E and altitude ranging from 150 to 1200 mMSL) forest ranges of Chhattisgarh, India. It is represented by about 20 populations. Out of those, eleven populations showed intra- as well as inter- population variability based on phenotypic expression and also in major economic traits viz. cocoon weight, shell weight, filament length and denier. Genetic diversity in these eleven populations was studied using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. The band profiles generated with eight ISSR primers have depicted variation in band size. All the primers exhibited polymorphism which is an indicative of the genetic variation in individual Raily silkworm. Among the populations, total polymorphism recorded was 76%. The population genetic aspects assessed through POPGENE software package are discussed in the paper. Nei's gene diversity (h) ranged from 0.194 to 0.337 exhibiting high heterozygosity. Relevance of the present study is of high significance in formulating conservation strategies and sustainable utilization of the economically important Raily ecorace of Antheraea mylitta.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10129-10135
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• 2015

Background: Tobacco is a leading preventable cause of deaths worldwide; the situation is particularly serious in the developing countries. Tobacco use amongst the children and adolescents is already a pandemic and they are vulnerable targets of tobacco industry. This is also the case in India. Objectives: 1) Document and monitor the prevalence of tobacco use including smoked, smokeless and other forms of tobacco; 2) Understand student knowledge and attitudes related to tobacco use and its health impact; 3) Assess the impact of tobacco on the oral health status of school-going children in India. Materials and Methods: The sample was 1,500 school children of the age group 12-15 years age. A pretested, close ended questionnaire was administered in the form of extensive face to face interview to understand student knowledge, attitudes and behavior related to tobacco use and its health impact and to assess the prevalence of tobacco use including smoked, smokeless and other forms of tobacco. Oral health status was assessed using the Community Periodontal Index (CPI). Frequency distribution, Chi-square tests and Odd's ratio was calculated. Results: Prevalence of tobacco usage amongst the prevalence was 20.4%: 9.2% reported smoking, 15.8% used tobacco in the chewable form and 25.3% children were involved in consuming betel nut/areca nuts. The OR (Odd's ratio) for calculus formation was highest for guthka chewers (OR=14.322), paan masala chewers had the highest odds of developing bleeding on probing when compared to the others. Conclusions: There is an urgent need to launch school-based tobacco prevention programs for community awareness of children and the public, as preventing the initiation of a habit is far easier than stopping it.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.413-417
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• 2014

Background: Prisoners represent a population group that is disadvantaged, socially deprived and underprivileged, needing particular attention with regard to provision of necessary oral health care, health promotion and motivation and tobacco cessation. Considering the situation in prisons, smoking and tobacco chewing are burning issues related to health deterioration and economic loss that seem to be overlooked by the public health sectors. Aim: To assess prisoners' perception of tobacco use and cessation in Chhatisgarh, India. Materials and Methods: A pre-tested, close ended questionnaire was administered in the form of extensive face to face interviews, to assess perceptions regarding tobacco use and cessation in the central jail of Durg District of Chhattisgarh state, India. Results: Prevalence of tobacco usage amongst the prisoners was found to be 61%. Some 27% reported smoking, 44% used tobacco in the chewable form and 29% indulged in consuming tobacco in both forms i.e. smoked as well as chewed. Results suggest several recommendations for policy relevance such as provision of a prison dentist, a tobacco cessation counseling program and targeted eradication of oral cancer by educating the prisoners. Conclusions: Health is a fundamental human "right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental well-being". This applies to prisoners just as it does to every other human being. The alarming findings in the study suggest the need for dental treatment facilities and tobacco cessation counseling in prisons.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.359-375
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• 2018

The long term ecological effects have been reported in natural forest ecosystem due to various anthropogenic disturbances, especially in tropics of the world. The present study was carried out in the sanctuary area of central India to assess the changes on litter biomass, litterfall pattern and soil attributes under different disturbance regimes. The study area includes three forest circles i.e., Bhoramdeo, Jamunpani and Salehwara each comprising three disturbances regimes viz., high, medium and low severity of biotic pressure. A noticeable variation and impact were recorded in different sites. The impact varies significantly from least disturbed sites to highly disturbed sites across the circle and among different disturbances level. The seasonal mean total forest floor biomass across the forest circles varied from 2.18 to $3.30t\;ha^{-1}$. It was found highest under lightly disturbed site and lowest under heavily disturbed site. Total litterfall varied from 5.11 to $7.06t\;ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$ across the forest circle. Lowest litterfall was recorded at heavily disturbed site while highest in lightly disturbed site. Annual turnover of litter varied from 69-73% and the turnover time ranged between 1.37-1.45 years. The turn over time was higher for heavily disturbed site and lower for lightly disturbed site. The heavily disturbed site of all the circle showed the sandy loam soil texture, whereas moderately and lightly disturbed site comprised of sandy loam, sandy clay loam and clay soil texture, respectively. The bulk density decreases from heavily disturbed site to lightly disturbed site and the pH of soils ranged from 5.57-6.89 across the circle. Across the circle the total soil nitrogen ranged from 0.12-0.21%, phosphorus from 10.03-24.00 kg and Potassium from $139.88-448.35kg\;ha^{-1}$, respectively. Our results demonstrate that anthropogenic disturbances regime significantly influences forest floors in terms of mass, composition and dynamics along with litterfall rate and soil properties.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup2
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• pp.19-24
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• 2016

Quitline activity in Rajasthan, India is a voluntary activity of Rajasthan Cancer Foundation (RCF) since April 2013. To kick-off, it took the benefit of the State Government- PIRAMAL SWASTHYA (PS)1 collaborative 104 Health Information Helpline that existed already in public-private partnership. It is a reactive quitline that helps callers through the counselors and nursing staff trained specifically through the weekly sessions held by the first author, the RCF resource on quitline. Besides structuring of the scripts for primary intervention and follow-ups after 1 week, 1 month, 6 months and a year, he also monitors calls, advices and coordinates with the supervisors to manage and analyze the data base, and reports to the PS lead at the Jaipur Center on overall performance and to plan strategic communication with the State Government on its outcomes. The quitline has limitations of its informal existence through a voluntary effort of RCF, no specific resource allocation, suboptimal data management, minimal awareness in the masses due to poor IEC (Information, Education and Communication; except its efforts made by RCF in last 1 year through the government-run State TV and City Radio) and staff shortage and its attrition due to lack of plan for career advancement. Despite these challenges in the year 2013, the quit line has registered a quit rate (for complete abstinence) of 19.93% amongst 1525 callers. The quit rate were 58.01% (304/ 524) among the responders at the 3rd follow-up at 18 months (in September 2014)2. In view of an increase in quit rate by 5- 9 times over the prevailing quit rate in the former ever daily users [both smokers and the users of smokeless tobacco (SLT)], efforts are being made by RCF in concurrence with PS to have this cost-effective model established formally with optimal resource allocation in collaboration with willing agencies (the State and Central Governments and the International Quitline Agencies) and its replication in 4 more states where PS is collaborating with the respective state governments similarly (Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Karnataka).

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2014

Shopping malls have become key players in the Indian retail space. Even in upcoming Indian towns, malls have been mushrooming. Raipur, the capital city of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh has witnessed the growth over the last few years. However, this unplanned growth of malls in cities is expected to lead to oversupply of mall space in the near future, making things difficult for mall developers. The study is an attempt to identify appropriate strategies for mall developers to iron out such kinks. This paper presents 'shopping experience' as a tool to compete, succeed and explore its composition in terms of its constituent factors. The paper uses Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on a non-probability sample of 350 respondents. It condenses a set of twenty-two mall variables into five factors that directly influence the shopping experience. These factors included ambience, infrastructure, marketing focus, convenience and safety and security. In terms of significance, shoppers assigned different weightage to each of these factors. The study shed light on interesting insights regarding the expectations of mall shoppers in the city of Raipur. The results though interesting, may be extended to different social, economic and geographic contexts to check the universality. While strategizing, mall developers must assign proportionate effort on the factors based on the respective contribution to shopping experience. In light of intensifying competition in Raipur, the study is significant for future prospects of malls. In the absence of a scientific and objective basis, the developers run risk of making wrong investment and management decisions. This paper is a useful addition to the body of knowledge on management of shopping malls in India and is unique in terms of its focus on mall shoppers in the smaller Indian cities like Raipur.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.330-341
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• 2017

Tropical forests play a key role for functioning of the planet and maintenance of life. These forests support more than half of the world's species, serve as regulators of global and regional climate, act as carbon sinks and provide valuable ecosystem services. Forest floor biomass and litterfall dynamics was measured in different sites influenced by fire in a seasonally dry tropical forest of Bhoramdeo wildlife sanctuary of Chhattisgarh, India. The forest floor biomass was collected randomly placed quadrats while the litterfall measured by placing stone-block lined denuded quadrat technique. The seasonal mean total forest floor biomass across the fire regimes varied from $2.00-3.65t\;ha^{-1}$. The total litterfall of the study sites varied from $4.75-7.56t\;ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$. Annual turnover of litter varied from 70-74% and the turnover time between 1.35-1.43 years. Monthly pattern of forest floor biomass indicated that partially decayed litter, wood litter and total forest floor were differed significantly. The seasonal variation showed that leaf fall differed significantly in winter season only among the fire regimes while the wood litter was found non significant in all the season. This study shows that significant variation among the site due to the forest fire. Decomposition is one of the ecological processes critical to the functioning of forest ecosystems. The decomposing wood serves as a saving account of nutrients and organic materials in the forest floor. Across the site, high fire zone was facing much of the deleterious effects on forest floor biomass and litter production. Control on such type of wildfire and anthropogenic ignition could allow the natural recovery processes to enhance biological diversity. Chronic disturbances do not provide time for ecosystem recovery; it needs to be reduced for ecosystem health and maintaining of the high floral and faunal biodiversity.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.126-133
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• 2014

Purpose: Smokeless tobacco-based oral-use products like gutka are popular in India. Gutka usage leads to increased periodontal destruction and inflammation; however, the relevant mechanism remains unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the role of gutka in periodontitis by examining its effect on the levels of interleukin (IL) $1{\beta}$ and IL-8 from the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). Methods: A total of 45 patients were enrolled in this study. Thirty patients with periodontitis (15 gutka chewers [GCP] and 15 nongutka chewers [NGC]) and 15 periodontally healthy controls (HC) were selected. The full-mouth plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and recession (RC) were recorded. The IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-8 levels in the GCF of all subjects were assessed through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Quantikine). Results: The IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-8 levels were not significantly higher in the GCP group (IL-$1{\beta}$, $369.01{\pm}273.44{\mu}L$; IL-8, $205.97{\pm}196.78{\mu}L$) as compared to those in the NGC group (IL-$1{\beta}$, $195.57{\pm}96.85{\mu}L$; IL-8, $178.61{\pm}149.35{\mu}L$). More gingival RC and loss of attachment was seen among the GCP group (RC: $2.02{\pm}0.31$, P=0.013; CAL: $4.60{\pm}0.56$, P<0.001) than among the NGC group (RC, $1.21{\pm}1.15$; CAL, $3.70{\pm}0.32$); however, PD was deeper among the NGC subjects (P=0.002). PI and GI were significantly higher for the periodontitis group (P<0.001) when compared to the HC, but there was no difference among gutka chewers and non-chewers (P=0.22 and P=0.89). A positive correlation was found between the IL-8 levels and the duration of gutka chewing (r=-0.64, P<0.01). Conclusions: Gutka chewing leads to increased gingival RC and clinical loss of attachment. There was no effect seen in the proinflammatory cytokine levels in the GCF of gutka users.