Nadia District Of West Bengal Research Articles

Contraceptive use, unmet need and its determinants among tribal married reproductive women: A community based observational study in a district of West Bengal

ABSTRACT Context: Reported literatures revealed the problems of access and misconceptions, low contraceptive usage and high unmet need for family planning among the tribes. Aims: Our aim was to find out the prevalence of contraceptive usage, unmet need and their determinants among tribal married reproductive women. Settings and Design: A community-based, observational, analytical research using cross-sectional design was conducted among 290 tribal women of the Nadia district of West Bengal. Subjects and Methods: After obtaining ethical clearance, an interviewer-administered pre-designed, structured proforma was used to collect information on socio-demographic attributes, marital history, contraceptives and fertility status, unmet needs and the reasons for not using contraceptives. Statistical Analysis Used: Bi-variate analysis was used to know the differences and a two-tailed significance test with a P value of 0.05 or less was considered statistically significant. Results: The present study revealed a high prevalence of teenage marriage (60.7%) and pregnancy (27.6%). Every one in six tribal women was illiterate. The contraceptive prevalence rate was 43.8%. Tubectomy (38.6%) was the most common method (38.6%) and unfelt need (19.6%) was the most common reason for non-use. Age, occupation of women, social class, living status, marital duration, number of living children and desire to have a future child were found to be associated with the current contraceptive use. Social class, number of living children, contraceptive awareness, source and place of availability, abortion history, opposition from family and husband, and husband participation all were significantly associated with the unmet need for family planning. Conclusion: In-depth counselling focusing on achieving a satisfactory level of awareness and acceptance of family planning methods may help to achieve reproductive health by reducing unmet needs.

Trends of antihypertensive use in a tertiary care hospital in Nadia district of West Bengal, India

Background: Being a major non-communicable disease hypertension contributes significantly to disease burden and mortality. Poor control of blood pressure (BP) increases the chance of recurrent stroke and mortality. Although various guidelines have been published to inform practitioners about hypertension and its management, it is necessary to monitor to how much extent the guidelines are being followed. Aims and Objectives: The study aimed to observe antihypertensive medication prescription pattern among indoor patients in a tertiary medical college hospital and to know whether such trend of prescription is relevant and in conformity with the national and international guidelines. Materials and Methods: A prescription-based survey was conducted over 6 months among patients admitted to the medicine ward in a medical college hospital in Nadia district of West Bengal. Relevant data were collected and used for analysis. Results: A total of 500 prescriptions were evaluated. Two hundred and seventy-three patients were female (54.6%) and 227 patients were male (45.4%). About 56.2% of patients were in the senior age group with a higher contribution by the female subjects. Only 17% of patients had Grade 1 hypertension reflecting poor BP control among hypertensive patients. Combination drug was advised in more than half of cases (54.6%), whereas single drug was advised in 44.2% of cases. Amlodipine was the highest prescribing drug (66%) both as monotherapy and in combination followed by Lasix (54.6%), labetalol (31.6%), and telmisartan (11.4%). The thiazide group of drugs was used only in 1% of cases. Conclusion: Overall, the management guidelines for hypertension were adhered in the prescriptions. The underutilization of thiazide-type diuretics remains an area of concern and needs necessary action. The public health delivery system may need to take appropriate measures to make people aware of BP control.

Biomonitoring of Kulla Beel, a Flood Plain Wet-land, Using Benthic Macro Invertabrates

Kulia beel, a flood plain wetland, located in Nadia District of West Bengal is surrounded by hospital, industries and human settlements. In the present study the ecological assessment through biomonitoring was done by using benthic macroinvertebrates collected from five sites during pre-monsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon periods. Average Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H) was found to vary from 0.953 at S2 during pre-monsoon to 1.683 at S3 during post-monsoon. The evenness index (1) varied from a maximum average value of 0.998 at site S-4 to a minimum average value of 0.614 at site S-1 during pre-monsoon seasons. Both the indices indicate the water body to be moderately polluted.

Scheduled tribes (ST) students: Challenge & development

High School education for ST students is seen as one of the most emerging policy issues of contemporary India. Teachers engaged in teaching of ST student’s face unique set of challenges, which are emerged primarily from the unique cultural patterns of Bedia and Santal community. This study was conducted in the native area of Nadia district of west Bengal. Interview of the teachers was conducted in order to get valuable data for understanding the research problem. Data was subjected to rigorous of content analysis to unveil the major themes and patterns in the interview data. The study identified that the issue with teaching ST students lies in their inability to adapt in normal school conditions. The study also reveals that there are large gaps between school culture and family culture of children, creating a situation of cultural mismatch, resulting into creating discipline problems, management problems and poor responsiveness of Bedia and Santal students towards academic activities.

Economic Impact of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS): Findings from Nadia District of West Bengal

"With the passage of time and needs of rural people, the number and activities of PACSs have increased manifold and undergone changes with government patronage. This paper seeks to address how and to what extend the farming people have been benefited from PACS for their economic frontier in Nadia district of West Bengal. Primary data have been analysed through different statistical methods including multivariate analyses viz. principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and group characterization. The results show a positive relationship of the PACS’ role and family income of the farming community and majority of the sampled farmer members expressed the moderate role of PACS on overall economic development of farming community. Perception of the members on economic development by PACS is mostly homogeneous in nature. General perception of the members indicates the disappointing performances of the PACS in raising agricultural productivity or opening business opportunity at village level."

The Role of Women Dairy Cooperative Society in the Socio- Economic Empowerment of Women Members: A Study of Nadia District of West Bengal in India.

The purpose of India’s diary development projects is to empower rural women. Rural women in West Bengal are empowered by cooperatives that produce women’s milk at the village level. A case study of particular women’s milk producers’ society was done in the West Bengal district of Nadia by the Modhumoti women milk producers’ co-operative society, which is a member of the West Bengal Milk Union (WBMUL). The socioeconomic standing of the women members greatly improved when they joined the women milk producers’ cooperative association. A three-tier structure of dairy cooperative groups, including producers’ societies at the village level, unions at the district level, and federations at the state level, was discovered by the study in West Bengal. The study discovered that there are two sectors in the milk marketing system: organized and unorganized. The authors conclude by identifying the employment at one’s own home, an increase in family income, a rise in social status, and economic independence as the three most significant drivers of these women’s decision to join cooperative societies as seen in the study area.

Arsenic in mind: Construction of knowledge and attitude scales

Chronic arsenic toxicity (arsenicosis) as a result of drinking arsenic-contaminated groundwater is a major environmental health hazard throughout the world, including India. During the last four decades arsenic contamination of groundwater in nine districts out of twenty in West Bengal has become a serious problem. About 20% population of West Bengal in nine districts (Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24- Parganas, and South 24-Parganas, Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly and Burdwan) are affected by arsenic problem. To prevent this harmful effect, every people need to have proper knowledge and positive attitude towards arsenic. In this study, the researcher constructed a standardized tool of knowledge and attitude towards arsenic to assess the knowledge and attitude level of arsenic among the people of arsenic contaminated area. The researcher took item analysis method to assess the quality of the items of every section. Then the tools were measured the reliability by the Pearson’s product moment correlation method. Primarily two self-administered tools of 39 knowledge items and 32 attitude items regarding arsenic was applied among the people of Nadia district of West Bengal. Therefore, the researcher analyzed the collecting data and eliminated the poor items on the basis of difficulty value and discrimination index. After elimination of distracting items, 25 items in knowledge section and 25 items in the attitude section were retained as a final form of tool regarding arsenic. Thereafter the final form of tools applied among 60 general people to calculate the reliability of the tools by test-retest reliability method. The researcher found significant reliability in knowledge and attitude tools. These standard tools can assess the knowledge and attitude level regarding arsenic among the people of arsenic contamination area with accuracy.

Status of Rural Entrepreneurs in Post Pandemic Situation: A Study in Selected Blocks in Nadia District of West Bengal, India

India is a rural-based country. The economic development of our country is largely dependent on the development of the rural sector. In rural areas, people are shifting their source of income from agriculture to entrepreneurship. According to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), the registration portal for entrepreneurs has registered more than 51% of rural entrepreneurs so far, but the rural entrepreneurs are deprived in many ways. They are facing different challenges due to not having proper educational qualifications, lack of skills, insufficient capital, lack of management skills, and various others.
 The research paper asserted the present status of rural entrepreneurs after the pandemic. The aim of the research was to study the socio-economic profile, entrepreneurship profile, the impact of lockdown, and psychological factors associated with rural entrepreneurship. In this study, Ranaghat-II and Chakdaha Blocks of Nadia district in West Bengal were selected purposively. 15 rural entrepreneurs from each block were selected as samples and data were collected from 30 respondents by using a semi-structured interview schedule. Various aspects of business, their socio-economic condition, entrepreneur's profile, the impact of lockdown on their enterprises and psychological impact have been studied. It has been found that most of the rural entrepreneurs know about different govt facilities related to MSME and SIDBI but did not get any support from the govt schemes during the period of lockdown. A major section of the entrepreneurs (88 %) faced uncertainty in their livelihood and faced psychological problems due to different adverse entrepreneur situations that arose during the lockdown period. Rural entrepreneurship is still very much deprived. Despite having government schemes, they were not able to get that. They need more skill-based training, financial support and managerial assistance and also more women’s participation in this field will boost the rural economy as a whole.

An assessment of marketable and marketed surplus of major foodgrains of Nadia district of West Bengal

An assessment of marketable and marketed surplus of major foodgrains of Nadia district of West Bengal

Drawbar performance of a power tiller on a sandy loam soil of the Nadia district of West Bengal

A 9.69 kW power tiller's drawbar performance was tested by using a drawbar loading vehicle consisting of a power tiller with a mould board (MB) plough. A spring-loaded dynamometer was attached between the tested power tiller and the loading vehicle to measure the drawbar pull. The drawbar pull was changed from 0.905 kN to 2.232 kN by varying the operating depth of the MB plough. Empirical equations were developed to correlate the drawbar pull to the wheel slip, drawbar power, fuel consumption, and drawbar specific fuel consumption (DBSFC), and one was developed to correlate the drawbar power to the wheel slip. The wheel slip increased exponentially with an increase in the drawbar pull and drawbar power. A maximum wheel slippage of 48.94% was observed at a 2.232 kN drawbar pull and 0.763 kW drawbar power. A second-degree polynomial equation was found to correlate the drawbar pull to the drawbar power, fuel consumption, and DBSFC. The maximum drawbar power was found as 0.763 kW at a 2.02 kN drawbar pull, which was 7.87% of the rated engine power. The fuel consumption increased by 66.93%, and the DBSFC reduced by 10.56% due to the increase of the drawbar pull from 0.905 kN to 2.232 kN. The lowest DBSFC of 2.01 kg·kWh<sup>–1</sup> was found at a 2.232 kN drawbar pull.

Profitability Analysis and Stakeholders Perception of Banana Value Chain in Nadia District of West Bengal

Banana occupies the highest rank among India’s fruit crops both in area and production. The study was conducted on four randomly selected banana marketing channels namely Habibpur to Kolkata marketing channel (Channel-I), Habibpur local marketing channel (Channel-II), Kalyani to Kolkata marketing channel (Channel-III), and Kalyani local marketing channel (Channel-IV) of Nadia District of West Bengal during 2019 to identify marketing efficiency of the channels and comparing them in respect of value chain management (VCM) abilities. The responses were collected from forty producers, sixteen commission agents, thirty wholesalers, forty-four retailers, and twenty consumers of the marketing channel through a structured interview schedule. It was observed that the marketing efficiency of the Channel-III for all of the four important banana varieties of ‘Singapuri’, ‘Champa’, ‘Martaman’ and ‘Kanthali’ were higher than the Channel-I because of its better transportation management system, storage management facilities, and value distribution index. The marketing efficiency of the local marketing channel was distinctly higher in respect of Kolkata marketing channels. Less number of the stakeholder’s intervention in the local market channels might be the determining factor for it.

Social Impact of Primary Agricultural Co-operative Societies (PACS) in Nadia District of West Bengal

Aims: The researcher has endeavored to analyze impacts of PACS in-terms of selected social parameters using perception of the sample respondents. The study is significant to evaluate the perception of members PACS.
 Place and Duration of Study: The researchers have employed 290 members in 29 PACS out of the 365 operating PACS found in the Nadia district of West Bengal. Primary data for the study have been collected during 2017-2019.
 Methodology: The researchers have employed a multi-stage random sampling technique for selecting 290 members in 29 PACS in the Nadia district of West Bengal. The Likert-scale used with 5 points in the questionnaire in which, the respondents were required to grade the scale of their satisfaction for particular thing. Data have been standardized for in the study with Zero mean and Unit Standard Deviation. Qualitative as well as quantitative techniques of data analysis were used to describe and analyze the research questions. The data collected from household survey were organized, coded and entered into statistical package, TANAGRA and Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as, frequency distribution, percentages etc. multivariate analyses for data reduction, Principal Component Analysis, K-means Cluster Analysis, analyses related to Group Characterization have been done to arrive meaningful interpretations for conclusions of the study.
 Results: The score obtained from the PCA are then grouped through cluster analysis. Social perception is to arrange the score according to deviations from Standard Deviation (SD). More than 76 percent of the total members fall in the group implying the perception of the members on social development by PACS is mostly homogeneous in nature. The researcher has find two variables namely, PACS role on empowering women in decision making and PACS Social business with other rural institutions comprise the first factor. Similarly second factor consist of the two (2) variables namely, PACS role in sensitizing women leadership in PACS management and role in skill development of women though training/ handholding etc. The second factor may be viewed as the factor of woman empowerment.
 Conclusion: The study concludes that PACS play important role in social development of the family. Most of the members agreed upon the positive role of the PACS Empowering women in decision making, Generating awareness of ongoing social development schemes of Government, Mobilizing of weaker sections, Educating Co-operative principles and Social business with other rural institutions. Moreover, PACS help to improve education level and improve habit of agricultural loan at the time of cash requirement particularly during peak season of agricultural operations.

Assessing the effect of weather parameters on wheat yield of Nadia district of West Bengal

Assessing the effect of weather parameters on wheat yield of Nadia district of West Bengal

Livelihood security assessment of dairy farmers in Nadia district of West Bengal: A microlevel analysis

Dairying is considered as the most important secondary source of income and employment in India. Therefore, the present study was designed to appraise the livelihood security of the farming community of the Nadia district of West Bengal engaged in dairy farming. Livelihood security index is a composite index which was standardized by considering multi-criterion parameters responsible for livelihood of the dairy farmers, i.e. food and nutrition, economy, health, societal aspect, education and infrastructural resources. In overall, livelihood of the dairy farmers of Nadia district was poor with mean value of 0.42 on a scale of 0 to 1, ranging from 0.22 (Haringhata blocks) to 0.71 (Chakdah block). Comparatively, dairy farmers of Chakdah blocks had higher score in all six components of the livelihood security index than the other studied blocks. Livelihood security index (LSI) is not only highlighting livelihood security generated through dairy farming in Nadia district, but, also emphasizing the necessary policy matters to be intervened for improvement of the livelihood of the millions of resource poor dairy farmers.

Cultivation of Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) and Oats (Avena sativa) Fodder Crops by Using Biofertilizers and Biopesticide: An Experience from Farmers’ Field in Nadia District of West Bengal

Indiscriminate and unscientific application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, adversely affect the agricultural production system by damaging soil health, contaminating natural water bodies and ground water. As a result of prolonged use of excessive chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the yield of field crops are decreasing due to poor soil health and produced crops also adversely impact human health. For animal husbandry enterprise, fodder production is one of the major activities. Injudicious use of chemicals can reduce fodder production as well as productivity of livestock can also be reduced. Under these circumstances, demonstration of fodder berseem and oats cultivation by using biofertilizers and biopesticides were carried out in farmer’s field at three blocks of Nadia district of West Bengal, India. The study was conducted in the winter season of the year 2020-21; the selected farmers were trained and method demonstrations of fodder crop production were carried out. The demonstration results suggested that average yield of berseem fodder crop was 53.33±2.80 t ha-1 whereas oats fodder crop was 43.07±2.16 t ha-1. The BC ratio of fodder crop cultivation suggested that, by the cultivation of both fodder crops farmers got substantial economic return. Fodder produced by the using biofertilizers and biopesticide contain good amount of dry matter as well as crude protein. From the study it can be concluded that both the fodder crops can be grown in the farmers’ field of the study area by using the biofertilizers and biopesticide without deteriorating the fodder yield and fodder quality.

Evaluation of hemato-biochemical indices and oxidative stress in goats: a potential risk towards arsenic toxicity in contaminated zone of West Bengal, India

Arsenic is one of the widely dispersed elements in the Earth’s crust and exists in the environment due to natural and anthropogenic sources. The toxin is greatly expanded through intensive application of groundwater in agriculture in the region within the Green Revolution framework. It is an environmental chemical element of high concern for human and animal health. Agricultural land is constantly contaminated with arsenic due to application of groundwater for irrigation purposes. Animals, being exposed to arsenic through contaminated drinking water, exhibit major abnormalities in the blood and tissues of animals prior to the excretion in the urine and feces. This present study was conducted to evaluate the hemato-biochemical indices and blood oxidative stress in thirty Black Bengal goats irrespective of age, sex, breeding system of Ghetugachi village of Nadia district of West Bengal, India, and control Akna village of Polba block of Hoogli district of West Bengal, India. There was a significant reduction in hemoglobin, red blood cells and white blood cells, packed cell volume, and total serum protein with a significant elevation of aspartate aminotransaminase, alanine aminotransaminase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine. Elevated corpuscular osmotic fragility depicted an altered mechanism associated with the deviation of the normal functioning of erythrocytes. Goats harboring in the grazing arsenic endemic zone also showed a significantly higher arsenic burden in blood. The affected goats further exhibited declined superoxide dismutase and catalase activities of erythrocytes and plasma nitrite levels with increased lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl level. Our investigation concluded that goats of the arsenic-affected areas are suffering from a subclinical form of arsenic toxicity, which is proved through the altered hemato-biochemical and oxidative stress indices with a higher arsenic concentration in the blood.

Arsenic Mobilization Process in Shallow Aquifer of Bengal Delta Plain: A Field Scale Study to Identify the Role of Coliform Bacteria

In Bengal Delta Plain (BDP), shallow aquifer (<50 m) is often contaminated with Arsenic (As). The phenomenon is wide spread in nature thought the BDP notable in Nadia district of west Bengal. The present study highlights a primary screening of As, Fe, MPN and FC in monitored shallow wells. The study designed for two different sites (site-A, High As and site-B Low As area). The water quality monitoring results suggest that high As concentration (Range- 103-171 μgL-1) has been noticed in site A when compared with site B (range-53-99 μgL-1). In sites A, the Fe concentration is high and low in site B. The correlation study (r2) between arsenic and iron are also determined. The value of r2is 0.94 for site A and 0.73 for site B. The water quality results suggest that the nature of the monitor aquifer is anoxic in nature with low Eh, DO absent and low NO3- and SO4+. Major anion is HCO3- (376 mgL-1) followed by Cl- (28 mgL-1). However chloride concentration is largely varying in the monitored tube well. Microbial study (MPN & FC count) also indicates some relationship among MPN (r2-0.32) and Fe (r2 -0.24). However the relationship is scatter when As concentration is low. The linear trended has also obtained when both As, MPN and FC are high. The physical observation of plate count (Color reaction in Chromo colt Agar) has also been observed. This is a clear indicator of fecal coli form contamination. The study indicates that the microbial mobilization of As is the key factor for enrichment of As in ground water. The possible sources of the microbes are local land-use pattern (notable pit-latrine). Finally, the study highlights the role of coli forms bacteria (Both facultative and non-facultative) are wide spread in shallow rural aquifer of Bengal. Thus microbial process possibly enriches arsenic in shallow ground water.

Mapping of Agriculture Knowledge Information System for Betel Vine Growers

Studying Agriculture Knowledge Information System (AKIS) in terms of generation, dissemination, transformation, utilization, storage and retrieval of knowledge and information is needed for Agriculture development. Study was conducted in purposively selected Nadia district of West Bengal. Betel vine growers, extentionists and researchers were considered as respondents. Information obtained from all the actors of AKIS was summarized in matrix from to analyze the extent of information exchange among various actors pertaining to cultural practices, plant protection techniques and harvesting of betel vine cultivation. The matrix revealed that information flow was linear in majority of the cases. The feedback got blocked with some of the actors, as upstream flow of information was weak. The present study was undertaken to study the existing Farmer-Extensionists-Researcher linkage as perceived by the linkage matrix with AKIS. A total of 200 farmers responding Karimpur 1, Karimpur 2, Krishnaganj and Chakdah block of Nadia district were selected for the study. The district and blocks were selected purposively for the study. Farmers were selected by the simple random sampling method. The result of the study reveal that betel growers had low linkage with researcher and were found maximum linkage with extension workers like Assistant Director of Agriculture, Krishi Projukti Sohaok, Opinion leaders, Dealers etc.

Traditional Health Management vis-à-vis Rearing Practices Followed By the ‘Black Bengal Goat’ Farmers in Nadia District of West Bengal, India

Traditional Health Management vis-à-vis Rearing Practices Followed By the ‘Black Bengal Goat’ Farmers in Nadia District of West Bengal, India

Special Description of Pallisentis (Brevitritospinus) allahabadii Agarwal 1958 (Acanthocephala: Quadrigyridae) from Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793) by Scanning Electron Microscope.

The aim of this study was to investigate the morphological features of acanthocephalans isolated from Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793). Fishes collected alive from fish farms in Nadia District of West Bengal (India) were dissected for collection of acanthocephalans. Parasites isolated from intestine were fixed in formalin-aceto-alcohol and finally preserved in 70% ethanol for light microscopic studies and in 2.5% glutaraldehyde for scanning electron microscopy. The morphological characteristics of adult acanthocephalans were found to be similar to the original descriptions describing the basic characters of proboscis hooks, the spines of the collar and trunk region, and cement gland nuclei. New taxonomic characters were identified for the first time by scanning electron microscopy. The acanthocephalan Pallisentis (Brevitritospinus) allahabadii Agarwal 1958 was described as an important parasite infecting fishes. The prevalence of the parasite was 23% and its adult stage was observed.