Chhattisgarh State Research Articles

Evaluation of Marketing Pattern of Major Pulses in Bemetara District of Chhattisgarh, India

The current study intends to investigate the major pulses' marketing patterns in Chhattisgarh's Bemetara area. The Bemetara and Saja blocks in the Bemetara district of the state of Chhattisgarh were the study's locations. For the study, farmers who grew pulses in the villages of Garra (30), Khati (30), Lalpur (30), and Nawrangpur (30) were questioned, as well as two villages from each block. The main conclusions of this study showed that big pulses' marketing strategies. For marginal, small, medium, large, and overall, respectively, the marketable surplus in chickpea was 6.70, 8.72, 10.11, 11.61, and 8.61 q ha-1 and 1.12, 2.17, 4.77, 12.41, and 3.60 q farm-1 of their total production (Table no. 1). In pigeon pea, it was 5.62, 8.08, 8.52, 9.97 and 7.49 q ha-1 and 0.61, 2.45, 2.89, 6.53, and 2.36 q farm-1 for their total production (Table no. 2) for marginal, small, medium, large and overall, respectively. The following three widely used marketing channels for the marketing of major pulses were identified. Channel-I: Farmer \(\Diamond\) Consumer, Channel-II: Farmer \(\Diamond\) Retailer \(\Diamond\) Consumer and Channel-III: Farmer \(\Diamond\) Wholesaler\(\Diamond\) Retailer \(\Diamond\) Consumer. Channel wise total marketing cost of major pulses at sample farms, evaluated and demonstrated in the Table 3 For the channel-I total marketing cost was Rs.16.63, for channel-II total marketing cost was in Rs. 34.93 and for channel-III total cost estimated as Rs. 57.96 per quintal. [1] Price spread was maximum in channel-III as Rs 268.68 followed by channel-II as Rs 136.93 and channel-I as Rs 16.63. This is due to fact that as the market chain increases price spread also increases. The price paid by consumer was maximum in channel-III as Rs 5250, followed by channel-II as Rs 5120.08 and channel-I as Rs 5000. Channel-I had the largest producer share in terms of consumer rupees (100%), followed by Channel-II (97.65%) and Channel-I (95.23%). Table No. 5 displays the marketing efficiency findings. According to the table, Channel I (300.66) had a higher efficiency than Channel II (37.39) and Channel III (19.53), in that order. According to the study, channel I was the most successful platform for marketing pulses since it was one of the more efficient marketing channels.

How useful do communities find the health and wellness centres? A qualitative assessment of India’s new policy for primary health care

BackgroundThe policy attention to primary health care has seen a global upswing in recent years, including in India. Earlier assessments had shown that a very small proportion of Indian population used the government primary health facilities. Starting in 2018, Indian government has established more than 100,000 Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) to increase rural population’s access to primary health care. It is crucial to know how useful people find the services of HWCs.MethodsA qualitative inquiry was made to understand the perceptions, experiences and expectations of the rural communities regarding HWCs in Chhattisgarh state. Fourteen focus group discussions were conducted with community members. The study areas were chosen to include both the central and remote districts of the state. The study used accessibility, availability, acceptability and quality (AAAQ) framework to assess HWCs.ResultsCommunity members felt that the most important change brought about by HWCs was to offer a wider range of curative services than previously available. Services for noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes were seen as a key value addition of HWCs. People felt improvements in services for acute ailments also. The services people found missing in HWCs were for injuries, dental care and mental health. In people’s experience, the availability of essential medicines and point-of-care tests at HWCs was satisfactory and the treatment was effective. People appreciated the supportive behaviour of health workers in HWCs. They did not find the referrals from HWCs as excessive but often faced difficulties in receiving necessary services at higher facilities.ConclusionsThe assessment based on community perceptions showed that the services of HWCs matched well with people’s needs of curative primary care. It shows that people are willing to use the government facilities for primary health care if the services are relevant, adequately functional and accessible.

A Comparative Study of National Family Health Survey-4 and National Family Health Survey-5 of Nutritional Indicators in Chhattisgarh.

Globally, public health issues related to malnutrition exist. One of the countries grappling with challenges in combating anemia and malnutrition is India, including the state of Chhattisgarh. The National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) data showthat the advancements made in the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) were reversed in NFHS-5. Despite having several programs and policies in place, Chhattisgarh has not yet utilized all of its potential to demonstrate exponential reductions in anemia and malnutrition. This study highlights probable factors and inter-district variations to provide an overview of the nutritional condition of districts in Chhattisgarh compared to NFHS-4. Children under five who are severely wasted, stunted, or experiencing both conditions exhibit a lower prevalence. An immediate warning indication was the rise in anemia prevalence across all age categories. In Chhattisgarh, when comparing NFHS-5 to NFHS-4, the study identified a reduced frequency of direct determinants and an increased coverage of nutrition-specific treatments. The state of Chhattisgarh has seen a significant improvement in underlying factors, including the number of homes with power and drinking water quality. It also describes the shortcomings and advancements in the inter-district variations among the coverage factors. Instead of focusing on raising the nutritional indicators for Chhattisgarh, this study also includes initiatives made by states that have fared better in terms of those metrics.

Association of inflammatory markers with clinical outcome in COVID-19 patients during the second wave in 100 bedded dedicated COVID MCH Hospital, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh State

Background: A novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2]) was the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic 2019. SARS-CoV-2 affects respiratory tract and damages the tissue resulting in generation of inflammatory cells such as cytokines and chemokines such as IFN that damage the lung alveoli, causing severe acute respiratory syndrome. Aims and Objectives: The aims and objectives of the study are to analyze the blood inflammatory markers of COVID-19 patients and association between clinical outcomes in COVID-19-positive patients with serum inflammatory markers during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in 100 bedded dedicated COVID MCH Raigarh CG. Materials and Methods: In this hospital-based cross-sectional observational study, 90 patients with COVID-19 were enrolled and categorized into three groups: mild, moderate, and severe. Blood inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ferritin, CK-Nac as well as hemogram total leukocyte count (TLC), differential leukocyte count, and neutrophil: lymphocyte (N:L) were determined and analyzed. Results: The results of the oxygen saturation (SpO2) severity strength of association with multiple variables taken in the study through logistic regression analysis of COVID-19 patient’s inflammatory markers serum levels of LDH (P<0.05, odds ratio [OR]=1.0146), ferritin (P<0.05, OR=0.9788), N:L (P<0.05, OR=4.1041), and other non-inflammatory parameters such as creatinine (P<0.05, OR=17.8039) were significant. SpO2 severity of COVID-19 patient’s with inflammatory markers LDH, ferritin, CK-Nac, and TLC associated with all severe, moderate, and mild groups. There was no significant association in the serum levels of CRP between the severe, moderate, and mild groups. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the levels of LDH, ferritin, CK-Nac, and TLC could be used to predict the severity of COVID-19 disease.

Impact of CFLD Pulses on Blackgram Productivity and Profitability in Farmers’ Field of Gariyaband District

Background: Among the pulses grown in the kharif season, blackgram occupies 8654 ha area in the Gariyaband district. But because of improper cultivation practices, blackgram yield is quite low (430 kg/ha). Thus Cluster Frontline Demonstrations were planned and carried out to disseminate latest package of practices to the farmers inorder to boost blackgram production and productivity. Methods: 50 cluster frontline demonstrations were conducted during kharif season of 2020-21 and 2021-22 in farmer’s field at Mauhabhatta and Kamepur villages of Gariyaband district, Chhattisgarh State. The demonstrations were carried out in 20 ha area to show the higher production potentiality of the technique using improved variety Indira Urd-1. Result: The results revealed that improved seed of Indira Urd-1 treated with Rhizobium +PSB and recommended plant protection cover, recorded average yield of 6.82 q/ha as compared to 4.35 q/ha in control plot. The demonstrated technology gave higher net returns and B:C ratio of 28087 Rs/ha and 3.02 in comparison to control (16245 Rs/ha, 1.67). The average extension gap, technology gap and technology index recorded were 2.47q/ha, 5.18 q/ha and 43.16% respectively. The results indicate that adoption of improved production technologies minimized the yield gap and provided higher economic returns to the farming community.

Impact of Public Expenditure on Education in Chhattisgarh

This paper objective to investigate the correlation between public spending on education and the growth of the state of Chhattisgarh. Time-series data spanning from 2000 to 2021 was utilised. Public expenditure has several effects in economy. It can increase economic growth. It can increase social welfare. It is directly expected education is helps Positive Social change of citizen. The result shows that total public expenditure and Education expenditure is highly and statistically significant on economic growth indicator such as GER and DOR in primary level in Chhattisgarh.Public expenditure helps in achieving equitable distribution income and promote growth and welfare. The findings indicate that total public spending and education spending have a statistically significant and positive impact on economic growth indicators like the state's Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) and the percentage of primary school dropout children (DOR) at the primary level. Education is directly expected to contribute to citizens' positive social transformation. The study's findings show that public spending on education and economic growth are correlated over the long term. Over time, there is a found unidirectional causal relationship between public education spending and Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).

Exploring thermal comfort in rural houses of Chhattisgarh state, India: A comprehensive survey and adaptive model analysis

Thermal comfort studies in India are very much at an emerging stage. According to Indian codes, in the summer, the comfortable temperature range for residential buildings is 23–26 °C. The recommended Indian residential comfort range does not consider the impact of India’s enormous cultural and geographical heterogeneity. Additionally, there seems to be very little effort to conduct a thermal comfort field survey in India’s rural regions. In recent years, houses in rural India have been converted from kutcha (mud houses) to pucca (concrete houses). This work is aimed at proposing an adaptive thermal comfort model for the premonsoon season in the rural area of Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. The model was achieved using a field study survey conducted in 80 rural area houses in the months of June and July. Regression analysis, the Griffiths method, and the Fanger method have been adopted to analyze thermal comfort. Based on the regression analysis, the comfort band (voting −1 to +1) is established in the range of 28.39 °C to 32.31 °C, with 30.30 °C as the neutral temperature. The study has been carried out to assess the influence of gender, age, controls, and fan usage on thermal comfort perception in rural households.

Convalescent Plasma Therapy for The Management of Covid‐19: A Single Center Experience of Chhattisgarh State of Central India

The recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic has caused a rethinking of the efficacy of previous convalescent plasma transfusions. In hospitalized patients with COVID-19, convalescent plasma (CP) is being used as a treatment along with other supportive therapy. There is a contradictory data on the effectiveness of CP in reducing COVID-19-related mortality to date. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of CP on mortality reduction in patients with COVID-19 admitted in intensive care unit. This retrospective observational study was carried out on patients treated in our institute at Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, from 1st April-2020 till 31st December 2020. A total of 138 adult patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 requiring oxygen, were reviewed. Of these, 119 patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. Out of these, 44 moderate to severely symptomatic patients received CP as well as the best supportive treatment, while the remaining 75 received only the best supportive care as either they did not consent for CP therapy or could not arranged CP donors. The data was collected from the Hospital Management Information System and analyzed to assess the effectiveness and safety of CP as well as the demographic information of the patients encountered. In the overall group of 119 patients who were admitted to the ICU, 44 received CP along with best supportive care of which 9 patients could not survived (20.45%) and 75 received only the best supportive care of which 32 patients were died (42.60%). Mortality was significantly lower in plasma group (20.45% vs 42.60%; P=0.0159; OR=0.3455 95% CI: 0.1457 to 0.8196). Mean age of the patient population was 56 years in the plasma group and 61 years in the other group. 34 patients (28.6%) had comorbidities in the form of Diabetes and Thyroid disorders and 7 patients had malignancy. Average duration of ICU stay in the CCP group was 9.1 days while in the Non CCP arm it was 7.7 days. The mean threshold value of oxygen requirement at which the CCP tx was requested - 6.6 lit/min. The mean signal cut off value (SCO) by Vitros-ECi for COVID IgG antibodies in CCP eligible donors was 9.1 (manufacturers cut off value >1.0). In the survival group of CCP recipient, the average SCO value was 8.8 while in the other group it was 9.4. Mild allergic reactions noted in two patients during the CCP transfusion, which were managed conservatively with transfusion halt and anti-histaminic. Our study concluded that the use of COVID convalescent plasma was associated with the reduced mortality in moderately symptomatic COVID-19 patients who needed O2 support. The beneficial effect was associated with multiple factors including both patient as well as plasma donor related factors. Further research into the mechanism of actions of CP in COVID-19 may help predict the good responders.

IGKM 05-18-2: identified as high yielding and multiple disease resistance rabi mungbean genotype for Chhattisgarh state

To enhance the yield potential in the rabi season, a high yielding and multiple disease resistant mungbean genotype, IGKM 05-18-2 has been developed through pedigree method from cross between Pairy Mung x Pusa Vishal at IGKV, Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The entry was tested in multilocation trial (12 locations) for three years (2017-18 to 2019-20) followed by testing in All India Coordinated Research Project on MULLaRP for a period of two years (2019-20 and 2020-21). It was also screened for various pests and diseases under pathological trials of AICRIP. Based on three years data (2017-18 to 2019-20) in state multilocation trials, during Rabi season, the entry IGKM 05-18-2 (902.40 Kg ha-1) had shown 8.29 % yield increase over the best check i.e. Pairy Mung (833.27 Kg ha-1). Likewise, under All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP on MULLaRP) this entry shown the 6.46 % yield advantage over the best check VBN 4 based on the mean performance in IVT and AVT-1 trials. In addition to the yield advantages, it shown multiple resistances to MYMV, Cercospora leaf spot, Powdery mildew and root rot in co-ordinated trials whereas, it was found resistant against PM, MYMV and Alternaria leaf spot at station trial. The entry IGKM 05-18-2 showed moderate insect pest infestation and was considered as promising entry. The entry IGKM 05-18-2 was found with moderate insect pest (thrips, whiteflies and maruca pod borer) infestation and considered as promising entry and the higher seed yield was recorded than Local check LGG 450. The data of the tested entry revealed the mungbean genotype, IGKM 05-18-2 is found to have high yield potential, multiple disease resistant and most suitable for cultivation in rabi season of the state. This improved line with enhanced resistance for multiple diseases can also be further used as a resistant donor for transfer disease resistance genes in other elite cultivars.

Study on social-economical and awareness condition of Dhamdha block people in Durg District, Chhattisgarh state of India

Study on social-economical and awareness condition of Dhamdha block people in Durg District, Chhattisgarh state of India

A comprehensive profile of SARS-CoV-2 variants spreading during the COVID-19 pandemic: a genomic characterization study from Chhattisgarh State, India.

SARS-CoV-2 has expressively changed its sequences during the COVID-19 pandemic situation by encompassing persistent evolutionary mutational changes resulting in the emergence of many clades and lineages. Evolution of these SARS-CoV-2 variants have significantly imparted fitness advantage to the virus, enhanced its transmissibility and severity of the disease. These new variants are a potential threat to the vaccine efficacy as well. It is therefore pertinent to monitor the evolution of these variants and their epidemiological and clinical impact, in a geographic setting. This study has thus looked into the geographic distribution and genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 variants and the evolutionary circulation of different clades in Chhattisgarh (CG) state from March 2020 to July 2023. A total of 3018 sequences were retrieved from the GISAID database, in which 558 were submitted by us. The demographic data revealed male preponderance of 56.45% versus 43.54% females, with the overall mean age of 36.5years. SARS-CoV-2 sequences represented many variants viz., Delta (55%), Omicron (22%) and others (15%) with a small proportion of recombinant (5%), Kappa (2%), and Alpha (1%). The viral clades G was found predominant for a year from initial days of pandemic in March, 2020 to January, 2021 which then subsequently evoluted to subclade GK (Delta B.1.617.2) and remained in circulation in CG till November, 2021. From December 2021, the GRA (Omicron B.1.1.529) variant had replaced GK to become the dominant strain and continues to predominate in present time. GRA clade is however continuously encompassing new recombinant strains, having various non-synonymous mutations especially in spike protein. The non-synonymous mutation P314L in ORF1b, S84L in ORF8 and D614G in spike protein were found as the pan mutation carried over from clade G to GRA. The continuous evolution in SARS-CoV2 warrants periodical geographic genomic surveillance monitoring to timely detect any new variants having the potential of causing future outbreak.

Evolution of explosion techniques used by Maoists: A case study from Chhattisgarh state, India

Evolution of explosion techniques used by Maoists: A case study from Chhattisgarh state, India

Geospatial Analysis of Parental Healthcare-Seeking Behavior in the Vicinity of Multispecialty Hospital in India.

The healthcare-seeking behavior of vulnerable groups, such as children under five, depends on a multitude of factors, including the caregiver's decision making. Approximately 60% of Indians seek care from private hospitals. Recent health policy in India has favored the establishment of multispecialty hospitals. However, it remains unclear to what extent this policy has changed the number of Indians seeking healthcare from these government-established multispecialty hospitals. The study aims to assess the health-seeking behavior of parents of children under five in the vicinity of a public multispecialty tertiary care hospital. This was a community-based cross-sectional survey with geospatial mapping conducted among the parents of children under five using a semi-structured questionnaire in Epi-collect mobile app. The study site was an urban slum in a catchment area [within five kilometers (km)] of a multispecialty tertiary care public hospital in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. The study was conducted for one year duration from February 2019 to January 2020. A questionnaire was administered to the parents of the children under five (N = 353) after their household confirmation from the nearby Anganwadi center, the community level service providing center under the Integrated Child Development Scheme by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD). The questionnaire included sections for demographic characteristics, the illness pattern among their children, health-seeking decision-making, and more. Descriptive analysis was presented with numbers and percentages. Univariate analysis was used to assess the association between sociodemographic variables and health-seeking characteristics. Statistical significance was considered at p value less than 0.05. We used geospatial mapping using coordinates collected and compiled using the Microsoft Excel version 2021 and analyzed using QGIS (Quantum Geographic Information System) software. Among the parents interviewed patients (N = 353), maternal literacy rates were over 85%. Approximately 54% of the families were below poverty line. Among 95.2% of the families, mothers were part of decision-making regarding their children's health-seeking. Over 92% of the families opted for consultation in a nearby private hospital or dispensary. Geospatial mapping of private hospitals was a favored place for healthcare-seeking by mothers, irrespective of their socioeconomic status or education rather than multispecialty hospital. The majority of the parents in the vicinity of public multispecialty hospitals seek care from private clinics for ailments for children under five. The establishment of public multispecialty tertiary care hospitals, which are mandated for tertiary level of care and research, cannot replace primary-level healthcare institutions, showed that private hospitals were the favored places healthcare seeking by mothers. These primary-level institutions are critical for the management of common ailments for children under five near home and reducing the financial burden on the family, even in the vicinity of a multispecialty hospital.

To measures absolute change in area, production and productivity of rice crop in different agro-climatic zone of Chhattisgarh state

To measures absolute change in area, production and productivity of rice crop in different agro-climatic zone of Chhattisgarh state

JUST TRANSITION TO GREEN ENERGY - A CASE STUDY ON INDIA AND DENMARK

The transition towards green and decent jobs is a critical imperative for sustainable economic growth and environmental well-being. However, amidst global efforts to combat climate change, India faces the challenge of achieving inclusive economic growth. This paper delves into the juxtaposition of two distinct narratives in the realm of green and decent jobs, exploring the disparities between India and Denmark, an exemplar of sustainable development in Europe. Currently Denmark runs mostly on renewable Energy, around 75% of energy comes from renewable energy sources, with Denmarks trajectory in achieving 100% renewable energy by 2030, it serves as an aspirational benchmark against which we assess Indias CO2productivity. Indias coal dependency extends further due to its massive coal reserves, estimated at around 100 billion tons, primarily concentrated in the eastern states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. It was estimated that 74% of Indias energy generation came from coal fired plants in 2021. Therefore, it is essential to have a just transition which also ensures upskilling and employing workers in green Jobs. Linear regression models for Denmark and India have been constructed to understand the relationship between CO2 productivity and various predictor variables. The model for Denmark exhibits a good fit, implying that all predictor variables collectively explain 95% of the variance in CO2 productivity. The model for India shows a strong fit, indicating that approximately 97.5% of the variance in CO2 productivity is explained by the predictor variables. This suggests that the model is highly significant in understanding the factors influencing CO2 productivity in India. In conclusion it has been recommended that India can incorporate Denmarks policy for a smooth transition towards green energy, using the five Rs, these key elements provide a roadmap for policymakers, governments, and local stakeholders to navigate the complex challenges of economic restructuring and environmental sustainability.

Landscape Analysis of Traditional Tribal Healers and Their Healing Practices in The Tribal-Dominated States of India

The indigenous communities in India, known as “Vanvasi”, have been the original inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent for millennia. Their longstanding presence is steeped in a deep connection with nature, reflecting a rich culture and heritage characterized by traditional practices. India boasts a diverse array of more than 700 tribal communities, each distinguished by its exclusive language, culture, and heritage. Notable tribal groups encompass the Bhils, Gonds, Santhals, Mundas, Kols, and Nagas. Indigenous communities are present across India, with notable concentrations in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra states.

A Comparative Phenological Studies of High-Value Medicinal Herbs: Cassia tora and Argemone maxicana in Achanakmar Regions of Chhattisgarh, India

The phenological behaviour of two herb species, Cassia tora and Argemone maxicana, were studied in Shivtarai Achanakmar regions of Chhattisgarh state, India, from January 2020 to December 2022. Both these species showed marked variations in their phenological behavior studied, such as new foliage, Leaf fall, Flowering and Fruiting, by showing significant variation (P value ˂ 0.05). In the present study, it was revealed that, in Cassia tora, the mean ± SD values of new foliage, leaf fall, flowering and fruiting days were 40±5, 27±5, 127±5, and 102±18 respectively, whereas, in Argemone maxicana, these are 42±6, 36±5, 103±17, 87±2 respectively. In the present study, it was observed that in Cassia tora, the leaf bud busting initiation occurred in July-August, and in Argemone maxicana, it was observed at the end of August. In Cassia tora, the appearance of minimum total mature leaves was observed to occur in September, whereas, in Argemone maxicana, it was in December-January. Moreover, in Cassia tora, the appearance of a maximum number of mature leaves was found in the month of November, whereas in Argemone mexicana, it was in March-May. The length of the reproductive stage was observed to occur in Cassia tora for 3 to 4 months, whereas in Argemone maxicana it was 7-8 months. The Appearance of mature flowers was observed to occur in the month of October for Cassia tora and April-May for Argemone maxicana. The fruit formation was found in Dec-Jan in Cassia tora and in Argemone maxicana in May. The last fruit/fruit fall was initiated in February in Cassia tora and in Argemone mexicana in May to June. The phenological behavior plays a significant role in the study of vegetation patterns in the studied regions, in the field of biochemistry and the field of pharmacology. The plant has evolved in varied phenological phages to attain maximum beneficial phytoconstituents for medicinal purposes in different phenophases and must be studied for future prospects.

Using ensemble machine learning algorithm to predict forest fire occurrence probability in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, India

The escalating global threat of forest fires, driven by global warming, requires the development of effective prediction systems to mitigate damages. This research focuses on Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Chhattisgarh (CG) states in central India, where forest fire risk has become particularly pronounced. The primary objectives of the study are to quantify and map the spatial and temporal dynamics of forest fires over the period 2001 to 2020, and to predict future fire risks using satellite derived datasets and machine learning techniques. Through a long-term analysis, the study revealed an alarming increase in the number of forest fire incidents in MP and CG. From an average of 1200 and 1000 during 2001 to 2005, the incidents increased to 2800 and 2100 during 2016 to 2020, in MP and CG respectively. To predict forest fire risk, Random Forest machine learning algorithm was adopted utilizing various satellite derived climatic, topographical, and ecological parameters such as temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, NDVI, soil moisture, litter availability, evapotranspiration and terrain parameters (at monthly scale for 20 years). While forecasting fire probability for 2018–2020, the model achieves high accuracy rate of 86.46 % in MP and 93.78 % in CG. The results highlight significant forest fire likelihood regions in the central MP and the Southern CG, identifying areas requiring enhanced fire management strategies. This study has revealed that NDVI and rainfall have played a positive role in restricting the forest fire, and their negative anomaly amplified the fire risk. The study would help forest planners and administrators to characterise vulnerable areas and prioritise their conservation provisions.

Is the quality of public health facilities always worse compared to private health facilities: Association between birthplace on neonatal deaths in the Indian states.

The role of place of delivery on the neonatal health outcomes are very crucial. Although the quality of care is being improved, there is no consensus about who is the better healthcare provider in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), public or private facilities. The aim of this study is to assess the differentials in neonatal mortality by the type of healthcare providers in India and its states. We used the data from the fourth wave of the National Family Health Survey 2015-16 (NFHS-4). Information on 259,627 live births to women within the five years preceding the survey was examined. Neonatal mortality rates for state and national levels were calculated using DHS methodology. Multi-variate logistics regression was performed to find the effect of birthplace on neonatal deaths. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to evaluate the relationship between place of delivery and neonatal deaths to account for the bias attributable to observable covariates. The rise in parity of the women and purchasing power influences the choice of healthcare providers. Increased neonatal mortality was found in private hospital delivery compared to public hospitals in Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Goa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states using propensity score matching analysis. However, analysis on the standard of pre-natal and post-natal care indicates that private hospitals generally outperformed public hospitals. The study observed a significant variation in neonatal mortality among public and private health care systems in India. Findings of the study urges that more attention be paid to the improve care at the place of delivery to improve neonatal health. There is a need of strengthened national health policy and public-private partnerships in order to improve maternal and child health care in both private and public health facilities.

Butterflies and Their Conservation Status on the Campus of Sant Guru Ghasidas Government P.G. College Kurud, Chhattisgarh, India

Chhattisgarh state has a rich diversity of butterflies with a total of 170 species in its diver’s habitat as hilly terrain, plateaus, plains, and agroforest land, including the campuses and backyards in between human colonies. The present study has been carried out in an academic campus of Sant Guru Ghasidas Government Post Graduate College Kurud; district Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh, India. We observed 56 species of butterflies taxonomically placed under five families in which the family Lycaenidae and Nymphalidae have been dominated over the rest three as family Pieridae, Hesperiidae and Papilionoidae. Out of 56 species, nine species were legally protected under Wildlife Protection Act – 1972, with six listed under schedule – II and three under schedule-I.