Period In India Research Articles

Health expenditure and fiscal marksmanship before and during the coronavirus pandemic across the federal states of India

This study examined state-level health expenditure, fiscal marksmanship, and COVID-19 deaths among selected states in India. It (1) compared health expenditure between the pre-COVID-19 and the COVID-19 period in India and selected states; (2) investigated the fiscal marksmanship in the context of health expenditure at the national and state level; and (3) assessed the relationship between COVID-19 deaths, population density, health expenditure, and fiscal marksmanship. The study period from 2017 to 2021 was divided into pre-COVID-19 (2017-late – 2019) and COVID-19 (late-2019 – 2021). This study focused on India and selected Indian states, using data from state budget documents, Census 2011 for population density, and COVID-19 data from the government website. Descriptive statistics, percentages, ratios, graphs, and tools such as Theil’s U-Statistic and Pearson’s correlation were employed for analysis. Simple linear regression was used to analyze the impact of fiscal marksmanship and other variables on the case fatality ratio. This study revealed challenges in maintaining fiscal discipline during COVID-19, with disparities in capital expenditure among states. The results emphasized the need for increased health spending and structural changes to enhance resilience to future health crises, advocating for investments in infrastructure and services to improve preparedness.

Satellite Based Composite Weather Insurance Product for assessing mid-term adversary

The present study formulated a satellite-based rainfall insurance product (SRIP) at sub-seasonal scale during 2015–2020 by integrating meteorological, geophysical and vegetation index products e.g. rainfall (CHIRPS:Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station), soil moisture (SMAP), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized difference water index (NDWI) from moderate resolution imaging spectro-radiometer (MODIS). The SRIP was meticulously designed to integrate both cause (rainfall) and impact (NDVI, NDWI, soil moisture) parameters to enhance the assessment of min-season crop risks, with a particular emphasis on deficit rainfall. The performance evaluation of SRIP was conducted in two distinct agro-climatic zones viz. Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh (Upper Gangetic Plain Region) and Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh (Southern Plateau and Hills Region) spanned from June to October, which aligns with the major crop-growing season corresponding to the Southwest monsoon period in India. Three sets of SRIPs were investigated i.e. SRIP with cause parameter (SRIP1), SRIP with cause-impact parameters with no lag response (SRIP2) and SRIP with cause-impact parameters with one-month lag response (SRIP3). The SRIP was structured to provide a numerical index on a scale ranging from 0 to 1, representing poor to good crop-growing conditions that could effectively identify the rainfall deficit threshold (SRIP≤0.43) corresponding to negative percent deviation in rainfall (PDR≤−20%). This threshold level was recognized for compensation of triggers at the multiple crop growth phases during the crop-growing season. The district average of SRIP and PDR showed fair correlation co-efficient (0.77 ≤ r ≤ 0.88). Good correlation between sub-seasonal (monthly, bi-monthly, tri-monthly) SRIP and normalized MODIS Gross Primary Productivity (0.65 ≤ r ≤ 0.98), and SRIP deviation and yield deviation (0.45 ≤ r ≤ 0.97) reflect sensitivity of SRIP to crop carbon productivity and crop yield. The findings of the present study recommend SRIP not only a multi-phase composite index for assessing mid-season crop risks in terms of rainfall deficit for clusters of insurance units, but it has the potential to be used by insurance agencies to settle the claims by farmers in a transparent and faster manner for crop loss due to large-scale rainfall deficits. However, SRIP needs to be customized in future to make it more adaptable to settle insurance claims due to weather adversaries at individual farm level.

A six-compartment model for COVID-19 with transmission dynamics and public health strategies.

The global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for mathematical models to inform public health strategies. The present study introduces a novel six-compartment epidemiological model that uniquely incorporates a higher isolation rate for unreported symptomatic cases of COVID-19 compared to reported cases, aiming to enhance prediction accuracy and address the challenge of initial underreporting. Additionally, we employ optimal control theory to assess the cost-effectiveness of interventions and adapt these strategies to specific epidemiological scenarios, such as varying transmission rates and the presence of asymptomatic carriers. By applying this model to COVID-19 data from India (30 January 2020 to 24 November 2020), chosen to capture the initial outbreak and subsequent waves, we calculate a basic reproduction number of 2.147, indicating the high transmissibility of the virus during this period in India. A sensitivity analysis reveals the critical impact of detection rates and isolation measures on disease progression, showing the robustness of our model in estimating the basic reproduction number. Through optimal control simulations, we demonstrate that increasing isolation rates for unreported cases and enhancing detection reduces the spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, our cost-effectiveness analysis establishes that a combined strategy of isolation and treatment is both more effective and economically viable. This research offers novel insights into the efficacy of non-pharmaceutical interventions, providing a tool for strategizing public health interventions and advancing our understanding of infectious disease dynamics.

Tryambak Mahadev Gogate (1913-1998): A Pioneer of Panchakarma Therapies of Ayurveda.

Tryambak Mahadev Gogate (1913-1998) was instrumental in the development of practical applications of Panchakarma therapies as well as in advancing Ayurvedic education and practice, which faced significant challenges during the colonial period in India. A gifted young individual, motivated by a desire to contribute to his nation, dedicated himself to the revitalization of Ayurveda. In pursuit of this goal, he engaged in self-experimentation, often at great personal risk. He meticulously documented his findings throughout these experiments, establishing techniques for administering Panchakarma therapies, refining Ayurvedic diagnostic methods, and contributing to the evolution of Ayurveda as a scientific discipline, all while making detailed observations that paralleled advancements in modern medical science.

COLLECTIVE MEMORY: KAZAKH EXODUS FROM ALTAY MOUNTAINS

This paper examines the collective memory and identity processes of Kazakhs in Istanbul, Turkey, who settled there in the early 1950s. Now numbering around 20,000, these Kazakhs fled their homeland in the Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region after failed uprisings against the Chinese government in the 1930s and 1940s. After a period in India, they were accepted into Turkey as migrants with Turkish ancestry. The study focuses on the Kazakh exodus during the 1930s and 1940s, emphasizing how this history shapes their present identity. The trauma of this migration remains deeply embedded in their collective memory, influencing not only their identity and political views but also decisions in areas such as voting, political alliances, and even naming their children. The paper mainly draws on the findings from the author’s PhD dissertation, which was defended in 2020.

Toilet construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission and infant mortality in India

Improvement of water and sanitation conditions may reduce infant mortality, particularly in countries like India where open defecation is highly prevalent. We conducted a quasi-experimental study to investigate the association between the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)—a national sanitation program initiated in 2014—and infant (IMR) and under five mortality rates (U5MR) in India. We analyzed data from thirty-five Indian states and 640 districts spanning 10 years (2011–2020), with IMR and U5MR per thousand live births as the outcomes. Our main exposure was the district-level annual percentage of households that received a constructed toilet under SBM. We mapped changes in IMR and U5MR and toilet access at the district level over time. We fit two-way fixed effects regression models controlling for sociodemographic, wealth, and healthcare-related confounders at the district-level to estimate the association between toilets constructed and child mortality. Toilet access and child mortality have a historically robust inverse association in India. Toilets constructed increased dramatically across India following the implementation of SBM in 2014. Results from panel data regression models show that districts with > 30% toilets constructed under SBM corresponds with 5.3 lower IMR (p < 0.05), and 6.8 lower U5MR (p < 0.05). Placebo, falsification tests and robustness checks support our main findings. The post-SBM period in India exhibited accelerated reductions in infant and child mortality compared to the pre-SBM years. Based on our regression estimates, the provision of toilets at-scale may have contributed to averting approximately 60,000–70,000 infant deaths annually. Our findings show that the implementation of transformative sanitation programs can deliver population health benefits in low- and middle-income countries.

Inventing a Nation: Envisaging Tamilised Saivism in Colonial Tamil Society

This study seeks to analyse the complex and contentious relationship between Saivite revivalism and the nationalist aspirations of Tamils during the colonial period in India. One of the versatile faces of Saivite revivalism in modern Tamil society—Maraimalai Adigal, who engaged with the crises of colonial modernity, Brahminical Hinduism and Sanskrit supremacy, is celebrated to have offered nascent nationalist consciousness among non-Brahmin Tamils. Many scholarly works strongly approved his contributions as vital for the modern Tamil society as his passionate exegeses were believed to have laid the foundation for a nation to be imagined by non-Brahmin Tamils. This study disputes such a claim by delineating the inherent supremacy of ascriptive ideology in his Saivite revivalist paradigm. By invoking the conceptual framework of Ernest Gellner, who insisted that a nation is a self-conscious political community where some deep, permanent and profound changes take place in which society is organised. This article seeks to explicate how the contributions of Maraimalai Adigal and his Saivite revivalist fraternity firmly prevented the emergence of a new Tamil society to be organised with a reordered culture as a meta-local homogeneity or of power as a new political community.

The Politics of Religious Non-Interference: Islamic Legal Reform in Colonial India

Abstract The 1929 Child Marriage Restraint Act (cmra), initially propounded as the Sarda Bill, became the first law related to marriage enacted in colonial India to be universally applicable to all subjects regardless of personal religious affiliations. Though formally adopted before Indian independence, the crma was advanced and passed by the newly formed Central Legislative Assembly which consisted primarily of Indians. As a result, the cmra garnered vociferous debates within both Muslim and Hindu communities and signaled a new challenge for religious communities which was distinct from British colonial legal logics. The focus of this article will be on one Muslim scholarly engagement with the cmra, that of Mufti Kifāyatallāh Dihlawī, the President of the Jamʿiyyat-i ʿUlamāʾ-i Hind (juh) and a highly influential Deobandi scholar. By navigating the contours of his legal debate surrounding the cmra, this article explores how the process of Islamic legal reform in the late colonial period in India was met with a new set of challenges as Indians gaining legislative authority sought to enact legal reforms that were seen as impinging on the rights of religious communities. And while, in this case, Muslim juristic opinions were sought, they could ultimately be trumped by larger social and political forces. More broadly, this article demonstrates that as India inched towards self-governance, competing groups and entities sought to claim communal representation of Muslims, and in the process, arguments made by religious scholars, even if they were recognized as being representative of broad Muslim sentiments, could be dismissed by emerging legal logics which supported the nationalizing tendencies of the Imperial Legislative Assembly over and above the rights of religious communities.

Planned Delivery or Expectant Management for Late Preterm Pre-Eclampsia in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries (CRADLE-4): A Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial

(Lancet. 2023;402:386–396) Pre-eclampsia is a relatively common condition and poses a disproportionately high risk to women in low-income and middle-income countries where it is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, estimated to have caused more than 42,000 deaths. The only known treatment is delivery, but there are also risks associated with preterm delivery that can contribute to both maternal and neonatal outcomes. Evidence suggests delivery at 37 weeks optimizes outcomes for both mother and infant, but there is little evidence about delivery in the late preterm gestational period leading up to that, between 34 and 36 and 6/7 weeks. Research in higher income settings has shown that fetal death in these cases is rare, but there are factors in such settings that are unavailable or unrealistic in low-income and middle-income settings. This study aimed to address the gap in knowledge by assessing outcomes related to planned delivery between 34 and 37 weeks in women with pre-eclampsia compared with expectant management during the same gestational period in India and Zambia.

Tea Trade Scenario in the Pre and Post Liberalization Period in India

Indian tea, which has maintained its supremacy both in production and export for more than a century, has started to lose its pre-eminence. Other tea producing countries like China, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Kenya are strongly competing for Market share. The increase in production in China has pushed India to second position in production and the country lost its domination of the export market to Kenya, China and Sri Lanka. Given this backdrop, the present study attempts to analyse the export growth, instability in export earnings, export quantity and unit value and concentration of export destinations evaluate India’s tea export performance. The growth of export quantity, value and unit value from India (1988-2022) was worked out using compound growth rate and the results indicated an increased growth in the post–WTO period which could be attributed to the expansion in trade to the Near East, with their growth and strength of the economies in the region (Hicks, 2009). Instability in export can affect the economic growth of the country as it has adverse effect on the countries export earnings, trade balance, and confidence of international trading partners. The export instability calculated using Coppock’s instability index showed an increasing trend in the post-WTO period. In 1990’s about 6 countries viz., U.S.S.R, U.K, Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Poland accounted for about 90 per cent of total tea exports from India. But over a period of time the demand in these countries weakened. The Indian exports continue to lose volume in countries like Russia Europe, USA and some middle east countries (Dutt, 2007). The share in Iraq, Netherland and Poland was maintained and it improved in UAE, Germany, Pakistan and china. Overall in the past 3 decades, India’s world ranking as an exporter has dropped to fourthowing to competition from China, Kenya and Sri Lanka. (Majumder et al., 2010). The reduction in values of the Hirschmann index indicated increased geographic diversification of tea exports thereby reducing the possibility of market risk due to dependence on few markets. The commodity diversification in the form of various tea products exported is very limited, the major share of exports being in the form of black tea especially in bulk form. Received: 1 February 2024 / Accepted: 29 April 2024 / Published: 5 May 2024

Quality assurance of SARS-CoV-2 testing laboratories during the pandemic period in India – An experience from a designated provider laboratory

PurposeIndian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) initiated an Inter-Laboratory Quality Control testing (ILQC) program for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing. Under this program, SARS-CoV-2 testing laboratories across the country submit specimens to the assigned State Quality Control (SQCs) laboratories for ILQC testing. This study aimed to investigate the performance of public and private SARS-CoV-2 testing laboratories in Delhi and highlights the country’s effort in ramping up testing facility with close monitoring of the quality of Covid-19 testing results. MethodsIn the present study, two-years of SARS-CoV-2 testing data is included. During July 2020 through February 2022, a total of 1791 anonymised specimens were received from 56 public and private laboratories. These specimens were processed by reverse transcriptase – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests as per National Institute of Virology (NIV) protocol and the results were uploaded on the ICMR quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) portal without directly conveying the results to respective participating laboratories. This portal generated a final report stating concordance and intimate results to individual laboratories. ResultsAmong the 1791 specimens, 25 were rejected and the remaining 1766 were tested. Among these specimens 1691 (95.75%) revealed concordance, and 75 (4.24%) were discordant. A total of 29 laboratories had 100% concordance, 21 laboratories had over 90% concordance and six laboratories had over 80% concordance. ConclusionsThe study demonstrates that the establishment of an inter-laboratory comparison program for SARS-CoV-2 testing helped in monitoring quality of SARS-CoV-2 testing in the country.

Growth and Instability Analysis of Coconut in Kerala and India

The present study was carried out to analyze the growth trends and to observe magnitude of variations in area, production and productivity of coconut in India, Kerala and two major coconut growing districts (Kozhikode and Malappuram) of Kerala. This study is based on secondary data on area, production and productivity of coconut in India, Kerala and two districts of Kerala state collected from the website of Coconut Development Board (CDB) for a period of 20 years, i.e., from 2000-01 to 2019-20. The study used averages, coefficient of variation, instability index and compound annual growth rate for the analysis of the data. The growth trend was estimated using Compound Annual Growth Rate while the instability was measured using Cuddy Della Valle Instability index with the aid of coefficient of variation. The entire study period was further divided into two sub-periods: Period I (2000-01 to 2009-10) and Period II (2010-11 to 2019-20). The results of the growth rate analysis indicated that the highest growth rate was observed in production (3.85 %) followed by productivity (3.07 %) and area (0.75 %) at one per cent level of significance in the overall period in India. Whereas in Kerala, the area (-1.05 %) and production (-0.49 %) registered negative growth in the overall study period, but the productivity (0.57 %) showed a positive growth rate which was significant at five per cent level of probability. The results of the instability index reveal that the production of coconut in India experienced a highest variation of 10.59 per cent, followed by productivity (9.89 %) and area (3.36 %). Similarly, in Kerala, the instability index was found to be highest in production (11.12 %) followed by productivity (7.57 %) and area (5.71 %).

An Explication of Anthropogenic Climate Change in Anuradha Roy’s An Atlas of Impossible Longing

Objective: Climate change is an alarming concept prevailing as a threat to human existence. The paper aims to emphasise on climate change, a concern for environment portrayed in Anuradha Roy’s novel An Atlas of Impossible Longing (2008). Extending this hypothesis, the paper aims to scrutinize the changes happening in the climate and environment in the novel during the partition period in India. Method: The researchers have used qualitative research and to bring this research with a descriptive approach. However, the researcher lays out the study under the main theory of ecocriticism and narrows it down to the specific concept of ‘Climate change’. Result: The novel An Atlas of Impossible Longing (2008) is set on the outskirts of West Bengal, which is located in the northern part of India. A widower character in the novel is finding it difficult to get attached to his motherless daughter who is quite close to an orphan boy named Mukunda, adopted by the family. The characters in the novel live in tune with nature and find certain difficulties to continue their lifestyle because of climate change. Conclusion: In the explication on the concept of ‘climate change’ the researcher examines the relevant concepts like anthropocentric and anthropogenic which might be the cause of climate change. The main scope of this paper is to prioritize the concept of climate change for sustaining nature.

অসাম্প্রদায়িক বাংলাদেশ প্রতিষ্ঠায় সুফি ভাবধারার প্রভাব

The Sufi Saints played an important role to preach Islam in Bangladesh as well as South Asia. There are a lot of evidences about Shahaba (Companions of Prophet Sm.) came South Asia and Bangladesh for spreading Islam in the 7th Century. Next Centuries, hundreds of Sufis and their followers came for preaching Islam and spread over across the South Asia. Their excellent characteristics, strong morality, devotion, deep sense of humanity and serve to the poor people attracted non-Muslim people of this region. Generosity, equality and rich Islamic culture inspired local people to embrace new religion Islam. Interaction of South Asian Culture and Islamic Culture made a new dimension of Culture and Ethics in the Society. In Indian Society, Caste System of the Hindu, oppress to Subaltern people and humiliating abolished gradually. Even though, Reform movement of Hinduism and eradicate aristocracy system of the Hindu Society has started to free from Islamic influence. Education system opened for all during the Sultanate period in India. A new dimension of society and culture make amicable relations between the Hindu and Muslim of South Asia as well as Bangladesh. This Religious co-existing and harmony made South Asia a new mentality which called Communal Harmony. Non-Sectarian ideology inspired Muslim rulers to govern their territory. The Sufism and Sufi saints helped the rulers to make communal Harmony in the society. Communal harmony and social consistency were the vital roles of Muslim era in South Asia. In Nineteenth Century, rise of Sufi Saint and spiritual leader Mowlana Sayed Ahamed Ullah Mizbhandari (k.) (1826—1906) influenced society vividly. His philosophy and Mizbhandari Tariqa Played an important role in the Politics, Society and Culture of Bangladesh. Specially seven Ushal system, Mizbhandari mystic songs and no- Communal ideology inspired all sorts of peoples like the Hindu and Muslim. This research paper examines the influence of the Mizbhandari and other Sufi Tariqa in preaching Islam, Politics, Society and Culture of Bangladesh and South Asia. It also assesses any role of Sufism and Sufis thought to make non- Communal and moderate Bangladesh.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus-related Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Neonatal and Post-neonatal Babies: A Series of Four Cases

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a highly contagious seasonal virus that is the leading cause of acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (LRTI) in the paediatric age group and is one of the leading causes of death in children under five in developing countries. There is evidence that severe RSV infection and hospitalisation in early life increase the risk of recurrent wheezing, childhood asthma, and allergic sensitisation. Even though RSV being a major global health concern, very few papers concentrate on the neonatal period in India. The present case series presents four cases (three females and one male baby) highlighting the impact of RSV in neonatal and post-neonatal infants in India. The cases highlight the diversity of presentation; one infant required prolonged High-flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC) support, while two needed just symptomatic care. The importance of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in resource-constrained situations is highlighted as diagnostic issues are examined. Treatment focuses on supportive care; oxygen and respiratory support are provided in more severe cases. The present study emphasises the need for early detection and preventative measures, such as using novel treatments like nirsevimab. The present case series advocates for focused therapies and additional research in the Indian paediatric environment, adding insightful perspectives to the expanding body of knowledge on RSV.

Socio-Economic Problems and Challenges Faced by Sericulture Farmers in Karnataka: A Sociological Study

Silk production as an art and science referred to as sericulture is documented to be of very ancient origin in India. Records indicate that it is one of the oldest countries where silk farming and weaving were done. Indications are that in its first ever practice in the world, sericulture can be traced back to 2450 B.C during the Indus Valley Civilization period in India. Still, silk farmers in Karnataka deal with a bunch of social and economic problems. Growing silkworms to make silk has been a job people in Karnataka have done for ages helping many country families make a living. Even though it can bring in money, silk farmers run into several issues that make it hard for them to stay stable and do well in life. The researcher has used questionnaire method to collect data about the prevailing conditions of the sericulture farmers in Karnataka. The economic conditions are the main issue and needs to be addressed from all stakeholders.This paper shall try to bring out these challenges and gives solutions to improve the conditions of sericulture farmers.

Morbidity transition at the national and sub-national level and their determinants over the past and contemporary period in India.

The study delves into the epidemiological transition, examining the intricate changes in health status patterns and their connection to morbidities. Specifically, it assesses morbidity transition at both national and subnational levels in India and their determinants from 1995 to 2018. This study examines self-reported morbidities in India by utilising four rounds of National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) data (52nd, 60th, 71st, and 75th) from 1995-2018. We estimated prevalence by conducting descriptive analysis on socio-demographic determinants and morbidities such as: Infectious and Communicable Diseases (In&CDs), Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Disability and other diseases. Moreover, we employed pooled regression analysis to explore morbidity risk transitions over the past decades. The study revealed a steady upsurge in morbidity prevalence in India, doubling from 56 (per thousand) in 1995 to 106 in 2014. However, a considerable decline was observed in the most recent round in 2018 (79 per thousand). From 1995 to 2018, NCDs gained a prominent share in morbidity trends. Kerala in the southern region reported the highest rates, followed by states like Lakshadweep, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Punjab, and others. Age, sex, residence, education, caste, religion, and wealth are pivotal factors in determining the severity of different disease burdens in different sections of the population in India. Over the study period (1995, 2004, 2014, and 2018), the odds of reported morbidities risk transition significantly increased over successive decades: 1.81 times in 2004 (95% CI: 1.78-1.84), 2.16 times in 2014 (95% CI: 2.12-2.2), and 1.44 times in 2018 (95% CI: 1.41-1.46), compared to 1995 (52nd round). The study reveals significant disparities in morbidity reporting across Indian states from 1995 to 2018, attributed to distinct demographic, social, and economic determinants. India continues to grapple with the dual burden of diseases, but the NCDs burden is mounting at a faster pace than CDs.

Dynamics of livestock and poultry population in India and Himachal Pradesh:A comparative temporal analysis

The present study on livestock population dynamics can provide useful insights about growth trends of various species and overall livestock population. Such type of analysis is useful for making sound policy and programme planning in livestock sector. The study is based on the secondary data (1977 to 2019) collected from sources such as different livestock census, basic animal husbandry statistics, statistical outlines of India and Himachal Pradesh. The results revealed that India’s cattle population after attaining a peak of 204.5 million in 1992 remained in the range of 190-200 million during majority of census period. Cattle population in Himachal after attaining peak in 2007 has shown sharp decline in last two censuses. During last two census (2007-19) period, buffalo population’s growth has slowed down in India whereas it showed negative growth rate in Himachal Pradesh. Goat population in India showed promising positive trend in majority of census period but in Himachal Pradesh, growth has slowed down. Sheep population also showed steady growth in majority of census period in India whereas in Himachal Pradesh it has declined in every census. Therefore, growth rate of cattle and buffalo population has either stagnated or slowed down in India. On the contrary, cattle, buffalo, sheep population declined in Himachal Pradesh and goat population witnessed slower growth rate in comparison to entire India. The poultry population in the India and Himachal Pradesh increased at impressive and consistent growth rate.

IMPACT OF FOREIGN TRADE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN INDIA IN THE POST REFORM PERIOD: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

Foreign trade plays an important role in the economic development of a nation. It is called engine of growth. It signifies trade between one country and other countries. Until 1991, India’s development strategy was mainly import substitution and self-reliance oriented. India has moved from a protectionist policy toward trade liberalization since 1991. The importance of foreign trade has increased in India due to liberalization, privatization and globalization, known as LPG reforms of 1991. These policies opened the Indian economy for foreign trade. During the reform period, Indias GDP has substantially increased. Today, India is one of the fasted growing economies in the world. Both exports and imports have also increased substantially in the post reform period in India. However, exports are lower than imports in India implying that Indias trade balance remains negative in the post liberalization period. This may be due to the fact that India is one of the largest importers of crude oil. The present paper examines the impact of foreign trade on India’s economic growth by applying regression. The study reveals that exports have significant positive impact on economic growth in India. KEY-WORD: Foreign trade, Export, Import, Regression, Economic growth

A Nationwide Pharmacoepidemiological Analysis of the Impact of Health Policy on Antimicrobial Use in Critical Care Settings in India

A nationwide multicentric pharmacoepidemiologic analysis of antimicrobial use in critical care settings over a 2 year period in India, revealed that 76.0% (22,920) received at least one antimicrobial with 36.6% (11,027) receiving multiple antimicrobials. When classified based on the WHO AWaRe stratification, Watch group antimicrobials were most frequently ordered (56.7%;17103 patients), with the joinpoint regression analysis indicating its peak use during the second COVID-19 wave (May 2021-December 2021: MPC=2.01, p&lt;0.05) and significantly higher odds noted in patients with COVID-19 (aOR:6.73 (5.78-7.88)), APACHE-II &gt;10 (aOR:1.60 (1.49-1.71)) and ventilation requirement (aOR:1.68 (1.55-1.83)), thus indicating their use as empiric antibiotic therapy particularly in severely ill COVID patients. Individual COVID-specific Antimicrobials (CSA) exhibited temporal and geographical variation congruent with the release of scientific literature and local treatment guidelines, reflecting proactive implementation of treatment protocols. Antimicrobials are used extensively in ICUs across India, but overall and individual trends were largely influenced by scientific literature and public health messaging.