Northeastern States Of India Research Articles

Self-determination and Integration: A Site of Negotiation and a Village Named Panbari

The demand for self-determination of various nationalities has been central to the sociopolitical and cultural life of Assam, a northeastern state of India. The Statutory Autonomous Councils formed under the State Act are a non-territorial arrangement to address the question of self-determination without marking boundaries between co-habiting communities and therefore are a unique model of integration. However, this has led to conflicting situations reflecting how ‘integration’ emerges as a site of negotiation, redefines inter-community relationships, and challenges the state’s intervention in the matter. Drawing from a village study, this article endeavours to probe self-determination as a tool of (dis)integration, as a site of negotiation and argues that the various ways of addressing the question of self-determination adopted by the new nation-state ultimately affect the historically produced inter-community relationships. Methodologically, the article seeks to revisit the promises of ‘village study’ through the multicultural habitat named Panbari, a village in the northeast of Assam, and reflects how the every day in a small village establishes a guiding conversation with the everyday in a multicultural nation-state of India.

Current scenario of milk production in the North-eastern states of India: Challenges and mitigation strategies to address milk shortfall

Livestock husbandry is an inseparable part of the rural economy of Northeastern (NE) states. The local market demand for milk is expanding, indicating the need for intervention in dairy development. This study focussed on the current status of milk production and the challenges faced in improving dairy production. Secondary data were collected from the Livestock Census (2019) and Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (2019 and 2023), Government of India. The results revealed that total milk production in the NE states was 1608.04 thousand tonnes in 2022-23, accounting for only 0.70% of the country’s milk production during the same year. The compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of milk in the NE states was 1.59%, significantly lower than that in India (3.83%). Among NE states, Tripura registered the highest CAGR in milk production (5.2%), followed by Meghalaya (3.51%), Assam (2.42%), and Sikkim (0.01%). The remaining NE states experienced negative growth. Except for Sikkim, the per capita milk availability in the NE states was considerably lower than that in India. Additionally, there were significant gaps in meeting milk requirements according to the ICMR recommendations in these states. Mizoram had the highest shortfall of milk (-81.78%), followed by Nagaland (-79.54%), Manipur (-79.45%), Meghalaya (-74.26%), Arunachal Pradesh (-73.13%), Assam (-74.02%), and Tripura (-48.85%) during 2022-Sikkim had a surplus milk production of 15.70%. Addressing this shortfall represents substantial market potential opportunity to expand the milk market across all NE states, thereby enhancing livelihoods, food security, and the socio-economic status of millions of people.

Essential fatty acid content in the ethnozoological products used in the folklore medicines by the Tangkhul tribe of the North East India

Tangkhul tribes are main habitant of the Ukhrul district of Manipur, a north eastern state of India and popular for using the products of animal fauna in the folklore medicines for curing certain human ailments. To our knowledge, no investigation has been done on the essential fatty acids content in the animal products used in the traditional medicines by the Tangkhul tribe of Manipur. The objective of the study is to determine the essential fatty acids concentration in the selected ethnozoological products namely, Periplaneta americana, Upupa epops, Scolopendra gigantea, Pheretima posthuma, Hoplobatrachus tigerinus, Sus scrofa domesticus, and Tylototriton verrucosus by Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) methods. The result of the study revealed that unsaturated fatty acids are found to be contained generally higher than saturated fatty acids in the seven-ethnozoological products studied. Among the monounsaturated fatty acids, Oleic Acid (7579.19 ± 70.23 mg/100g) is found to be highest in concentration and is recorded in the P. americana. Some of the common essential PUFAs recorded in the samples of the ethnozoological products studied were Linolenic Acid, Linoleic acids, Erucic Acid, Oleic Acid, Elaidic Acid, Palmetoleic Acid, Myristoleic Acid etc. with the highest concentration of linolenic acid (5518.03mg/100g) found in the P. americana. The used of seven ethnozoological products mentioned per se by Tangkhul Tribes of Manipur in their folklore medicines for the treatment of various human ailments may be attributed to the presence of various polyunsaturated fatty acids especially high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, palmetoleic acid, ecosapentanoic acid in them.

An outbreak of acute diarrhoeal disease caused by Shigella sonnei in a village in Dibrugarh district, Assam.

Background & objectives Food and waterborne illnesses remain a neglected public health issue in India. Events with large gatherings frequently witness outbreaks of acute diarrheal diseases due to consumption of contaminated food or water or poor food handling practices. In the present study, an outbreak of acute diarrhoeal disease (ADD) occurring among the attendees of a birthday party in rural Dibrugarh district in the northeastern Indian State of Assam was investigated. Methods Sociodemographic information along with details of ADD outbreak that included information about source of foods, food handlers, illness details, etc., were collected using an outbreak investigation form for descriptive and analytical epidemiology. Rectal swabs from affected individuals and food handlers were collected along with bore-well water samples and tested in the laboratory by performing bacterial culture, biochemical analysis and polymerase chain reaction. Due to the delayed report on the outbreak, collecting leftover food for laboratory testing and analysis was impossible. Results A total of 25 cases of ADD had similar signs and symptoms. The mean incubation period for developing acute diarrhoea was 26.36±8.76 (± standard deviation) hours from food consumption. The overall attack rate was 60.04 per cent (25/41); 20 per cent (5/25) required hospitalization. Thirteen rectal swab samples were tested for pathogens and found positive for Shigella sonnei. Antibiotic susceptibility test of isolated S. sonnei showed resistance to nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime. Consumption of one of the food items - chicken curry was significantly associated with illness (Odds Ratio=14.8; 95% Confidence Interval: 2.75-85.11); P value<0.05 and Population Attributable Fraction (PAF) was 70.18 per cent. The water samples were found satisfactory for human consumption. Interpretation & conclusions The findings suggested that S. sonnei infection could be implicated in the investigated food-borne diarrhoeal disease outbreak and that there was a potential for human-poultry cross-infection. Additionally, the study revealed concerning levels of S. sonnei resistance to recommended antibiotics and drew attention to their public health relevance.

Evaluation of phytochemical, trace metals content, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of Bonnaya Ruellioides (Colsm.) Spreng: An ethnomedicinal plant of North Eastern India

Bonnaya ruellioides (Colsm.) Spreng is an ethnomedicinal plant widely found in Manipur, a northeastern state of India and it belongs to the Linderniaceae family. The study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical content, trace metals, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of this ethnomedicinal plant in various extracts including chloroform, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water extracts. Phytochemical analysis was done using standard protocols, trace metals content by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), antioxidant by DPPH, Reducing Power and ABTS assay. Antimicrobial activity of the plant was also determined by Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) assay. Phytochemicals such as phenol, saponin, flavonoid, alkaloid, and terpenoid were detected in the water extract, whereas tannin, glycoside, flavonoid, steroid, alkaloid, and terpenoid were found in the plant extracts of petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethyl acetate. Trace elements detection using AAS revealed the presence of Fe (0.298 ± 0.011 mg/g), Zn (0.083 ± 0.003 mg/g), Cu (0.024 ± 0.002 mg/g) and Mn (0.014 ± 0.002 mg/g) in the plant. Further, evaluation of antioxidant activity using DPPH scavenging assay in chloroform and methanol extracts recorded 411.59 ±2.62 IC50 (μg/mL ± SD) and 80.96 ± 0.68 IC50 (μg/mL ± SD) respectively. Reducing power activity of the chloroform and methanol extracts showed 249.27 ± 1.48 μM FeSO4/mg sample and 44.55 ± 0.47 μM FeSO4/mg sample, respectively, and for ABTS assay, 281.82 ± 2.19 TEAC/g dw and 168.65 ± 2.06 TEAC/g dw are recorded respectively. The antimicrobial study of the chloroform and petroleum ether extracts showed negative results for all the selected pathogens of bacterial and fungal strains. At the same time, the methanol extract showed positive for bacterial strains including Micrococcus luteus (17.50 ±0.54) mm and Escherichia coli (15.0 ± 2.0) mm, while negative for all the fungal strains. The results of the study demonstrated for the first time that B. ruellioides plant has notable phytochemical, essential trace metals, promising antioxidant and antimicrobial capacity. Thus, the findings of our study will contribute a scientific insight into the therapeutic applications of this ethnomedicinal plant in folklore medicines and enable the prediction of further applications in drug development.

The effects of substance use on non-communicable diseases among older adults aged 60 and above in the North-eastern States of India.

The North-eastern region of India has a relatively higher prevalence of substance use, which together with poor dietary practices and a lack of physical activity is one of the key risk factors for NCDs among older adults in the region. Understanding the prevalence of NCDs and their relationship to substance use can help develop preventive strategies and sensitization in North-eastern India. To assess the prevalence of NCDs and the strength of the association of substance abuse among the geriatric population of North-eastern states in India, for the development of preventive strategies. Data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI Wave-I, 2017-18) were drawn to develop this paper. The bi-variate and binary logistic regression analyses were carried out to predict the association between non-communicable diseases and substance use adjusting select socio-demographic characteristics. The paper revealed the prevalence of NCDs among urban people (61.45%) is higher than among rural people (42.45%). Hypertension (37.29%) can be seen as the most prevalent disease among the following given NCDs followed by Diabetes (8.94%). The chances of having Cancer are nineteen times higher (OR = 19.8; C.I. = 18.82-20.83) if an individual has past smoking behaviour after controlling for socio-demographic and physical activity variables. Since, the high prevalence of hypertension correlated with the high level of substance abuse, require immediate attention to develop appropriate intervention strategies for its control (substance abuse) and prevention of hypertension. In a lower middle-income country like India, preventive measures, rather than curative measures will be cost-effective and helpful.

Influence of Intensity of Pruning on Yield and Physico-Chemical

Khasi Mandarin orange is well suited in Arunachal Pradesh as well entire north eastern states of India. Besides the ample rainfall and good shun shine received in Arunachal Pradesh; its productivity is too low as compared national average. The negligence of orchards without proper management practices is the major cause of low productivity. In this regard canopy management play vital role for good yield. The requirement of pruning varies with species therefore, the present experiment was carried out to investigate the influence of pruning intensity on the yield and quality of Khasi mandarin fruit. The highest No. of fruits (245), and highest yield (12.24 T/ha) with T4-( Removal of dried &amp; diseased branches, thin shoots, water sprouts and selected laterals) while, highest average fruit weight (130 g), maximum fruit diameter (6.2 cm), maximum fruit length (5.6 cm) were noticed with T5-(T4+ Removal of selected leaders and formation of open centre canopy) and it was also observed lowest No of fruits, size and yield were recorded in control. Therefore, It is concluded from the result that T4 (Removal of dried &amp; diseased branches, thin shoots, water sprouts and selected laterals) is best practice of higher yield but T5 (T4+ Removal of selected leaders and formation of open centre canopy) is best practice for little lower yield than T4 but for good market quality fruits.

Note on the gregarious flowering and conservation of Chimonocalamus griffthianus in India

Chimonocalamus griffithianus is a socio-economically important hill bamboo growing in the north-eastern states of India that flower gregariously. It is important to record the flowering episodes of populations so that post-flowering conservation and management can be guided. This study records flowering in a population of C. griffithianus from Nokrek National Park, West Garo Hills (Meghalaya, India). We observed a gregarious flowering followed by the mortality of entire clumps and sparse germination. By scrutinizing earlier flowering records from different populations, we found that flowering episodes have not been synchronized among populations, with different populations flowering at different times. Consequently, the development of a database and recording the flowering of different populations could be very important for post flowering conservation and management of the species, and the conservation methods could further be strengthened by incorporating information related to genetic diversity and population genetic structure.

The punitive gap: NRC, due process and denationalisation politics in India’s Assam

The creation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam is indicative of the sharpening tensions surrounding citizenship, belonging and integration in India. Officially aimed at demarcating the “legitimate citizens”, its implementation is believed to have resulted in the partial exclusion of the so-called “Doubtful Voters” and denationalisation of the “illegitimate residents”. These frictions associated with citizenship identity and rights are nowhere as acute as in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, where measures of retroactive revocation, administrative erasure and withdrawal of citizenship rights have been systematically deployed against religious and linguistic minorities. Using new research with some NRC rejected applicants in western Assam and other materials, this article identifies the central aspects of the implementation gap in the crucial, albeit problematic task of locating the rightful “Assamese-Indian” citizens. Linking our work to the idea of the ‘process is the punishment’, we conceptualise these conspicuous inconsistencies in the NRC citizenship determination processes and their results as the “punitive gap”. We have identified the distinctive contours of this gap in terms of the massive economic costs, intensification of social (including gender and religion-based) inequalities, increased control through social suspicion and unpredictable outcomes for the marginal Miya Muslim community. The article highlights how this punitive gap has constantly eroded key components of due process, of procedural and substantive protections of the rights of individuals, during the NRC determination exercise and after the release of the final draft list.

First report of Phytopythium vexans causing gummosis and root rot of Khasi Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) in north eastern states of India.

Khasi mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) is the most economically important crop among the citrus growing region in the north-eastern India (Singh et al. 2016). An extensive survey was conducted to identify the causal agent of citrus root rot and gummosis in north eastern states (Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland and Assam) of India during October 2021-23. The gummosis disease incidence ranged from 5 to 95 % in 10 to 25 years old Khasi mandarin plants showing relatively more chronic symptoms on mature trees. Yellowing and dropping of leaves, twigs die back, gum oozing from infected bark and loss of feeder roots were the typical symptoms of the disease. Infected bark tissue and young lemon leaf baits in rhizosphere soil were plated on corn meal agar medium supplemented with pimaricin (10 µg/ml), ampicillin (250 µg/ml), rifamycin (10 µg/ml) and 300µg/ml carbendazim and incubated at 26℃. Fifty isolates were purified and maintained on Carrot agar medium. These isolates showed similar cultural and morphological characteristics. Two representative isolates from Arunachal Pradesh (AP21 and AP26) were selected for further experiments and deposited to Indian Type culture collection (ITCC), New Delhi with accession no. 9156 and 9157 respectively. The colonies were fast growing, showing rosette pattern along with whitish blooming mycelium appearance with no visual sporulation at the surface. The hyphae were coenocytic with initially right-angled branching. Sporangia were globose or sub globose and papillated. Oogonia were smooth and globose (16.29-21.09 µm) in diameter. Antheridia were irregular, cylindrical and broadly attached to oogonia. Empty sporangia were also observed. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis using internal transcribed spacer region (Das et al. 2011), β tubulin (Blair et al. 2008) and Cytochrome oxidase II gene (Noireung et al. 2020) showed that these isolates formed a stable clade with Phytopythium vexans (CBS119.80) sequence retrieved from NCBI database. BLAST analysis showed that ITS sequence of AP21 (OQ372986) and AP26 (OQ381083) had >99 % identity with P. vexans isolate NS-3 (ON533631). Further, BLAST analysis of β tubulin (AP21 OQ446053, AP26 OR405377) and Cox II gene (AP21 OQ473414, AP26 OR552422) sequences showed that our Indian isolates showed >99 % similarity with P. vexans voucher strain CBS119.80. To fulfil Koch's postulates, Khasi mandarin (Citrus reticulata) seedlings were inoculated by adding 100 ml zoospore suspension of P. vexans (1x105 spores/ml) in sterilized soil (Thao et al. 2020). The experiment was carried out in triplicate. Yellowing of leaves and leaf drop were observed 7 days post inoculation while 30 days post inoculation, treated plants started showing symptoms of root rot, including mild root decay. No symptoms were observed in control treatment. The pathogen was reisolated from symptomatic roots and confirmed through colony and sporangium morphology. Recently, it was reported that P. vexans is associated with apple and pear decline in the Saiss plain of Morocco (Jabiri et al. 2021), root rot on mandarin in Thailand (Noireung et al. 2020) and on Durian in Vietnam (Thao et al. 2020). As per our knowledge, this is the first report of P. vexans causing root rot and gummosis in Khasi mandarin from north eastern states of India. This finding is significantly important for the development of a successful disease management strategy in India.

Source forecasting and economic/environmental assessment of hybrid renewable energy system in North Eastern State of India

Source forecasting and economic/environmental assessment of hybrid renewable energy system in North Eastern State of India

Conflict and communication in everyday life: An exploration of intercommunity conflict in Assam, India

AbstractEthnic conflicts have proved to be inherently dangerous and repressive across the globe. While this signification cannot be negated, a deeper articulation of liminal existences in the conflict‐prone areas requires more attention. Using case studies with a qualitative research design, the paper emphasizes on conflict as a social force, facilitating the (re)structuration of communities entangled within it. The paper explores the mundane lived experiences of the Adivasis and the Bodos, two of the ethnic communities living in Assam, a Northeastern state of India, by making a few claims. First, ethnic conflicts reorient social relations, intercommunity interactions and economic exchanges between the Adivasis and Bodos. Second, ethnic conflicts recourse varied negotiations and emotions in their being(ness), aspirational values, and embodied meanings in mundane life‐processes. The complex realization of identities for the Adivasis and the Bodos is fostered by the exposure of fear, past loss of life, and the varied interactions between victims and perpetrators in everyday social life.

Mapping serogroup distribution and seroprevalence of leptospirosis in livestock of Assam, Northeastern State of India: Unveiling uncommon Leptospira serogroups

Leptospirosis is a significant zoonotic disease affecting livestock, leading to reproductive issues and economic losses. Despite its endemic status in India, research has predominantly focused on coastal regions, leaving the North Eastern Region (NER) underexplored. This study aims to investigate the seroprevalence and serogroup distribution of leptospirosis in livestock across Assam, a major state in the North Eastern Region (NER) of India. Serum samples (n=811) from cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and pigs were collected between 2016 and 2019 and screened using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) for 24 serogroups. The overall seroprevalence was 22.9 % (186/811), with highest prevalence in cattle (26.2 %) and buffalo (25 %), followed by small ruminants (19.8 %) and pigs (18.6 %) . Notably, uncommon serovars such as Mini (28.8 %), Manhao (12.4 %), and Cynopteri (7.5 %) were identified, indicating a unique epidemiological pattern in Assam. High seroprevalence was observed in districts like Bongaigaon (66.7 %), Kamrup Metropolitan (50.0 %), and Nalbari (40.0 %), emphasizing the need for targeted intervention strategies. The presence of these uncommon serogroups, typically found in neighbouring countries and other regions, suggests potential transboundary transmission from these countries. This study provides valuable insights into the seroprevalence and serogroup distribution of leptospirosis in Assam's livestock, highlighting the need for region-specific surveillance and control measures. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the local epidemiological landscape to develop effective disease management and prevention strategies, ultimately reducing the impact of leptospirosis in the NER of India.

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON HEALTH STATUS INDEX IN NORTH-EASTERN STATES OF INDIA

The article discussed the Health Status Index in north-eastern states of India. It has been found that health status indices reveal the condition of health of people in the region/state. Sikkim have overall health better infrastructure index and it is the lowest in Arunachal Pradesh. The health limitation indices reveal that Sikkim, Mizoram and Tripura are the better health performing states. The ranking of Composite Health Status Index shows that Sikkim, Mizoram and Manipur are the better health performing states; Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland are the moderate health performing states; Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are low health performing states. Therefore, Governments of low health performing States should implement policies for improving the health status of the concern state.

THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES OF SHIFTING CULTIVATION IN NORTH-EASTERN STATES OF INDIA

The paper discussed the historical perspectives of shifting cultivation in north-eastern states of India. It has been found that north-eastern region of India has long history of shifting cultivation. Shifting cultivation is a primitive method of agricultural cultivation in the region. Ethnic tribal people are more involve in such cultivation. Large portion land in the region are still under such cultivation. Culture, rituals and customs of the tribal people are connected with shifting cultivation. Area under shifting cultivation are declined in the region due to many reasons. Low production of crops, lack of rainfall, and government restrictions are the prominent factors. But large portion of land in Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh, are still under the shifting cultivation. Poor tribal people are more involved in shifting cultivation because of less use of capital, inputs, machines etc. It is a labour-intensive method of cultivation. There are negative ecological implications of shifting cultivation on nature. The Government of many states in the region has already prohibited such cultivation considering its environmental consequences and encouraging them for transforming in agro-forestry.

Factors Influencing Female User’s Satisfaction in Mobile Banking: A Study in Manipur, India

Objective: This empirical study is aimed at investigating the impact of perceived credibility, perceived self-expressiveness, social norms and perceived compatibility on the mobile banking user’s satisfaction amongst the female population of Manipur, India. Theoretical Framework: Using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the basic framework, this study focuses on several constructs and their impact on user’s satisfaction of mobile banking users, namely, perceived credibility (PC), perceived self-expressiveness (PSE) and social norms (SN). Method: The study employed structural equation modeling to test the proposed model, which was based on statistical data obtained from a survey of 202 respondents from 2 districts of Manipur, India. Consequently the EFA, CFA, discriminant and convergent validity of the items has also been tested. Results and Discussion: The study revealed that perceived self-expressiveness, social norms, and perceived compatibility has a significant positive impact on the user’ satisfaction among female mobile banking users. However, perceived self-expressiveness seems to have a negative impact on the user’s satisfaction, implying as the perceived self-expressiveness increase the satisfaction of using mobile banking service decreases. Implications: These findings provide valuable insights for the mobile banking service providers, highlighting the significance of credibility, social norm and compatibility in improving user satisfaction and also informing strategies for improving mobile banking experiences among female population. Originality/Value: The research enlarges on the theory of TAM expanding its scope to various dimensions like perceived self-expressiveness, social -norms and its originality lies on the focus on females respondents only, from a northeastern state of India i.e. Manipur.

Evidences of in vivo cytotoxic and apoptotic potential of anthelmintic phytochemical kaempferol derivative isolated from Lysimachia ramosa (Wall. ex Duby) in Wistar rats

BackgroundLysimachia ramosa (Wall. ex Duby) is a traditionally used medicinal plant in Meghalaya, a northeastern state of India. The people use the leaves of the plant to cure gastrointestinal worm infection. Kaempferol derivative, isolated from the leaves of the plant L. ramosa, was found to be the active anthelmintic compound in previous studies. The phytochemical present in the leaves causes alterations in the ultrastructure of the tegument of cestode, its glycogen content and tegumental enzymes. However, it has been found in the review of the literature that phytoproduct should be consumed in a limited dose during longtime treatment period to avoid any potential ill effects on the health of the consumers as many plant-based products are found to be toxic beyond a safe dose limit. Thereby, it becomes necessary to check the potential toxic effects of the active compound taking an animal model. Hence, the present study had been carried out to evaluate the toxicity of the active component on Wistar rats to find out the safe dose of the test compound for oral consumption through observations, if any, on chromosomal abnormalities, ultrastructural changes in bone marrow cells and apoptosis in liver and kidney.ResultsThe result shows kaempferol derivative causes a significant rise in chromosomal abnormalities (2.83 ± 0.19%, 3.83 ± 0.11%) and a significant decline in mitotic indices (3.17 ± 0.02%, 3.10 ± 0.01%) upon treatment with 500 mg and 1000 mg/kg b.w. dosages. At this level, the number of micronucleated erythrocytes increases significantly in the animals (2.33 ± 0.33%, 3.15 ± 0.24%). Intercellular integrity and eosinophil in the bone marrow are observed to be deformed and damaged on treatment with 1000 mg compound/kg b.w. of animals. Apoptotic indices are seen to be increased significantly (3.12 ± 0.18%, 6.17 ± 0.17%) and (2.43 ± 0.13%, 4.17 ± 0.17%) for the liver and kidney, respectively, in the animals of higher-dose treatment groups.ConclusionsThe compound, kaempferol derivative in the present study, has been found to have cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects on the test animals beyond a certain dose, if consumed for longer period of time. Therefore, it can be concluded that kaempferol derivative extracted from Lysimachia ramosa should be tested for future trials on animals/humans at dose below 250 mg/kg body weight.

Cardamom Plant Disease Detection Approach Using EfficientNet

Cardamom is a queen of spices. It is indigenously grown in the evergreen forests of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the northeastern states of India. India is the third largest producer of cardamom. Plant diseases cause a catastrophic influence on food production safety; they reduce the eminence and quantum of agricultural products. Plant diseases may cause significantly high loss or no harvest in dreadful cases. Various diseases and pests affect the growth of cardamom plants at different stages and crop yields. This study concentrated on two diseases of cardamom plants, Colletotrichum Blight and Phyllosticta Leaf Spot of cardamom and three diseases of grape, Black Rot, ESCA, and Isariopsis Leaf Spot. Various methods have been proposed for plant disease detection, and deep learning has become the preferred method because of its spectacular accomplishment. In this study, U2 -Net was used to remove the unwanted background of an input image by selecting multiscale features. This work proposes a cardamom plant disease detection approach using the EfficientNetV2 model. A comprehensive set of experiments was carried out to ascertain the performance of the proposed approach and compare it with other models such as EfficientNet and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). The experimental results showed that the proposed approach achieved a detection accuracy of 98.26%. Index Terms — Cardamom plant, deep learning, machine learning, neural networks, plant pathology

Exploring landscape of measles vaccination coverage: A step towards measles elimination goal in India

IntroductionMeasles remains a critical public health concern causing significant morbidity and mortality globally. Despite the success of measles vaccination programs, challenges persist, particularly in India. This study investigates dose-wise measles vaccination coverage and explores gaps in immunization focusing on zero-dose, one-dose, and two-dose coverage among children aged 24–35 months. Data sources and methodologyThe National Family Health Survey 2019–21 (NFHS-5) served as the data source and the study analyzed information from 43,864 children aged 24–35 months. Sociodemographic variables such as birth order, wealth quintile, gender, social group, religion, residence, mother education, delivery-related factors, and media exposure were considered. Statistical analysis involved weighted estimates, chi-square tests, and multivariate multinomial logistic regression. ResultsThe study revealed that challenges persist in achieving optimal measles vaccination coverage. Analysis by sociodemographic factors highlighted disparities in coverage, with variations in zero dose prevalence across states and districts. The percentage of zero-dose children was significantly higher, with 11.5% of children in India remaining to receive any measles vaccination. Factors influencing vaccine coverage include birth order, age, wealth quintile, social group, religion, residence, maternal education, place of delivery, media exposure, and mode of delivery. The findings from the spatial analysis show the clustering of zero-dose children is high in the northeastern states of India. DiscussionMeasles zero-dose children pose a significant obstacle to achieving elimination goals. Spatial analysis identifies clusters of unvaccinated populations guiding targeted interventions. The study aligns with global initiatives such as the Immunization Agenda 2030 emphasizing equitable vaccine access and discusses how India can tailor its strategies to achieve the goal. Lessons from polio eradication efforts inform strategies for measles elimination, stressing the importance of high-quality data and surveillance. The study underscores the urgency of addressing last-mile measles vaccination gaps in India. Spatially targeted interventions informed by sociodemographic factors can enhance immunization coverage. Achieving measles elimination requires sustained efforts and leveraging lessons from successful vaccination campaigns. The study findings have the potential to contribute to informed decision-making, supporting India's roadmap for the measles and rubella elimination goal.

Assessing Household Catastrophic Healthcare Expenditure and its Associated Factors: A Study in a North-Eastern State of India

Background: Out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) are the primary means of funding healthcare costs in developing nations, and when the cost is too high, it leads to catastrophic healthcare expenditures (CHE). Aim &amp; Objective: This study aimed to assess the proportion of households that faced CHE and also examined the associated factors that determine CHE at the household level. Methods and Material: Between September 2020 and February 2021, a cross-sectional study covering a sample of 771 households was conducted in four districts of Assam. A multistage sampling design was employed to select the sample households. Statistical analysis used: Binary logistic regression analysis has been performed to ascertain the factors that could determine household CHE. Results: 23% households had experienced CHE, high dependence on the private healthcare system. Monthly household income, duration of illness, presence of children under five years of age and elderly members, education of household head, and health insurance were the significant factors influencing CHE. Conclusions: The study identified the growing use of private healthcare services as a major concern that contributes to the prevalence of CHE. To make all healthcare services accessible and affordable and to lower OOP on healthcare, it is also crucial to improve the infrastructure and quality of the public healthcare system in rural and remote locations.