Delhi National Capital Region Research Articles

Financial Inclusion—A Study of Informal Workers from Delhi NCR

Financial inclusion is a process of providing financial services to everyone at an affordable cost, particularly to weaker sections and low-income groups. The study analyses the level of awareness, usage of banking services and other financial benefits and explores the hindrances to financial inclusion faced by the informal workers in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). An empirical survey is done, and 760 responses are evaluated to understand the level of financial inclusion using correlation, logit regression analysis, etc. Findings of the study indicate that level of financial awareness and inclusion increase with age, education and income for fixed salary workers. Major hindrances to financial inclusion are lack of savings for using financial services, lack of necessary documentation and lack of trust in the formal banking system. Therefore, the government needs to make more efforts to reach out to the urban poor and informal workers for all-around inclusiveness. JEL Codes: D14, E26, G2, J46, O1

A Study of Women Employees' Job Satisfaction in the Telecom Sector with Special Reference to Delhi NCR

This research paper investigates the job satisfaction levels among women employees in the telecom sector, focusing particularly on the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). Job satisfaction is a critical factor influencing employee performance, retention, and overall organizational success. Given the growing importance of gender diversity and inclusion in the workforce, understanding the job satisfaction levels of women employees is essential for fostering a conducive work environment. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, to comprehensively explore various factors affecting job satisfaction among women in the telecom sector. The findings aim to provide valuable insights for organizations to enhance gender diversity and foster a more inclusive workplace culture.

A Prospective Study of Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury in Coronavirus Disease 2019

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common after coronavirus 2 infection (COVID-19), leading to higher morbidity and mortality. There is little prospective data from India regarding the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of AKI in COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted prospectively in adult patients between September and December 2020 in a tertiary care hospital in the national capital region of Delhi. A total of 856 patients with COVID-19 infection were enrolled in the study. Survivors were followed for 3 months after discharge. Results: Out of 856 patients, 207 (24%) developed AKI. AKI was significantly higher in those with severe disease as compared to mild-moderate disease (88% vs. 12%, P = 0.04). Out of all AKI, 3.4% had stage 1, 9.2% had stage 2, and the rest 87.4% had stage 3 AKI. 183/207 (88%) patients were on mechanical ventilators, 133 (64%) required inotropic support, and 137/207 (83.6%) patients required kidney replacement therapy. Out of 207 AKI patients, 74% (153) died as compared to 4% (27) in non-AKI group (P = 0.0001). After 3 months, chronic kidney disease (CKD) developed in 10/54 (18.5%) patients. On multivariable analysis, the presence of diabetes mellitus, severe COVID-19 disease, high levels of C reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, D-Dimer, and use of intravenous steroids, tocilizumab and remdesivir, were found to be significant predictors of AKI. Conclusion: AKI is common after COVID-19 infection and it is a significant risk factor for mortality in COVID-19. Patients with diabetes and high levels of inflammatory markers have higher mortality. CKD may develop in many patients after discharge.

Study of climate literacy and pro-environmental behavior amongst students

This research examines the role of effort at the school level in ensuring climate literacy and the influence of climate literacy on the environmental behavior of children. Literature has shown that pro-environmental behavior is mediated by hope and despair amongst the children. An attempt has been made to study the same. Also, the role of climate literacy in inducing indoor generation behavior was studied. The research is based on a questionnaire developed to measure the constructs (Efforts at the school level, hope, despair, climate literacy, pro-environmental behavior, and indoor generation behavior). The questionnaires were used to survey 477 students of the middle and high-level schools in Delhi National Capital Region (DelhiNCR), India. CB -Structural Equation modeling was used to study the influence and significance of the relationships. The research revealed that climate literacy, positively and significantly influenced proenvironmental behavior, while it wasn’t positively influencing indoor generation behavior. Hope was been found to positively mediate pro-environmental behavior. This research is one of its kind and explored the psychological and behavioral implications of climate literacy amongst school students.

A Geospatial Approach to Mapping and Monitoring Real Estate-Induced Urban Expansion in the National Capital Region of Delhi

A Geospatial Approach to Mapping and Monitoring Real Estate-Induced Urban Expansion in the National Capital Region of Delhi

Exploration and Profiling of Potential Thermo-alkaliphilic Bacillus licheniformis and Burkholderia sp. from varied Soil of Delhi region, India and their Plant Growth-Promoting Traits

Soilless cultivation has emerged as a fundamental alternative for large-scale vegetable production because it generates high-quality yields and uses resources efficiently. While plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are known to enhance growth and physiological aspects in crops grown in soil, their application in soilless cultivation has been relatively less explored. This study aimed to isolate potential PGPBs from soil samples collected from five locations in and around the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), India, which were further screened for significant PGPB attributes. Among these, 51 isolated were selected for assessing the impact on Oryza sativa (rice) growth and yield grown on a hydroponic set. The results indicated that isolates AFSI16 and ACSI02 significantly improved the physiological parameters of the plants. For instance, treatment with AFSI16 showed a 23.27% increase in maximum fresh shoot mass, while ACSI02 resulted in a 46.8% increase in root fresh mass. Additionally, ACSI02 exhibited the highest shoot length (34.07%), whereas AFSI16 exhibited the longest root length (46.08%) in O.sativa. Treatment with AFSI16 also led to significant increases in total protein content (4.94%) and chlorophyll content (23.44%), while ACSI02 treatment showed a 13.48% increase in maximum carotenoid content in the leaves. The potential PGPBs were identified through 16S rRNA sequencing, as the two most effective strains, AFSI16 and ACSI02, belonged to thermo-alkaliphilic Bacillus licheniformis and Burkholderia sp., respectively. This study demonstrated the potential of these identified PGPB strains in enhancing crop performance, specifically in soilless cultivation systems.

Labour segmentation in NCR Delhi’s automobile sector: a political response of capital to labour struggles

This paper aims to understand the changing dynamics of internal labour market segmentation intertwined with the history of working-class struggle in an industrial belt in India’s National Capital Region (NCR). Nuances of workers’ class struggle in the automobile sector in Delhi-NCR over the last 15 years have shown that unity between permanent and contract workers was key to several successful struggles against worsening work conditions and management control within the global value chains of automobile production. Our fieldwork findings, along with direct and indirect political engagement in the region, reveal that increasing salaries and allotment of supervisory roles to small sections of permanent workers, coupled with the simultaneous fragmentation a lower strata of workers into multiple categories with very low salaries, benefits and heavy workloads, have been significant attempts by capital to break class solidarity among different sections of workers. Relatively pro-labour legislation and trade unions tend to concentrate in high-wage zones, while low-wage and precarious employment remains unprotected by such institutional mechanisms. Labour segmentation is inherent to capitalist exploitation, guarded by institutional mechanisms. Advanced mechanisation reduces distinction of skill requirements between highly paid permanent and lowly paid contract workers. In this context, labour segmentation is a political response to trade unionism from the side of capitalist management.

Financial Literacy of Microentrepreneurs and its Effect on the Business Performance and Innovativeness: Empirical Evidence from India

Micro-entrepreneurs are the strategic assets of the nation, given their mammoth share in maintaining the socio-economic equilibrium and inclusive growth of the economy. Despite their contribution to India’s economy, they are still confronted with several on-ground hurdles, such as inadequate financial literacy among entrepreneurs, inaccessibility to affordable credit, financial mismanagement and lack of innovation. The extant literature has revealed that financial illiteracy and lack of innovation have raised pertinent concerns across the world, given the increasing rate of business failures. Nonetheless, the effect of financial literacy on organisational performance and innovativeness remains underexplored and fragmented. This study aims to examine the effect of financial literacy on the business performance and innovativeness of the micro-entrepreneurs in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) in India. Primary data were gathered from around 302 micro-entrepreneurs registered in Delhi-NCR through self-administered questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted through SmartPLS 4 software. The results indicated that financial literacy significantly impacts business performance and innovativeness among micro-entrepreneurs. Therefore, the study advocates wider participation of policymakers, financial service providers and managers in designing tailored strategies aimed to enhance the financial education of micro-entrepreneurs.

Burden of dog bite injuries and wound management practices to prevent rabies among dog owners.

Despite members of dog-owning families being at a higher risk of dog bites owing to their proximity to dogs in their household, there are hardly any studies from India which focus on the burden of dog bites among them and their rabies control and prevention practices. This study aimed to estimate the burden of dog bites among dog owners and their wound management practices to prevent rabies. A cross-sectional study was conducted among pet dog owners in a high-end housing society of National Capital Region of Delhi. A pre-tested and pre-validated schedule was used to collect data by consecutive sampling through community survey. Data were analyzed using R software. The incidence of dog bites and the status of rabies prevention practices adopted by the participants are presented as proportions. Chi-square test was applied to compare proportions. A total of 100 families were studied, which covered 355 family members. The incidence of dog bites in the past 1 year was found to be 44/355, 12.4% (95% confidence interval 9.2-16.3%). Pet dogs were responsible for 31/44 (70.5%) bites. Among 44 dog bite incidents, 30 (68.2%) reported taking any injection after the incident, and 10 (22.7%) reported receiving an anti-rabies vaccine. Only six out of 100 families reported at least one family member covered by rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis. The incidence of dog bites among the dog owners was high. The rabies pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis practices adopted by the participants were found to be inadequate.

Long-Term Kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing and Anti-Receptor Binding Domain Antibodies among Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Delhi National Capital Region, India: A Prospective, One-Year Follow-Up Study.

Background: This study was conducted with the objective of measuring the neutralizing and anti-receptor binding domain antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 among laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and exploring its long-term kinetics over a period of 1 year. Methods: One hundred laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases were recruited. Serum samples of the participants were collected within three months from the date of the positive COVID-19 report. The participants were prospectively followed up every three months for symptoms and the collection of blood samples for three additional rounds. The presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgA, IgG, and IgM antibodies), anti-receptor binding domain antibodies (anti-RBD), and neutralizing antibodies were measured. Findings: Median plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) titers showed a rising trend in the first three rounds of follow-up. The quantitative anti-receptor binding domain ELISA (QRBD) values showed a declining trend in the initial three rounds. However, both the PRNT titers and QRBD values showed significantly higher values for the fourth round of follow-up. Total antibody (WANTAI) levels showed an increasing trend in the initial three rounds (statistically significant). Interpretation: Neutralizing antibodies showed an increasing trend. The anti-receptor binding domain antibodies showed a decreasing trend. Neutralizing antibodies and anti-RBD antibodies persisted in the majority.

Unravelling seismogenesis and characterizing the unique features of two significant felt earthquakes (M > 4.0) of 2020 in the southwestern parts of the Delhi region

Two significant earthquakes (M4.6 and 4.2) occurred close to a NE–SW-trending lineament in the southwestern part of the Delhi NCR (National Capital Region) within a short time span of about 5 months in 2020. These events were located to the north of the Alwar district in Rajasthan and generated a significant ground shaking in and around Delhi. In the present study, we tried to understand a causal relationship between the events and a nearby source in the region, geologically demarcated as the lineament. We analyzed the broadband waveform data from 26 seismic stations that recorded the recent events of 03 July 2020 (M4.6) and 17 December 2020 (M4.2). Typically, the epicentral area has been devoid of significant earthquakes since the past six decades; however, a few minor events (M < 4.0) have been recorded till date. Analysis of the earthquake database for two decades (2000–2022) revealed low seismicity (nearly quiescent-like situation) in ∼100 sq km area around the epicentral zone, unlike considerable seismicity along faults/lineaments close to the Delhi region. The full-waveform inversion analyses of the events indicate normal faulting with a minor strike–slip components. The source parameters, viz., source radius, stress drop, and seismic moment, were estimated to be 6 km, 166 bars, and 8.28E+15 Nm, respectively, for the 03 July 2020 event and 4 km, 138 bars, and 2.29E+15 Nm, respectively, for the 17 December 2020 event. The causative source of these events is ascertained based on the stress inversion modeling that indicated a NW–SE tensile stress corroborating well with the NE–SW-trending lineament mapped in the study region. The static Coulomb stress modeling indicated that the event which occurred on 3 July 2020 had advanced the triggering process of the event in the northeast segment of the same source that occurred on 17 December 2020. We further emphasize that the aforementioned lineament probably activated due to the regional tectonics of the study area. The causative source of these events with strike 48°, dip 86°, and rake −60° is found to be in the conformity with the local tectonics and is well-supplemented by a high stress ratio (0.70 ± 0.05) and low friction coefficient (0.5).

Prevalence and correlates of multimorbidity among patients attending AYUSH primary care settings in Delhi-National Capital Region, India

IntroductionIndia has a multifaceted healthcare system and recognizes complementary and alternative systems of medicine (AYUSH) that cater to the healthcare needs of people. Multimorbidity requires frequent visits to physicians and long-term use of medications, due to which people tend to prefer AYUSH systems as they provide holistic patient-centered treatment. Hence, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity and assess its correlates among patients attending AYUSH primary care clinics in Delhi.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 943 patients aged ≥ 18 years attending various AYUSH primary care clinics in Delhi from September 2021 to February 2022, employing a stratified random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and proportion were used to report the prevalence of multimorbidity (two or more chronic conditions in an individual out of the 33 conditions listed as per the Multimorbidity Assessment Questionnaire for Primary Care). A multivariable logistic regression assessed the association between various socio-demographic characteristics and multimorbidity, presented as an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsThe prevalence of diabetes (14.7%) was found to be the highest (out of all included chronic conditions) among the patients attending various AYUSH primary care settings. The overall prevalence of multimorbidity was observed to be around 39.4%. We observed a higher likelihood of having multimorbidity among participants aged ≥ 70 years [AOR: 9.19 (95% CI: 3.75–22.54)], females [AOR: 1.57 (95% CI: 1.04–2.37)], and middle class [AOR: 2.23 (95% CI: 1.45–3.43)].ConclusionMultimorbidity was evidently prevalent across AYUSH primary care settings, which cannot be overlooked. The results suggest behavioral change communication may be aimed at older individuals, females, and the middle class.

Unexceptional neoliberalism and the future of work: constrained enterprise and worker subjectivities in the gig economy of India

The discourse and policy of ‘entrepreneurial development’ has been critical to the spread of platform-based gig work in India. Digital platforms introducing gig work for location-based services, are perceived as vital in providing opportunities for dignified work marking a break from informality and are accompanied by the state’s push towards cultivating neoliberal subjectivities of ‘self-reliance’. We examine how a discourse of entrepreneurial development and the ‘enterprising self’ underpins the structural conditions of location-based gig work, through an examination of conditions of work in the ride hailing, food delivery and beauty/spa sector, in the Delhi National Capital Region. Although gig work has been defined as fertile ground for enterprise culture to take root, we find that neoliberal subjectivities within it have not thrived. An enterprising spirit can only survive through a subversion of the platform rather than by working on it. Our findings also suggest that gig workers’ drive to earn more, and for autonomy is underpinned by social considerations, including that of survival and mobility for the self and families. Gig work, then, is not a radical break from informality, instead workers experience social and economic insecurity common to informal workforces, which is now reproduced through digital technology and the ‘unexceptional’ change of neoliberalism.

Prevalence and correlates of anxiety and stress in school going adolescents in Delhi national capital region: a cross sectional study

Background: Anxiety and stress are notable health problems plaguing adolescents. Moreover, issues such as poor sleep quality and body image issues, common in adolescence, have also been linked to anxiety and stress previously. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted across 392 school going adolescents in Delhi NCR, India. Sociodemographic and lifestyle data was collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. DASS-21 was used to screen the participants for anxiety and stress, Pittsburgh sleep quality index for sleep quality, and Stunkard figure rating silhouette for body image issues. Data was entered into MS Excel spreadsheets and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version-25 was used for analysis. Results: 47.5% participants suffered from anxiety and 22.2% from stress. Anxiety was significantly associated with father’s education and occupation, stressful occurrences in the family, poor sleep quality and inadequate exercise. Stress was significantly higher in females and those with poor sleep quality. Conclusions: Anxiety and stress in adolescents show significant associations with familial and lifestyle factors. Identifying these risk factors can enable timely diagnosis and intervention.

Factors Affecting Digital Acumen of Postgraduate Business Study Students Attending Online Learning: A Study in the National Capital Region (NCR)

The global COVID-19 pandemic had created an unforeseen situation across the country affecting normal academics in schools, academic institutions and universities. These had compelled policymakers, academic think tanks, institutional heads, faculty members and others to quickly adopt online mode of teaching and learning in order to safeguard the well-being of students, faculty, staff and their family members from the spread of the virus. However, adopting to the online mode of teaching and learning was not an easy affair for either the student or teaching community. In spite of all the adversities and impending challenges, students had to adopt with the online mode of learning for which they needed to harness and sharpen their digital acumen and technical know-how. Taking this perspective into consideration, an attempt has been made in the present study to have an understanding of what was meant by digital acumen for students studying postgraduate business studies in the institutions located in and around the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi and explore the factors influencing the same. For this purpose, the research used a sequential mixed method research design whereby, based on the existing literature and research gaps the first (qualitative) phase, made an attempt to explore the narratives of institutional heads regarding what was meant by digital acumen for postgraduate business study students and what factors influenced the same. The qualitative study led to the identification of three variables, namely support from teachers, support from peers and technical knowledge. During the subsequent quantitative phase of the research, the study explored the influence of these variables on the digital acumen of students based on an online survey among 335 students from the NCR. Data analysis indicates that technical knowledge was the most important mediator of digital acumen among the students. Support from teachers was an important predictor influencing both technical knowledge and support from peers. The variable support from peers has significant influence on technical knowledge thereby establishing the influence on digital acumen of students.

The Political Economy of Gig Work in the Pandemic: Social Hierarchies and Labour Control of Indian Platform Workers

This article examines capital–labour relations within location-based gig work in India, with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis of the pandemic exacerbated unemployment and created opportunities for platform services to expand, as consumers relied on digital platforms for their needs. This article assesses conditions across three gig services—food delivery, ride hailing and beauty work—based on interviews with 23 gig workers in the Delhi–National Capital Region in India and five organizers of gig worker collectives. The article discusses how workers’ incomes were cut even as they were exposed to higher risks to health and safety, and was accompanied by higher control exerted over their labour ostensibly for the safety of consumers. This control—both algorithmic and bodily—over workers derived its legitimacy from social hierarchies of caste and class between workers and consumers, and between workers and the platform. The article reveals a remarkable similarity in how workers fared across sectors, despite different classifications as essential or non-essential services. It establishes the significance of the pandemic to amplifying processes of labour commodification and labour control in gig work, ultimately contributing to antagonism between platforms and workers and to an emergent class politics of gig workers.

Clinical and experimental evidence suggest omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is inherently less pathogenic than delta variant independent of previous immunity

ObjectivesTo study clinical disease outcomes in both human and animal models to understand the pathogenicity of omicron compared to the delta variant.MethodsIn this cross-sectional observational study, clinical outcomes of adults who tested positive at 2 testing centres in Delhi National Capital Region between January 2022 and March 2022 (omicron-infected; N = 2998) were compared to a similar geographical cohort (delta-infected; N = 3292). In addition, disease course and outcomes were studied in SARS-CoV-2-infected golden Syrian hamsters and K-18 humanized ACE2 transgenic mice.ResultsOmicron variant infection was associated with a milder clinical course [83% (95% CI 61, 94) reduced risk of severity compared against delta] adjusting for vaccination, age, sex, prior infection and occupational risk. This correlated with lower disease index and vir comparing omicron with other variants in animal models.ConclusionsInfections caused by the omicron variant were milder compared to those caused by the delta variant independent of previous immunity.

Cross-country comparison of sustainable e-commerce entrepreneurship impact on sustainable development goals implementation: The case study of Germany and India

E-commerce plays a significant role in driving global economic growth, and the integration of sustainable practices into business has given rise to the concept of Sustainable E-commerce Entrepreneurship (SEE). As the number of SEE initiatives continues to grow, examining their impact on implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) becomes crucial. This study aims to explore the disparities between German and Indian SEEs regarding their perspectives on SDG implementation. This study presents a unique approach by comparing the viewpoints of e-commerce entrepreneurs in the Indian National Capital Region of New Delhi and the Berlin-Brandenburg Region in Germany regarding SDG implementation through SEE activities. The interviewees from both countries were asked about three key aspects: (1) the current impact of SEE on SDGs implementation, (2) the future impact of SEE on a specific category of SDGs, and (3) whether e-commerce should be seen as a source of global patterns for SDGs implementation or should be tailored to local needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data, and the scripted interviews were analyzed with the assistance of ATLAS.ti software. The study collected semi-structured interviews with ten Indian and nine German SEEs. The study’s findings indicate that German SEEs place a greater emphasis on SDGs related to the biosphere compared to their Indian counterparts. This divergence in prioritization aligns with the socio-economic challenges currently faced by Indian society, which influences their focus on social and economic SDGs. Indian SEEs do not foresee significant contributions to improving the biosphere through SEE activities in the future. In contrast, German SEEs demonstrate an idealistic perspective on SDG implementation, with a stronger emphasis on the biosphere category of SDGs.

Impact of AWiFS derived land use/land cover over the intensely urbanised domain of National Capital Region (NCR) - Delhi in simulating monsoon weather

Land-Use/Land-Cover (LULC) plays a crucial role in meteorological models because they determine the crustal properties that interfere with the exchange of energy, momentum, and moisture between the land surface and the atmosphere. The current study integrates a legitimate ground-truth LULC based on the Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model framework for simulating short-term monsoon weather over the National Capital Region (NCR Delhi), the biggest urban settlement in the Monsoon Zone. AWiFS provides LULC data at 56 m spatial resolution. The newly implemented AWiFS LULC precisely distinguishes the WRF model default Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) classification and urban representation. Both simulations most well capture the urban meteorological influence over the urban core. However, the AWiFS more accurately depicts NCR urban Land Use (LU), highlighted in the spatial and Probability Density Function (PDF) distributions of various meteorological variables, and captures numerous small-scale suburban settlements outside the central core zone. The impact of the omission of the Noida suburban in MODIS LU is also notable in the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Convective parameters and precipitation correlate strongly, and the AWiFS simulation considerably enhanced Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), Convective Inhibition (CIN) and other associated variables. Further, it indicates that a higher magnitude (>200 J kg−1 in difference) of CAPE is simulated over Faridabad, likely an urban-induced downwind effect due to the accurate representation of the Noida suburban in AWiFS. The study highlights the importance of updated LULC in enhancing model realisation, and AWiFS-based simulation showed improved performance.

Climate variability and occurrence of vector borne diseases: evidence from National Capital Region of Delhi, India

Climate variability and occurrence of vector borne diseases: evidence from National Capital Region of Delhi, India