Maharashtra Research Articles

Economic Analysis of kharif Vegetable Cultivation in Palghar District of Maharashtra State, India

The study was undertaken with the specific objective to workout costs, returns and profitability in vegetables production of a sample of 90 vegetable cultivators of three tahsil of Palghar viz. Vasai, Palghar and Dahanu during 2023.Simple statistical tools such as arithmetic mean, average, percentage, ratios and frequency distribution were worked out. For working out cost of production, standard cost concepts viz., cost-A1, cost-A2 cost-B1, cost-B2, cost-C1, cost-C2, cost-C3 were used. The cost of cultivation of kharif brinjal, okra, cowpea, tomato, cucumber, bottle gourd and bitter gourd was Rs.130880, Rs.172317, Rs.74835, Rs.145956, Rs.166815, Rs.220387and Rs.209361for respectively. The gross returns obtained from kharif brinjal, okra, cowpea, tomato, cucumber, bottle gourd and bitter gourd was Rs.141240, Rs.271560, Rs.77532, Rs.280280, Rs.227850, Rs.337506 and Rs.345345 respectively. The benefit-cost ratio for kharif brinjal, okra, cowpea, tomato, cucumber, bottle gourd and bitter gourd was 1.08, 1.58, 1.04, 1.92, 1.37, 1.53 and 1.65 respectively. The promising benefit-cost ratios indicate a favorable environment for vegetable farming in Palghar, suggesting that with strategic crop selection and enhanced agricultural practices, the future of vegetable cultivation in the region is likely to be both profitable and sustainable.

Markov Chain Analysis of Land-use Changes in India and Maharashtra

Dynamics of Agriculture resembles the history of agriculture in India which examines the emphasizing significance to the nation's legacy, culture and civilization. India's agriculture changed after independence from a food-scarce nation to one that exports food this comes true primarily due to the result of scientific advancements. The present study is based on secondary data with the use of Markov Chain analysis to ascertain land-use changes in India and Maharashtra state. Changes in land use brought on by agriculture, urbanization and environmental factors significantly impact resource management and sustainability. We build a Markov Chain model with secondary land utilization data from government reports to measure the transition probabilities between various land use categories over time. The Markov chain model is easy to understand and communicate. It effectively captures transitions between land-use changes over time. The model works with limited data as compared to other complex models, making it accessible for studies. The results of the study emphasize dynamic interactions between various land-use patterns in India and Maharashtra. There we have concluded a stable land-use changing pattern. A trend towards intensive cropping has been observed during this study. This study reveals important trends in land conversion, most notably the growth of urban areas at the expense of forested and agricultural areas. The predictive abilities of model highlight the significance of well-informed policy-making for sustainable land management by offering insights into potential future land use scenarios.

Studies on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Winter Honey From the Region of Gadchiroli District, State of Maharashtra, India

Studies on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Winter Honey From the Region of Gadchiroli District, State of Maharashtra, India

MCDM Method for Managing the Water Resources Based on Possibility Theory under Bipolar Fuzzy Environment

Background: Uncertainty is a common factor in every real-life decision-making problem. Possibility theory is one uncertainty theory in Fuzzy sets (FS). The possibility-based decision-making under a fuzzy environment is a significant multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method. Methods: A bipolar FS is an extension of a fuzzy set. With the bipolarity concept, we can handle both positive and negative thoughts. In this study, we have provided a possibility mean of a bipolar fuzzy number. We have developed a ranking method for bipolar fuzzy numbers using this pos-sibility concept. A novel possibility MCDM method is suggested for solving the water resources management (WRM) in the Nagpur area, Maharashtra State, India. Results: The MCDM technique is an effective tool for solving WRM problems in an area. Many uncertainties and bipolarities occur together in Nagpur water resources. WRM technique with fuzzy is one approach that can be used to solve the area's water problem. We have used the pro-posed MCDM to address the water-related issues of this district. With this proposed MCDM method, numerically, we employed water resource problems under a bipolar fuzzy environ-ment. Conclusion: The Nagpur area is covered by Basaltic rock and faces water shortage. The district is experiencing severe water shortages. Groundwater, surface water, and rainfall are three water resources considered as alternatives. According to the proposed MCDM technique in Nagpur district, Groundwater is the best water source from three flanks: quality of water, affordability, and availability.

Response of Different Stem Cutting to IBA on Sprouting and Survival of Night-blooming Jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum L., Solanaceae)

The present investigation was assessed at Floriculture farm of College of Horticulture, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, (Maharashtra state) during Rabi season of the year 2023-24. The experiment was designed in Factorial Randomized Bock Design replicated thrice comprised two factors viz. types of stem cutting (Factor A) as softwood cutting, semi-hardwood cutting and hardwood cutting and IBA levels (factor B) as control, IBA @ 1500 ppm, 2000 ppm, 2500 ppm and 3000 ppm. Softwood cutting recorded minimum days taken for first sprout (6.33 days) and highest days required for sprouting (32.07 days). Hardwood cutting registered higher sprouting percentage (85.60 %) and survival percentage (80.93 %). Minimum days taken for first sprout (6.11 days), days required for highest sprouting (29.22 days) and maximum sprouting percentage (88 %) were recorded in control treatment. IBA @ 2000 ppm recorded the highest survival percentage (84.64 %). In interaction effect, softwood cutting treated with IBA @ 2000 ppm recorded early appearance of first sprout (4.00 days). However, softwood cutting treated without IBA took least days for highest sprouting (29.22 days). The highest sprouting percentage (100 %) was recorded in hardwood cutting treated with 1500 ppm IBA and 2000 ppm IBA. Hardwood cutting treated with 2000 ppm IBA recorded 100 % of survival percentage. Hence, it concluded that treatment combination of hardwood cutting treated with 2000 ppm IBA showed promising result for sprouting and survival percentage of night-blooming jasmine under Konkan agro-climatic condition.

Social branding for health promotion against non-communicable diseases in Maharashtra, India

Introduction: The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a major challenge for countries, regardless of their level of development. Social branding is an emerging approach to health promotion for NCD prevention. In this paper, the process of social branding is documented as a case study to help researchers develop similar kinds of interventions in the settings in which they work. Methods: The process of developing a social brand is documented through conversations with the project team, observations in the field, interaction with community local members, and information gathered through photographs, videos and newspaper clippings. Results: The social brand focused upon in this study was named the Aarogyachi Vaari (Health Pilgrimage) inspired by the Pandrapur Wari, a religious pilgrimage undertaken in the state of Maharashtra, India. Various stakeholders from self-help groups, panchayat raj institutions and schools from the local village collaborated successfully to implement the health event in a manner similar to the way in which diverse religious groups come together for the Pandrapur Wari religious pilgrimage. The Aarogyachi Vaari took the form of a strategically planned health event consisting of various health promotion stalls, many developed by local villagers themselves. The organisation of the event was aided by resource mobilisation within the local community. Discussion: Social branding can be an effective tool for health promotion in community settings. Studying people’s cultural preferences and what makes them feel connected and excited can lay the foundations for the creation of a social brand that reflects their choices and helps them take up healthy behaviours on their own. It is possible to mobilise a community for health through social branding that is culturally relevant and connected to the interests and priorities of local people.

Summer Pollen Sources to Apis Dorsata Honeybees Collected from Bhadrawati Tahsil Forest Area of Chandrapur District of Maharashtra State (India)

Summer Pollen Sources to Apis Dorsata Honeybees Collected from Bhadrawati Tahsil Forest Area of Chandrapur District of Maharashtra State (India)

Profile characteristics of Mandarin growers in Vidarbha region of Nagpur district, Maharashtra state

Profile characteristics of Mandarin growers in Vidarbha region of Nagpur district, Maharashtra state

Economic analysis of sugarcane cultivation in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra state

Economic analysis of sugarcane cultivation in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra state

Assessment of Maximum Temperature for Future Time Series over Aurangabad, Maharashtra State, India

Climatic downscaling is an important tool used by many researchers in the field of climate to downscale climatic data available for global area to study the impacts of climate on smaller area. In climatic downscaling, there are mainly two types: 1) Statistical Downscaling and 2) Dynamical Downscaling. In the present study, statistical downscaling has been performed using SDSM (Statistical Downscaling Model) to find out future values of maximum temperatures (Tmax) over Aurangabad region (Latitude: 19.8911° N, Longitude: 75.1545° E). For this downscaling, CanESM2 (Canadian Earth System Model) CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) GCM (General Circulation Model) were selected and downscaling was performed under three different RCPs (Representative Concentration Pathways): RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. Downscaling model is calibrated and validated successfully over the baseline period 1961-2005 and results are presented graphically as well as statistically. Future downscaling values of maximum temperatures are presented with the help of three future time series: 2020s (2011-2040), 2050s (2041-2070) and 2080s (2071-2099) and it is observed that there is increase in the values of Tmax for the future time series with respect to the baseline period. Further the heat maps are developed for increasing monthly mean daily Tmax values under three RCPs with respect to the baseline period over the duration 2006 to 2013 and compared with increased observed monthly mean daily Tmax values over the same duration. This comparison has been done to assess the pattern of increasing monthly mean daily Tmax of downscaling results over Aurangabad region. All three RCPs are showing increasing values of monthly mean daily Tmax values for the selected three future time series with respect to the baseline period. Decade wise study of downscaling results is also showing increasing values of mean monthly daily Tmax with respect to the baseline period. Tmax values are predicted to be increased under RCP 2.6 by 1.10 0C, under RCP 4.5 by 2.13 0C and under RCP 8.5 by 4.20 0C at the end of 2099 which follows the prediction given by IPCC for global level temperature rise up to 2100.

Analysis of growth and instability in rice: a district level study in Maharashtra, India

Maharashtra state contributes 3.4% of rice area and 2.65% production of the country. Considering its importance in national rice basket, this study was undertaken to examine the growth rate and instability in area, production and yield of rice in Maharashtra state. The district wise data of rice have been collected from Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India and from the online sources of the state departments during the period 1983-84 to 2019-20, which have been divided into five periods for analysis. Compound annual growth rate and Cuddy-Della Valle Instability index have been computed for the five periods. The districts have been classified into five class based on the classification of instability. These classes are very low instability, low instability, medium instability, high instability and very high instability. Growth rate ranges from -0.6 to 0.08 for area, -2.1 to 1.74 for production and -1.51 to 2.01 for yield. Highest and lowest growth rate for area, production and yield was recorded in period IV for different districts. The instability ranges from 1.79 to 4.39 for area; 5.02 to 18.18 for production and 5.26 to 15.88 for yield. Highest instability was observed in period IV and lowest instability in period I for area and period II for production and yield, respectively. None of the districts classified as very low instability for production and yield in different periods. More than fifty per cent districts were classified as low instability and medium instability for area, production and yield.

Analysis Of Nutritional Values Of Fishes (Freshwater) From Selected Districts In Vidarbha Region Of Maharashtra State, India

Analysis Of Nutritional Values Of Fishes (Freshwater) From Selected Districts In Vidarbha Region Of Maharashtra State, India

Bigamy: Law V Social Reality

This paper examines the practice of bigamy among Hindus in India, highlighting the disparity between legal prohibitions and social realities. Despite the criminalization of bigamy under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the practice continues in Indian society. The essay explores three key factors contributing to the persistence of bigamy: underreporting by women due to social pressures and abuse, the shift of second marriages into secrecy, and men exploiting legal loopholes to avoid punishment. The legal system’s rigid evidentiary requirements, particularly the burden of proof placed on the first wife to prove the completion of essential marriage rituals, further complicate the prosecution of bigamy. Cases such as *Bhaurao v. State of Maharashtra* and *Mukta Jesing v. Vallabhadas* illustrate the challenges women face in seeking justice. This paper argues that the current legal framework, while well-intentioned, is inadequate in addressing the underlying social dynamics, inadvertently allowing the practice to persist in various forms.

Economic Analysis of Dairy Farming under Drought Prone Area in Maharashtra State of India

Background: Dairy farming is a cornerstone of the rural economy in India. Maharashtra, particularly its drought-prone districts, is critical in this sector. Despite challenges posed by erratic monsoons and limited irrigation, dairy farming remains a viable strategy for economic stability in these regions. The aim of this study was to examine the financial aspects of dairy enterprises, focusing on socio-economic characteristics, economic viability and constraints faced by farmers. Methods: The study employed a multistage stratified random sampling method. Key analytical tools included average and percentage calculations, BEP analysis and a Cobb-Douglas production function. Additionally, Garrett’s ranking technique was used to ascertain constraints in dairy farming, while the MOTAD model assessed profitability and risk. Result: The findings reveal that crossbred cow milk production is more lucrative than buffalo milk production, despite its higher average total expenditure per lactation. Break-even analysis confirmed profitability for both types of milk producers. Key determinants of milk production, such as green fodder, concentrate and labour, suggest areas for efficiency enhancements. Farmer-identified constraints include high feed costs, insufficient veterinary services and water scarcity. Utilizing the MOTAD model, the study recommends integrating dairy farming with crop cultivation to maximize returns, mitigate risks and enhance overall farm resilience in challenging environmental conditions.

Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours about gender equality: a cross-sectional survey of adolescents from rural India.

Background: Gender equality is a fundamental human right and vital to accelerate global progress towards several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Adolescents' involvement is essential to achieve such equality and SDGs to develop peaceful sustainable societies. However, there are limited data especially from developing countries such as India to plan gender equality related programmes targeted at adolescents. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess gender equality related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours among 16 to 19 year-old adolescents from sixty villages of the Maharashtra state of India. Results: Data from 1306 respondents (667 females and 639 males) showed a mean score of 30 out of 44, suggesting an overall moderate gender equality score in rural adolescents. The majority of girls (68.3%) were in the high scoring group, whereas the majority of boys were in the moderate group (60.3%). Regression analysis showed that responses from boys were associated with lower scores compared to responses from girls by five points (adjusted β-coefficient: -4.99, 95%CI: -5.85 to -4.12, p<0.001). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there is a need to involve adolescents with a major focus on boys to improve gender equality in rural areas of Maharashtra. This will help introduce concepts of equality from an early age to educate boys, empower girls, and address gender-based discrimination and violence against girls and women.

The Reuse of Healing Abutments: A Questionnaire-Based Survey.

Healing abutments (HA) are used in second-stage implant surgery to create the optimal peri-implant environment. Despite being a component intended only for short-term use, it remains in the mouth for a few weeks to several months and stays in close contact with organic debris, intraoral fluids, and bacteria.Reusing the HAs modifies their surfaces, expands the coating layer's porosity, and promotes bacterial colonization at the HA-implant interface in addition to the previous contamination. Therefore, the study's goals were to determine the frequency of HA reuse, examine the sterilizing and disinfection techniques employed, and examine the factors that contributed to the dental professionals in the Indian state of Maharashtra utilizing these components again when placing dental implants. For the study, 150 dentists who worked in the field of implantology were chosen. An online questionnaire issued via email and WhatsApp was used to collect data, which started in January 2023. The survey was designed to store the demographic information and responses of the participants, and it was made available through Google Forms. By the end of February 2023, the responses had been gathered.Tables and graphs were used to present the study outcomes that were based on the statistical analysis. The analysis employed the Chi-square test, with a p-value of 0.05 deemed statistically significant. There were 150 answers in all, with 44% women and 56% men. Merely 7.4% of participants do not reuse healed abutments, compared to 92.6% who follow this procedure. The respondents were also asked about the number of times theyreused the HAs, 69% of the implantologists reused the same component countless times, while 31% reused it only once. All the respondents reported sterilizing the HAs before reuse and the method used for sterilization was autoclave (96.4%) and UV chamber (3.6%). In response to a question concerning informing patients about the reuse of HAs, 77.6% of implantologists stated they do not interact with patients, while only 22.4 reported doing so. Implantologists in the state of Maharashtra, India reuse HAs and use heterogeneous methods for disinfection and autoclave sterilization.

Molecular evidence of hepatozoonosis in tigers of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra State of India

BackgroundHepatozoonosis has been reported in many species around the world. Few incidences have been reported in various species of wild felids. Tigers are endangered large cats and are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 under Schedule I. The study was carried out to estimate the positivity rate of hepatozoonosis in tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India.MethodsBlood (n = 21) or tissue samples (n = 5) were collected from 26 wild captured / zoo-born or dead tigers during the quarantine period/post-mortem examination. Blood smear examination along with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) studies were conducted for the detection of hepatozoonosis. All the amplicons from the positive samples were purified and sequenced, and the sequences were subjected to nBLAST analysis to detect the species of Hepatozoon. The sequences were deposited into public domain database of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and accession numbers were allotted. A phylogenetic study was undertaken to understand the evolutionary lineage of the pathogen. Tissue distribution studies were carried out on tissue samples received during post mortem. A clinical case in a tiger cub was managed and sub-clinical cases were monitored for relapse. Age-wise, sex-wise, region-wise and captive time-wise positivity rate was estimated. The data was analyzed using statistical tools.ResultsA total of 12 tigers were found positive for H. felis during the screening. A clinical case was diagnosed and successfully treated. The age group of 0–3 years reported a positivity rate of 66.66%, and all the cases found positive were reported between the age group of 0–7 years. Males reported a positivity rate of 58.33 per cent, while females reported 35.71%. Taboba and Andhari Tiger Reserve of the state had a positivity rate of 52.94 per cent. However, the statistical analysis for blood parameters and positivity rate by ‘t’ test and Chi-squared test were found to be non-significant.ConclusionsAn overall positivity rate of 46.15% indicates the wide distribution of hepatozoonosis among wild tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India, which is strategically important considering the gene flow and migration of tigers. Hepatozoonosis can progress to clinical outcomes in young animals and require veterinary intervention. Molecular tools and phylogenetic studies can supplement important data on circulating species of Hepatozoon in the field. Further studies on the clinical management and epidemiology of the infection in wild felids will comprehend the cause of wildlife conservation.

Ambivalent Purview of Kinship Care: Insights from Stakeholders

The realm of alternative care for children covers a variety of care systems, which include residential care, small group homes, mother and child shelters, transit homes, adoption, foster care and kinship care. The United Nations General Assembly’s 2019 resolution on children’s rights emphasises the significance of family-based environments for children, particularly those without parental care, and underlines their right to grow up in a family setting. In light of this resolution, kinship care emerges as a crucial family-based care avenue for children lacking parental care. In India, kinship care stands as the predominant form of care for children lacking sufficient parental support and is the most common form of care in almost all regions, religions, castes and ethnic groups due to the tradition of the joint family system and close ties among relatives. While this care option is the most common form of out-of-home care, it is also the least systematically recorded, monitored or supported structure. The study, through the lens of kinship carers, ward and village-level child protection committees and community workers, focuses on the important aspects of support, motivation, love, responsibility and challenges that underlie providing care for children without parental care. This qualitative study employs ethnographic interview techniques to understand the most authentic experiences of kinship carers. Families were initially identified based on secondary data captured from the assessment and intervention planning done using the Thrive Scale™ tool as part of the case management process. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six families from two different communities (one urban community in the state of Maharashtra and one rural community located in the state of Gujarat in India) to assess the existing support structures available for kinship carers and their families, identifying gaps and measures being taken to address them to ensure meaningful well-being of children and kinship families. The study discusses various challenges of kinship families, from financial struggles to familial disconnection, lack of housing infrastructure or access to healthcare, family issues like alcoholism or child labour, lack of education or livelihood and social isolation. The study further recommends increased attention and resources directed towards supporting kinship carers, acknowledging their invaluable role in providing love, support and stability to children without parental care, and also emphasises the importance of recognising and formalising kinship care within a broader framework of alternative care for children. Miracle Foundation India is committed towards ensuring that every child has an opportunity to grow up in a family, to become a healthy, happy, income-producing person and to experience a true sense of belonging. The paramount significance of kinship care is recognised by Miracle India in its sphere of both the prevention of child separation from family and reintegration work. After a thorough assessment of these families on the five key domains of well-being—physical and mental health, education, family and social relationships, household economy and living conditions—and continuous monitoring and follow-up, Miracle India provided a comprehensive support service to these families, strengthened them and ensured sustained access to support services, ultimately promoting child welfare. During this study, the focus remained on prioritising the implementation of supportive policies and resources for kinship caregivers to ensure that every child in vulnerable circumstances thrives within the warmth and stability of a loving and caring family.

Industrial and Pharmaceutical Applications of Microbial Diversity of Hypersaline Ecology from Lonar Soda Crater.

The unidentified geochemical and physiochemical characteristics of Soda Lakes across the globe make it a novel reservoir and bring attention to scientific civic for its conceivable industrial and pharmaceutical applications. In India, in the Maharashtra state, Lonar Lake is a naturally created Soda Lake by a meteorite impact. Phylogenetic data from this lake explored a diverse array of microorganisms like haloalkaliphilic bacteria and Archaea. Previously reported studies postulated the major microbial communities present in this lake ecosystem are Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Cyanobacteria. Furthermore, it also contains Bacteroidetes, Nitrospirae, and Verrucomicrobia. This lake is also rich in phytoplankton, with the predominant presence of the Spirulina plantensis. Unique microbial strains from Lonar Lake ecosystems have fascinated consideration as a source of biological molecules with medicinal, industrial, and biotechnological potential. Recent literature revealed the isolation of antibioticproducing bacteria and alkaline proteases-producing alkaliphilic bacterium, as well as novel species of rare methylotrophs, other bacterial strains involved in producing vital enzymes, and unique actinomycetes are also reported. It indicates that the novel bacterial assemblage not reached hitherto may exist in this modified and unique ecology. This comprehensive review provides information about microbial diversity and its industrial and pharmaceutical interests that exist in Lonar Lake, which could be the future source of bioactive enzymes, biosurfactants, and biofuel and also useful in bioremediation. Furthermore, the novel species of microorganisms isolated from Lonar Lake have applications in the biosynthesis of medicines like antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, anti-inflammatory agents, and precursors for synthesising valuable products. Data consolidated in the present review will cater to the needs of emerging industrial sectors for their commercial and therapeutic applications.

Rainfall trend analysis using Mann-Kendall and Sen’s slope test method in Nanded district of Maharashtra state

Rainfall trend analysis using Mann-Kendall and Sen’s slope test method in Nanded district of Maharashtra state