Census Of India Research Articles

Prospects and Strategies for Accelerating Sustainable Agricultural Growth in Assam: Policy Issues and Challenges: A Review

Sustainable agriculture is the key to keep up the level of production in the future. The state’s agriculture has reached the highest production levels possible under the available technologies, it is still insufficient to feed the over increasing population. Sustainability in agricultural production and the natural resource base is under threat, as warnings have been sounded on over exploitation of land and water resources and degradation of land and environment ecology. This paper is highlighted to find out the strategies for sustainable agricultural development to fulfil the need of upcoming population. It is observed that agricultural growth in Assam is not cheering as compared to other states of the country. The study is based on secondary data collected from various issues published by Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of India, Agricultural Census of India and Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Assam. Simple statistical tools like tabular analysis, percentages, averages and ratios were used to interpret data. There is an urgent need to diversify agriculture in Assam, emphasising integrated farm practices, implementation of sustainable practices, organic farming, green manuring, crop rotation and eco-friendly techniques etc. Only policy framework cannot fulfil a greater goal, but it is important to point out that reaching towards the goal of sustainable agricultural development is the responsibility of all participants in the system including farmers, labourers, policy makers, researchers, retailers and consumers.

Nature and composition of inter-state migration into districts of Kerala: some evidence from Census of India, 2011

Nature and composition of inter-state migration into districts of Kerala: some evidence from Census of India, 2011

Reduction in Firewood Consumption due to Implementation of Improved Cookstoves in Melghat Tiger Reserve, India

According to the 2001 Census of India, around 82% of the rural population of India depends entirely on biomass and uses primitive cookstoves for cooking. The smoke released due to incomplete combustion causes several chronic respiratory disorders among women responsible for cooking. Despite these adverse effects, people continue to use traditional cookstoves due to their simplicity. Firewood consumption is also responsible for the degradation of forests and the emission of CO2, which is a major greenhouse gas. A project was implemented by Wildlife Research and Conservation Society in 12 villages in Melghat Tiger Reserve to introduce improved cook stoves in 1,098 households for reducing firewood consumption and smoke emission. This study estimated that the improved cookstoves (ICS) had reduced the average per capita firewood consumption by 0.61 kg/day (25%) and resulted in the conservation of 1,171 tons of firewood annually. A decrease of 1,953 tons of CO2 emissions due to the installation of ICS has been estimated. Installation of ICS reduced the time taken to cook a meal by an average of 40 minutes and reduced smoke production, thereby contributing to the health of the users.

Explaining Connectedness: An Exploration of the Factors Affecting Internet Access in India

Access to the internet can promote education, upskilling, human capital, and national and international economic outcomes. However, the household internet access rate in India in 2011 was 10.1% (Roser et al., 2015). Using data from the 2011 Indian Census, this study analyses the impact of computer access, area, literacy, and working rates alongside a gender perspective to explain district-wise household internet access. The analysis demonstrates that access to computers, area, male activity, and literacy significantly explain the internet access rates observed in Indian districts. The study concludes that socio-demographic factors influence the internet uptake and digital divide in India. The conclusion of this paper contributes to theoretical discussions of the digital divide in the modern history of India and provides implications for policy and market expansion in India.

Burden of cancers in India - estimates of cancer crude incidence, YLLs, YLDs and DALYs for 2021 and 2025 based on National Cancer Registry Program

BackgroundCancer is the major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The cancer burden varies within the regions of India posing great challenges in its prevention and control. The national burden assessment remains as a task which relies on statistical models in many developing countries, including India, due to cancer not being a notifiable disease. This study quantifies the cancer burden in India for 2016, adjusted mortality to incidence (AMI) ratio and projections for 2021 and 2025 from the National Cancer Registry Program (NCRP) and other publicly available data sources.MethodsPrimary data on cancer incidence and mortality between 2012 and 2016 from 28 Population Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs), all-cause mortality from Sample Registration Systems (SRS) 2012–16, lifetables and disability weight from World Health Organization (WHO), the population from Census of India and cancer prevalence using the WHO-DisMod-II tool were used for this study. The AMI ratio was estimated using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method from longitudinal NCRP-PBCR data (2001–16). The burden was quantified at national and sub-national levels as crude incidence, mortality, Years of Life Lost (YLLs), Years Lived with Disability (YLDs) and Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). The projections for the years 2021 and 2025 were done by the negative binomial regression model using STATA.ResultsThe projected cancer burden in India for 2021 was 26.7 million DALYsAMI and expected to increase to 29.8 million in 2025. The highest burden was in the north (2408 DALYsAMI per 100,000) and northeastern (2177 DALYsAMI per 100,000) regions of the country and higher among males. More than 40% of the total cancer burden was contributed by the seven leading cancer sites — lung (10.6%), breast (10.5%), oesophagus (5.8%), mouth (5.7%), stomach (5.2%), liver (4.6%), and cervix uteri (4.3%).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the use of reliable data sources and DisMod-II tools that adhere to the international standard for assessment of national and sub-national cancer burden. A wide heterogeneity in leading cancer sites was observed within India by age and sex. The results also highlight the need to focus on non-leading sites of cancer by age and sex. These findings can guide policymakers to plan focused approaches towards monitoring efforts on cancer prevention and control. The study simplifies the methodology used for arriving at the burden estimates and thus, encourages researchers across the world to take up similar assessments with the available data.

Availability of public health facilities and utilization of maternal and child health services in districts of India

ObjectiveThis study aims to address the spatial variation in the availability of public health facilities and utilization of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services at district level in India. MethodsTwo nationally representative secondary data sources such as the National Family Health Survey 2015-16 and Census of India, 2011 were used to identify districts, which are lagging behind in terms of the availability and utilization of MCH services. Mapping and spatial clustering analyses was performed to identify underperforming districts in India. Further, Ordinary least square and spatial autoregressive models were used to determine the predictor for utilization of MCH services at the district level. ResultsSignificantly, less availability of public health facilities and utilization of MCH services were observed in districts of Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and North-Eastern states as compared to the national average. A shortage of 72,198 (21.9%) doctors and 165,791 (17.5%) paramedical staff found at the country level. After controlling for socio-economic factors, we observed that availability of sub-centre, dispensary, and population hospital bed ratio were significant positive predictors for Antenatal Care (ANC) service utilization whereas, shortage of paramedical staff was a negative predictor for full immunization at district level in India. ConclusionsAdequate availability of health facilities, and human resources are needed in districts, which are underperforming in terms of availability and utilization of MCH services to improve utilization of MCH services.

‘Sanskrit-Speaking’ Villages, Faith-Based Development and the Indian Census

Over three sections, the 2001 and 2011 Indian censuses are scrutinised to locate, down to the sub‑district administrative and village levels, where L1‑L3 (first to third language) Sanskrit tokens were returned during census enumeration. First, there is a theo‑political discussion of Sanskrit’s imaginative power for faith‑based development. This includes a discussion on how ‘Sanskrit‑speaking’ villages signify an ambition toward cultural renaissance. Next, Sanskrit’s national‑level enumeration is discussed. Finally, closer scrutiny is paid to the top four states (Maharashtra, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh). On average, more Sanskrit tokens were returned by men than women; 92% of L2‑Sanskrit tokens are linked to L1‑Hindi; most L1‑L3‑Sanskrit tokens cluster with Hindi, English, and/or the State Official Language; most Sanskrit tokens are Urban, as opposed to Rural; and most tokens are found across the Hindi Belt of north India.

A review of economics, entrepreneurial behaviour, and marketing analysis of pomegranate growers

India has always been known in the world for its Rural Based Economy, as nearly 65% of its population is dependent on Agriculture &other rural businesses. According to the census of India, 2011, the population of India is more than 1.21 billion and out of it, 72.2% population belong to the rural area. So, the study of rural development is very much required in India. One of the oldest well-known fruits, found in writings and artifacts of many cultures and religions, the pomegranate (Punicagranatum) is an original native of Persia. Maharashtra is known as the Fruit mixing bowl of India. Pomegranate cultivation now is a very captivating and remunerative big business for farmers in India promising financial return from this crop has resulted in an increase in area and production of pomegranate. The present investigation focused on “A Review of Economics, Entrepreneurial Behaviour, and Marketing Analysis of Pomegranate Growers.” Therefore, in view of pomegranate as a very important crop and its increased utilization in industrial applications, it is traded in domestic and also international markets. This market has become more speculative, and therefore pomegranates were purposefully selected for the study.

Spatiotemporal analysis of environmental and physiographic factors related to malaria in Bareilly district, India.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore the spatiotemporal clustering of reported malaria cases and to study the effects of various environmental and physiographic factors on malaria incidence in Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh, India.Methods Malaria surveillance data were collected from the state health department and cleaned into an analyzable format. These data were analyzed along with meteorological, physiographic, and 2019 population data, which were obtained from the Indian Meteorological Department, National Aeronautics and Space Administration web portal, the Bhuvan platform of the Indian Space Research Organization, and the 2011 Census of India.ResultsIn total, 46,717 malaria cases were reported in Bareilly district in 2019, of which 25.99% were Plasmodium vivax cases and 74.01% were P. falciparum cases. The reported malaria cases in the district showed clustering, with significant spatial autocorrelation (Moran’s I value=0.63), and space-time clustering (p<0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between monthly malaria incidence and the monthly mean temperature (with a lag of 1−2 months) and rainfall (with a lag of 1 month). A significant negative correlation was detected between the elevation of blocks (i.e., intermediate-level administrative districts) and annual malaria reporting.Conclusion The presence of space-time clustering of malaria cases and its correlation with meteorological and physiographic factors indicate that routine spatial analysis of the surveillance data could help control and manage malaria outbreaks in the district.

Knowledge and perspectives of registered gynecologists about gender determination in relation to abortion laws – Exploratory questionnaire based study in central India

India is one of the few countries to legalize abortion since 1971. However, legalizing abortion has not translated into safe and affordable services. The birth sex ratio in India has been declining since the 1901. Despite the attempts by government to monitor radiologists and genetic laboratories, the Census of India 2011reported a dip in the child sex ratio in states like Maharashtra between 2001 and 2011.The present study was conducted as a cross-sectional questionnaire based study in clinics of participating doctors in a district in tribal region of central India. With the help of pre-validated questionnaire the knowledge and perception of registered gynaecologists were noted regarding the recent abortion laws.72% respondents were aware of the recent amendments in abortion laws but surprisingly only 54% participants have successfully enumerated them and 28% participants were unaware of the recent amendments in the Act.Only 24% participants said that amendments in MTP act was very good but still 12% doctors believed that there is a scope for further amendments.According to 64% participants the PCPNDT Act is acceptable but 12% said record keeping is very difficult and 6% felt that it needs lots of amendments.Majority of the respondents were aware about the MTP &amp; PCPNDT Acts, surprisingly only 54% participants have successfully enumerated them. According to only 24% participants recent amendments was good, According to 12% they were necessary but still 12% believed that there is a scope for further amendments.

What affects bicycle use in rural and semi-urban settlements: Evidence from selected regions in India

There is a dearth of evidence-based research on the determinants of utility cycling in rural areas of developing countries including India. Data from the Census of India shows a sharp increase in the ownership of motorized vehicles among rural Indian households, though bicycles are still the mostly widely-owned transport asset. Four regions comprising rural and semi-urban settlements situated in the periphery of two large central Indian cities, Bhopal and Indore, were selected for examining the relation of utility cycling with personal, household and settlement characteristics. Known correlates of utility cycling from literature were combined with specific questions related to the socio-spatial context and activity-travel pattern of rural areas for developing and administering a questionnaire to individuals selected through a multistage sampling process. Settlement characteristics in terms of size of built-up area, proximity to metropolitan city and distance from the nearest bus-stop were considered. The likelihood of being a regular cyclist or an occasional cyclist in relation to non-cyclists was estimated using multinomial logistic regression. Gender, educational attainment, frequency of travel outside the village, household income, presence of other members in the household who cycle, and settlement characteristics were found to have significant association with the intensity of utility cycling. Policy measures for encouragement of cycling among rural women and promotion of faster e-bikes are recommended based on the findings.

Dichotomous classification and implications in spatial planning: A case of the Rural-Urban Continuum settlements of Kerala, India

Kerala State in India has a unique Rural-Urban Continuum (RUC) settlement pattern where it is difficult to distinguish between urban from rural. However, like all the Indian States, the RUC settlements of Kerala are also divided into rural and urban, and this dichotomous classification forms the basis of spatial planning, governance, and management. The current situation has resulted in the spread of urban characterized settlements towards the environmentally fragile areas of the state. Despite several discussions regarding the RUC nature of settlements, details about the spatial characteristics of Kerala are missing in the literature. Accordingly, the paper explores the RUC settlement pattern of Kerala in two parts. The first part assesses the RUC pattern based on the existing Indian census definition. The result reveals that the urban and rural definitions do not hold validity in Kerala. The second part explores the settlements based on the topographic distribution, followed by a detailed analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamics of the built areas in three levels of detailing. The study reveals a spread of built-up areas across diverse topography and variation among the built-up areas of different urban areas. While the lowland regions indicated a dominance and clustering of built-up patches, in the midlands and towards the highland study areas, the built-up areas are smaller and more fragmented with an affinity towards the transportation corridors. Therefore the study helped characterize the spread of reclassified settlements and the changes in built-up areas across diverse topography and emphasized the requirement to move away from dichotomous classification as followed in some developed countries. The study recommends an RUC code for Kerala and an Eco-sensitive Regional Planning approach for a better spatial planning process. A modified and refined planning framework is also proposed as a final output from the research.

Contribution of modifiable risk factors on the burden of diabetes among women in reproductive age-group in India: a population based cross-sectional study.

The diabetes burden is rapidly accelerating in India, particularly since the 2000s. We explore the burden and contribution of modifiable risk factors in diabetes among reproductive women across geographic regions of India. The study uses data from the National Family Health Survey in India 2015-2016, Census of India 2011, and World Population Prospects 2015. We computed Population Attributable Fractions and the number of total and estimated avoidable diabetic cases across regions. The prevalence of diabetic cases in India were 24.4 per 1000 women, varying across geographic regions. Diabetes affected around 8.2 million women (15-49years) in India. Overweight (PAF = 19.5%) and obesity (PAF = 18.3%) contributed to the diabetes burden; if mitigated optimally, these can reduce diabetic cases by 2.8 million in India. Controlling diabetes should be region specific for maximum impact. Extending chronic disease screening during maternal and child health consultations might help decelerate the growing menace of diabetes in the country.

Role of transport infrastructure in birth of census towns in West Bengal

In the Indian Census, the growth of villages into small towns (called Census Towns, CT) accounted for almost 30% of urbanization during 2001–11, which was significantly higher than the preceding decades. This paper evaluates the role of the transportation infrastructure in this phenomenon by using data from the State of West Bengal, which has experienced the birth of the largest number of such towns. We use the probit regression method involving binary dependent variables. The results show that the existence of state/national highways in the neighborhood increase the probability of a village, designated as a ‘would be CT’ in the 2001 Census, to be converted into a CT in the 2011 Census. The closer the location of the highway, the more intensive the positive effect. The rail infrastructure does not play a significant role in this process. Interestingly, the paper shows although the density of local road networks generally complements highways in the formation of cities, the complementarity relationship is the opposite in the districts bordering Kolkata. The role of the Golden Quadrangle (GQ) project, highway construction project undertaken in India during this time to connect the four major metropolitan cities of India, had a limited impact compared to national/state highways in the birth of CTs.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41685-021-00224-5.

Cancer incidence estimates for 2022 & projection for 2025: Result from National Cancer Registry Programme, India.

Information on recent cancer statistics is important for planning, monitoring and evaluating cancer control activities. This article aims to provide an update on the cancer incidence estimates in India by sex, age groups and anatomical sites for the year 2022. The National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020, reported the cancer incidence from 28 Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs) for the years 2012-2016. This was used as the basis to calculate cancer estimates in India. Information pertaining to the population at risk was extracted from the Census of India (2001 and 2011) for the estimation of age-sex stratified population. PBCRs were categorised into the respective State and regions of the country to understand the epidemiology of cancer. The age-specific incidence rate for each specific anatomical site of cancer was applied to the estimated population to derive the number of cancer cases in India for 2022. The estimated number of incident cases of cancer in India for the year 2022 was found to be 14,61,427 (crude rate:100.4 per 100,000). In India, one in nine people are likely to develop cancer in his/her lifetime. Lung and breast cancers were the leading sites of cancer in males and females, respectively. Among the childhood (0-14 yr) cancers, lymphoid leukaemia (boys: 29.2% and girls: 24.2%) was the leading site. The incidence of cancer cases is estimated to increase by 12.8 per cent in 2025 as compared to 2020. The cancer incidence is continuing to increase in India. The new estimates will be helpful in planning cancer prevention and control activities through the intervention of early detection, risk reduction and management.

Trade Liberalization and Human Capital Accumulation: Evidence from Indian Census

Trade Liberalization and Human Capital Accumulation: Evidence from Indian Census

The Effect of Trade Liberalization on Marriage and Fertility: Evidence from Indian Census

The Effect of Trade Liberalization on Marriage and Fertility: Evidence from Indian Census

Trade Liberalization and Human Capital Accumulation: Evidence from Indian Census

Trade Liberalization and Human Capital Accumulation: Evidence from Indian Census

Household Survey on the Role of Social Norms in Defecation Practices in Aurangabad, Bihar, India

Introduction:In the recent decade, the study of social norms has become popular as it can explain and change harmful social behaviours, such as Open Defecation (OD). Open defecation is is a threat to public health. It causes diarrheal infections. Households formed the unit of study as they constitute an essential social institution to adopt and use latrines. Aim: To compare the social norms of the latrine user and OD practitioners of households with regard to disgust, purity and pollution, latrine and OD beliefs, and the preference for latrines that differ in cost. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among 486 participants at Aurangabad district, Bihar, India, from July 2019 to January 2020. The district is one of the worst performers in latrine adoption in the country, according to the census of India 2011, Swachh Bharat Mission 2016, and NFHS-5 2019-21 data. A pretested questionnaire prepared by Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (RICE) was used as a tool for data collection. Data collected were entered into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. Descriptive data analysiswas performed and represented in tabular forms. The categories of households were made on the basis of the defecation practices (latrine user and OD practitioners). Results: The study found that social norms regarding purity and pollution were the same across the two groups. Both the groups (latrine user and OD practitioners) agreed that OD was disgusting and polluting behaviour. The two groups were coherent in the preference for latrines based on cost. Conclusion: The social norms are evolving in the study setting. Households have recognised the relevance of latrine use in contemporary times. The gap in practice is the only difference between the two groups of households.

CONSONANTAL SYSTEM OF SHERPA

The present study “Consonantal system of Sherpa” discusses the Sherpas of Sikkim mainly settled in South and West District. According to the Census of India 2001, the total speaker of Sherpa in Sikkim is 13,922. However, Denzong Sherpa Association claims that the population of Sherpa is more than 65,000 out of which more than 32,000 people speak their Mother Tongue in their native environment particularly in the home domain. Linguistically, Robert Shafer has divided Tibeto-Burman into four main groups: Bodic, Baric, Burmic and Karenic. According to Shafer, Sherpa belongs to the Central Unit of the Bodish Section within the Bodic Sub-division of Sino-Tibetan. The present paper attempts to describe the Consonantal system of Sherpa. Sherpa has twenty six (26) consonantal sounds. It has fourteen stops i.e., /p, pʰ, b, t, tʰ, d, ʈ, ʈʰ, ɖ, c, cʰ, k, kʰ, ɡ/, four nasals /m, n, ɲ, ŋ/, four fricatives /s, ʃ, ʒ, h/ one lateral /l/one trill /r/ and two semi-vowels; bilabial semi-vowel /w/ and palatal semi-vowel /j/. Consonant combination in Sherpa can be classified into two categories these are: (i) consonant cluster (ii) consonant sequence. Sherpa has initial and medial consonant clusters that occur within the syllabic boundary. Sherpa has a wide variety of consonant sequences. Gemination, Homorganic and Contagious are the Consonant sequences found in Sherpa Language.