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Technical progress has a tremendous potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by reducing energy consumption, a major concern across production units. However, the existing empirical literature concerning technical efficiency and carbon intensity is scanty. Thus, this paper examines the relationship between technical efficiency and carbon intensity for the organized manufacturing sector of two states, Maharashtra and Odisha, and the all-India level from 2001 to 2018. The paper uses data envelopment analysis to estimate technical efficiency scores. It applies the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Tier 1 methodology for estimating carbon intensity for each 3-digit manufacturing industry in all three sample cases. The study has used static panel regression and fractional logit regression techniques to examine the deterministic relationship between technical efficiency and carbon intensity. The result shows that technical efficiency is highly sensitive to carbon intensity in the Indian manufacturing industries. The findings also addressed that the size of the industries also reduces the technical performance of manufacturing units. This paper also confirmed that increased profit could boost the Indian manufacturing industries' technical efficiency. Thus, this study addresses that carbon intensity as a proxy for the manufacturing sector's potential to affect climate change plays a crucial role in explaining the technical efficiency variations across industries. Thus, it calls for better policies aimed at reducing the emissions of industries specifically to achieve sustainable growth for the Indian manufacturing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional alcoholic-beverages have been used by the tribes since ages. Bonda is one of the 62 Schedule Tribes and 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of Odisha, who reside in the southern part of the state. Historically, a number of traditional alcohols have been produced by the Bonda which is consumed widely and used in the socio-economic and cultural events. Current times evidence the production and use of traditional alcohols gradually giving way to modern alcoholic drinks. In this context this paper tries to document different types of traditional alcohols produced, consumed and used by the Bonda along with its various impacts on the individual drinker and the society. The data were collected through community-based research in four villages under Khairaput block of Malkangiri, Odisha. The study found that 23 types of traditional alcohols are produced by the Bonda households, who derive economic security there from. However, the production, consumption and use of traditional alcohols are on the decline with the gradual increase of foreign liquor and this paper suggests institutional support for the clean production and marketing of traditional alcohols of the Bonda tribe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims to unveil the experience of rural women in a disaster cycle. The paper contains the ethnographic accounts of the women affected by cyclone 'Fani', which hit the coasts of Odisha on 3rd May 2019. The study concentrated on the village 'Kaliakera' of Puri, Odisha and spanned three months just after the cyclone. Adopting an exploratory design with an intersectionality approach, the study covered 60 women respondents drawn through stratified sampling from diverse caste groups. With an emic perspective and ethnographic tools, the accounts of these women have been captured. The study concluded that risk perception is low among women, reducing their disaster preparedness ability. Family members' concerns and decisions played a crucial role in the disaster preparedness of women. Low disaster preparedness makes risk management difficult for them during and after a disaster. Livelihood, health and food insecurities were the most common risk encountered by rural women. Past experience with disaster, caste dynamics, and socio-economic conditions affect women's effective handling of the disaster. Understanding rural women's experiences can help devise targeted interventions at the community level for a sustainable and resilient recovery in the post-disaster period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining is an important enterprise that will supply essential minerals for the country's infrastructural development. Mining is a key industry and a development engine in the Indian economy. The epidemic has had both immediate and long-term effects on the labour and industries in India. Short-term effects include the cessation of mineral production, salary loss due to absenteeism and pandemic limitations, unemployment, and the selling of minerals on the market. The reputation and economic health of industries, fresh mineral deposit exploration, and new mining complex development have all been impacted in long-term. Aside from the mining industry-specific impact of COVID-19, the social fabric of the mining workers has been impacted since they are living in an environment of fear and uncertainty. This paper attempts to analyse the effect of COVID-19 on extractive industries in India. It also focuses the steps which taken by the Indian government. The paper concluded with the negative effect of COVID-19 which disrupts the mining sector and the contribution declined during COVID-19. However, for instance from mineral rich-Odisha, the mining sector takes up by its growth in post COVID-19 period with remarkable increment from negative growth to high positive rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participatory forms of policy-making have often been criticized for insufficiently theorizing the coproduction of publics and matters of concern. This paper seeks to investigate this relationship further by analyzing how the concept of civic epistemologies (CEs) can provide insights for understanding how political contexts shape both publics and contestable debates. Presenting fieldwork on cyclone governance in Odisha, India, based on the analysis of interviews with vulnerable fishing communities and state actors, the article shows how CEs influence the interdependent formation of vulnerable fisher and state subjectivities on one hand with representations of risk located in external biophysical atmospheric gases on the other, thereby sustaining reductive roles and futures. At the same time, the paper develops the concept of CEs by examining them as performative acts carried out by marginalized communities and state actors at the subnational level of a nonindustrialized country, thereby indicating sites at which epistemic agency can be increased and governed. Participatory knowledge production needs to understand how it is affected by CEs if it is to generate effective expertise for transformative futures in the face of increasing climatic risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is about the collaboration between the Centurion University of Technology and Management (CUTM), Odisha (India), and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim (Norway), initiated in 2017. The main objective of the collaboration was to facilitate students through educators to bridge the gap between higher education and the practical skills needed for assessing and advancing sustainable development in local communities. This paper presents the contribution of nine women interns within the framework of partnership among the universities, government, and social enterprises in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. It analyses the role of women interns in activities and experiences in Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), in motivating women farmers to join FPOs to benefit in terms of increasing productivity, value addition for better products, and improving market opportunities. The concluding observations section provides three sets of learnings each for the role of women interns and implications for higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) maneuver a crucial part in both developed and developing countries for their contribution towards employment generation, capital formation and inflow of foreign exchange. In the context of India, their contribution is immense and in states like Odisha they are indispensable for overwhelming dependence of the state on them. However, owing to multiple factors like natural conditions, political set-up, macroeconomic parameters, style of entrepreneurial leadership, availability of capital, usage of digital infrastructure, etc., the performance of MSMEs in Odisha is unpredictable. As such the performance of all MSME units in the state of Odisha is not at par. While some of the units are performing well, some are struggling a lot. If the factors that cause good performance of the successful MSMEs are traced and the same set is adapted in struggling units, maybe all the MSME units can perform well and facilitate achieving first three sustainable development goals (SDGs), i.e., SDG-1: no poverty, SDG-2: zero hunger, and SDG-3: good health and well-being. Thus, the objective of this paper is to identify the factors that make the MSME units, specifically the self help groups (SHGs) successful and devise strategies for effective usage of digital infrastructure for sustainable performance. The paper is based on Time Series secondary data pertaining to number of MSMEs, capital investment and number of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning English was popular in 18th- and 19th-century colonial India because, as Chaudhary (2012) depicts, the East India company's offer of employment for Indians who knew English made English learning and thereby bilingualism much sought after. Citing examples of bilingual grammars and textbooks from the early 18th century, Chaudhary (2012, 10) notes how, despite demand, it was difficult to obtain these books until the early 19th century. By sourcing facts from scholarly work like this and looking at some available bilingual teaching material, this paper argues that although history weaves a narrative of colonial education as a monolithic, spearheaded imperialist endeavour, colonial education, specifically BELT, was a sporadic, heterogeneous, most times inclusive rivulet of colonial pedagogy which cannot be summarised as a uniform teaching method as specified in the later methods era. Specifically, the paper looks at English-Telugu bilingual teaching/learning material used in the Madras Presidency and English-Odiya bilingual learning material used in parts of Odisha in the Bengal Presidency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does financing respond to changes in productive opportunities, even for the world's poor? We answer this question by examining the response of private bank financing to an infrastructure program that brought road access to unconnected Indian villages. This program prioritized roads for villages above specific population thresholds, allowing us to exploit the resultant discontinuities for identification. Using detailed data from a large bank, we find that 75 |$\%$| more villagers get loans, and the average amount lent to them is 30 |$\%$| –35 |$\%$| higher, in villages just above these thresholds. District-level analyses further suggest that roads and loans are complements in the growth process. Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix , which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is a crucial cash crop in the tribal belt of Odisha. It has a significant effect on the livelihood of the tribal people. The volatile socio-economic background of the tribal farmers is a major hindrance to the proper development of the agriculture sector. In this regard, it is important to study the possible factors affecting cotton productivity in the tribal region to boost the policy effectiveness for the development of this cash crop in the area. More precisely, how is their socio-economic condition reflected in their crop productivity? So, the development of the tribal farmers can develop this crop in the region. This study analyses the detrimental effect of socio-economic factors on cotton productivity in the tribal area of Odisha. The data are collected using a structured questionnaire and a multiple-sampling technique. To understand the effect of socioeconomic factors on productivity, the ordinary least square (OLS) method has been employed in this paper. The result shows that most of the farmers are illiterate for which productivity is degrading. The age and gender of the head of the household are significant contributors to the cotton productivity of the study area. Male-headed households are more productive than female-headed households. Per capita monthly income and proportion of irrigated land are also important factors to affect cotton productivity positively. However, the social group of the family has no significant effect on the cotton productivity in the study area. Policymakers and agriculturists should emphasize farmer literacy, farmer income and land irrigation facilities to boost the productivity of this crop in the studied region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Since the last decade, debates regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of the forms of transfer, i.e. in the form of in-kind or cash transfers, have been gaining momentum. This paper aims to explore the preferences revealed by the beneficiaries, the role of contextual conditions in moulding these preferences, factors associated with the transfer scheme that defines the preferences and the rationale behind such responses. Design/methodology/approach: The study conducted involves primary data collected from an Indian state, Odisha. 308 beneficiaries of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) were interviewed concerning specific objectives in a rural district (Mayurbhanj) and another highly urbanised district (Khordha). Findings: The comparative results show that the strength of the contextual conditions significantly influences the preferences of the beneficiaries in the rural district as compared to the effect on the beneficiaries of the urban district. Education seems to have an insignificant impact in rural areas. However, income and standard of living have positive significant effects on shaping the preferences for cash or in-kind transfers. Originality/value: Examining the strength of the contextual conditions and emphasising beneficiaries' perspectives would stimulate a better understanding of the implementation of the proposed quasi-Universal Basic Income. The study would hence, be instrumental in dealing with the transition towards cash transfers in the Indian context where the co-responsibility of both stakeholders, the government and the beneficiaries, should be given equal weightage. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-03-2023-0158 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Tribal entrepreneurship can be understood as infusing the knowledge of commerce and trade into the tribal groups and thereby exploring their products and known for their economic betterment and social advancement. An accumulating body of research has demonstrated that artificial intelligence (AI) is an indistinguishable feature of the fourth industrial revolution. This study integrates the literature on AI and new technologies to examine the constraining and facilitating forces for developing and scaling-up AI-enabling technologies in Africa. This article proposes an integrated conceptual model to elucidate the range of external drivers encompassing global competitive drivers, and market and industry drivers. The internal drivers include the potential to enhance product development speed, improve quality, drive production cost down, and minimise errors and manual processes in organisations. OBJECTIVES: In this study, socio-economic status of tribal population has been taken as a reference in order to see whether there is any impact of economic wellbeing on their livelihood [1]. The study is an endeavour to examine the role of micro enterprises for social and economic empowerment of tribal community in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and role of AI. RESULTS: The main results obtained in this paper are the following SEM identified that there is a lower degree of positive impact of "Tribal entrepreneurship" on "Economic Empowerment" and "women Empowerment" and lower degree of negative impact on "Social Empowerment". It is also concluded that Economic Empowerment of tribal entrepreneurs through micro-enterprises has reduced the dependency on private money lenders the most. Women Empowerment of tribal entrepreneurs has helped the women to achieve gender equality and the social Empowerment aids in the development of competency and technical skills through micro-enterprises. CONCLUSION: The tribal communities in Odisha are regarded as the most disadvantageous group of people in terms of their socio-economic status. The present research makes some pivotal contributions to the current AI literature. First, in spite of the growing recognition that development of new industries and new-business development is increasingly predicated on the adoption of new technologies (Krasniqi and Hajrizi Citation2016), there is a paucity of studies examining contemporary challenges faced by developing nations and their inability to capitalise on such ample and obvious opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to identify factors associated with operational factor (OF), geo-environmental factor (GEF), and managerial factor (MF) from the literature. After identification, the study intended to assess the impact of geo-environmental factors and managerial factors on operational factors of the mining industry. The study also tests the indirect effect of managerial factors between GEF and OF in the Indian environment. The geographical boundary of the study was 06 large mines of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh of India. Three hundred and twenty nine number of purposive samples were collected via email and filtered and processed through the SPSS package. To find out the complex role and inter-relationship of GEF and MF on OF, the study adopted the structural equation modelling technique. The finding reflects that MF plays a partial mediation among GEF and OF. This phenomenon is completely novel in its field when it comes to the geo-environmental and management difficulties confronting mining operations. This research can aid managers in identifying key geological and environmental concerns in mining operations, as well as providing data for regulatory compliance. Overall, this study's findings can help management create policies and manage the environmental concerns of the mining sector. The study's findings provide important directions for future Indian mining research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the deep connections between experiences of health and changes in the local ecology, farming, and food consumption practices among tribal people in Odisha, a state in India. The role of governmental and market actors in initiating and reinforcing these changes is analysed in a political ecology framework using a relational understanding of 'place'. It allows us to think of changing health outcomes and perceptions in communities as they simultaneously experience changes in access to forest resources and farming practices, and consequent dietary changes. Our paper suggests that with the creation of new social and power relations and ecological materialities, nutritional insecurities are produced or sustained, even as access to formal healthcare improves. We show how the plethora of development policies often work against each other and accentuate health vulnerabilities, even as they seek to create incomes and ensure food availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published in 1902, Fakir Mohan Senapati's famous novel Six Acres and a Third sets up a parallel between the import of English commodities and English literary taste into Odisha in late nineteenth century. The paper takes this parallel as its point of departure to explore colonial Odia discourses on political economy and literary criticism, and goes on to study how they construct Odisha as a peripheral space. The paper finds that the public discussions on economy and literature shared a common ideological code. This code preferred to engage with history, whether economic or literary, by turning it into a moral question. This ideological code deeply informed the peripheral middle-class imagination, which often spoke for a working alliance between educated middle orders native aristocracy and colonial state for the sake of economic and literary progress in the region. The paper concludes by showing how this code was at work in Fakir Mohan, in his responses to colonialism, and in his engagement with a fundamental problem of the peripheral space, that of redundant capital. 'Provincial Victorians' refer to Fakir Mohan and several other public intellectuals of his generation who came to see themselves as inhabiting the economic and literary peripheries of the Victorian world system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical Tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury (Family: Saturniidae) produces Tasar silk which has very high demand globally and because of their wide range of distribution in tropical regions, they have adapted to different niches forming different ecoraces. In Odisha, alone seven types of ecoraces of A. mylitta have been reported, namely Modal, Sukinda, Nalia, Jata-Daba, Adaba, Umerkote, and Boudh. These ecoraces show differences in their phenotypes, genetic constitution, fecundity, voltinism, etc. In the past few decades, there is the substantial deterioration of habitats due to many anthropogenic activities. This has resulted in a large decline in wild Tasar cocoon production. Lepidopterans are accepted as ecological indicators of ecosystem health and it is apprehended that through anthropogenic and climatic factors this precious genetic resource, which took millions of years to evolve, may face the threat of extinction shortly if adequate conservation measures are not taken. This paper attempts the geospatial mapping of these ecoraces in the state of Odisha through RS and GIS tools, which will provide a greater scenario for their conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports new occurrence records of two bivalve species, Lutraria impar Reeve, 1854, and Meretrix lusoria (Röding, 1798) from the Odisha coast on the basis of the collection from Bahuda estuary, Ganjam, Odisha. The genus Lutraria Lamarck, 1799, was not yet reported from the State, and the report of Lutraria impar is the first report of the genus from the Odisha coast. These specimens were collected from the sandy seabed near the mouth of the Bahuda estuary in Odisha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the driver of groundwater depletion, this paper estimates a dynamic panel regression model using district-level secondary data from 1995 to 2017. Results show that the number of rainwater-harvesting structures, annual average rainfall, forest cover and net sown area improve groundwater levels. Tube well irrigation and rice cultivation can adversely affect groundwater levels. The positive relationship between surface water and improved groundwater level is consistent in all the estimated models. Hence, efficient use and management of surface and groundwater are crucial for the long-term sustainability of water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian federalism is unique in spirit and her practice of cooperative federalism has placed her as a successful democratic state in the world today. However, there are several lacunas in her federalism with respect to the discourse on water disputes, which need to be addressed. Although there are various constitutional provisions apart from the statutory laws and obligations on the part of the centre and the states, there is a significant growth in water dispute cases in the country. The Mahanadi river water dispute between the states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh is one such case. This paper explores the significant issues in this dispute while drawing insights from similar cases across the country. It also suggests a way forward in resolving river water disputes, given the importance of river water, which is becoming a scarce commodity requiring just and fair management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on empirical evidence the paper provides an overview of the health profile of 100 older people, both male and female equal in numbers, ages varying from 60 years and above, living in rural Odisha, who were interviewed individually. The study's findings revealed that older people in rural settings suffer from a range of chronic diseases and disabilities. Several socio-economic issues, such as poor income, old age dependency, scarcity of reliable caregiver assistance, and healthcare costs, are found to be the major impediments to older individuals. Additionally, the current study focuses on policy implications to improve older people's health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores traditional knowledge in four coastal districts of Odisha to understand its nature, role and relevance in negotiating cyclonic storms. It draws from fieldwork carried out in two phases 2007-2009 and 2015-2019 from the district of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Ganjam and Puri. In each of these locations, people have experience of cyclonic phenomena both as major disasters and as relatively smaller scale recurrent occurrences. The study shows that there is an extensive, informal rule based traditional knowledge system that makes use of multiple observational attributes in association with meteorological warning. In this perspective, prevalent traditional knowledge is neither privileged nor static and as a matter of fact is in a continual dialogue with meteorological information provided through India Meteorological Department's (IMD) cyclone warning services. Based on findings of this analysis, a framework is proposed that integrates traditional and meteorological knowledge systems for a more comprehensive understanding of local rural communities' response to cyclones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective / Purpose - The study examines how politicians reposition and restore the image themselves after switching to a new political party in the state of Odisha. This paper also aims to take on academicians, senior journalists, and voters behaviour perspectives, and investigate to the know repositioning of politicians themselves as elected representatives i.e., members of Parliament or Member Legislative Assembly. Design/methodology - After the review of the literature and thirty qualitative interviews of academicians, senior journalists and voters, the study illustrate show a new political party helps politicians to successfully reposition themselves at a given time of their political career. The paper builds up a conceptual framework and offers repositioning strategies of politicians on respondents' perceptions. Findings - The literature review establishes politicians as brands. The study finding reveals that the politician's brand substantial repositioning was perceived sometimes by the voters and sometimes the voters moved away from the politicians. Furthermore seen, the politician occupying a high-level party position in a party may not bring the constituency in winning the election. Research Limitation/approach - The research was conducted in the regional context. The switching of the party and repositioning of the politicians could be studied in a national context. Originality / Value - The study provides a useful framework to understand politicians repositioning through party switching and restoring an image. The framework can be used to understand the repositioning of various types of personalities of other walks of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a geophysical reality, water deficit is a natural reality whereas risk community is a social reality. The interconnectivity between the three is intense with each variable having a chain reaction with the other two. Studies on climate change and water scarcity are abundant and are taking an escalating trend. But there is a dearth of literature relating to the interlinkage of the aforesaid variables. So, this has become the backdrop of the present article. The paper is fully backed by secondary literature and has taken its parameters to look at the individual phenomenon and establish its connectivity. The study areas selected are the Bolangir and Bargarh districts of Odisha, which encounter acute water stress for agricultural and domestic purposes. No such research study is found to date. Thus, the paper has tried to establish how climate change is rapidly taking place bringing water scarcity and stress is responsible for generating risk communities. Finally, the article culminates with certain ways forwards to bring solutions to such issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A protracted movement emerged in Kashipur in Southern Odisha in 1993 that stalled a bauxite mining project for over 18 years. It went through fragmentations and eventually petered out by the early 2010s. This paper aims to understand how and why the processes of capital accumulation through dispossession cause fragmentation of social movements and their eventual petering out. I analyse the collective strikes that the villagers engaged in during 2008-2010, paralyzing the company's incipient construction work over a tumultuous nine months. Critically engaging with David Harvey's concept of "accumulation by dispossession" (ABD) and Kalyan Sanyal's concept of "jobless growth", I argue that ABD processes entail protracted interaction of extractive capital, bureaucratic structures, ecology, and the movements of subaltern communities with existing divisions. Dispossession processes generate new fissures in which ownership of land or lack of it due to land acquisition becomes the central axis of cleavage, shaping the politics and outcomes of dispossession. I further reveal that 'jobless growth' is unachievable for a company that can push ahead only through the provision of precarious employment and such promises. It is based on eight months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted in 2010-2012. Methodologically, it follows Burawoy's (2000) call to "construct perspectives on globalisation from below" through "ethnographic grounding". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current work explores the relationship between workplace ostracism, emotional intelligence (EI) and organizational change cynicism. This paper also aims to examine how dimensions of EI moderate the relationship between workplace ostracism and organizational change cynicism. Design/methodology/approach: This study intends to examine the contribution of independent variable as well as moderating variable towards the outcome. Therefore, Pearson product–moment correlation and moderated regression analyses have been carried out to verify the hypotheses. To validate the tools upon the employees of India, authors have carried out measurement model analyses through AMOS and checked their composite reliability, convergent validity (average variance extraction [AVE]) and discriminant validity (square root of AVE). This study followed a simple random sampling technique with 276 employees (Male: N = 150, Mage = 34.34, female: N = 126, Mage = 31.57) from three manufacturing units of Odisha, an Eastern part of India. Findings: Results showed that workplace ostracism was positively related to organizational change cynicism. However, only two dimensions of EI, namely, appraisal and regulation of self-emotion (ARSE) and other's emotional appraisal were negatively related to organizational change cynicism. Moderated regression analysis indicates that positive relationship between workplace ostracism and organizational change cynicism is stronger for employees with low ARSE and other emotional appraisals than those with higher scores. Practical/implications: The researchers conclude this paper with inputs for developing a suitable training module on EI, specifically focusing on various emotional management skills. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is first of its kind on workplace ostracism and organizational change cynicism among Indian employees in the manufacturing sector. This study also examines the moderating role of EI on workplace ostracism and organizational change cynicism, which has been somehow inadequate in the present epoch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The meaning of 'Open Access' is to make the research and its outputs available to the general public for reading, referring, and using free of cost with as few restrictions as possible. This means the participants or contributors of the openaccess journals get a chance to target a larger mass of readers than those contributing to the fee-based journals. Like other developing countries, in India also accession and dissemination of scholarly content is a big issue. Especially in states like Odisha, which is still socially, economically, and technically developing, it is a matter of concern. Because in the universities of Odisha, presently, the students and research scholars are not being able to access recent subscriptions of scholarly content due to certain financial limitations. Thus few of the research papers from the same university, which are getting published in high-priced journals, are not available for the local students for reference. The present research work is carried out to gather information about the use of open-access scholarly communication by the faculty members of the State Public Universities in Odisha which are multidisciplinary in their scope. The relevant issues, challenges, and suggestive measures are discussed about the information collected through responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social capital being the network of relationship plays a significant role in managing risk and crisis situation saving human lives from an adverse effect and impact of disasters. The authors and scholars across many countries through their disaster studies show that social capital with the form of bonding, bridging and linking rescued the victims of disasters, evacuated the most vulnerable people to safer places, provided food and drinking water and other basic amenities to the victims of disasters, provided homes to the homeless and solaced to those who were psychologically depressed. However, the literature review further specified that while bonding and bridging social capital extended support to the victims of disasters in abundance, the linking social capital on the other hand supported only to those who are in close contact with the persons and institutions in power and authority. Review of literature is done purely through qualitative research methodology which has had read 86 relevant articles published within the last 10- to 12-year period of time. This review paper both contributes to the social capital literature and helps those responsible for planning and policy framework to effectively manage future disasters and safeguard lives and properties and enhance capacities of the most vulnerable people to absorb shocks and stress successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menstruation is a major physiological change in a woman's life, but lack of knowledge, poor practices, socio-cultural barriers, poor access to products and their improper disposal have significant consequences on health, dignity and well-being of women and adolescent girls. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices related to menstrual health and hygiene amongst females of 10–49 years of age; explore the experiences and challenges of women during menstruation; and identify the key predictors of healthy menstrual health and hygiene. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, we adopted a mixed methods approach for data collection. For quantitative household survey, a total of 921 respondents were selected from three districts of Odisha. Qualitative findings through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews supplemented the survey findings and helped to identify the barriers affecting good menstrual practices. Epi data version 2.5 and R 4.2.2 was used for data entry and data analysis, respectively. Descriptive statistics was used to calculate proportion, mean and standard deviation; Chi square test was used to measure the association between categorical variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistics analyses were done to identify predictors of healthy menstrual health and hygiene. For qualitative data analysis, thematic analysis approach was adopted using software Atlas.ti 8. Results: For 74.3% respondents, mothers were the primary source of information; about 61% respondents were using sanitary pad. The mean age at menarche was 12.9 years and almost 46% of respondents did not receive any information about menstruation before menarche. Lower age and education up to higher secondary level or above had statistically significant associations with the knowledge about menstruation. Age, caste, respondent's education, mother's education, sanitation facility, availability of water, accessibility and affordability for sanitary pads were found to be strongly associated with good menstrual hygiene practices. Conclusion: Traditional beliefs regarding menstruation still persists at the community level. Educating mothers, increasing awareness about safe menstrual hygiene, providing adequate water and sanitation facilities and ensuring proper disposal of menstruation products need priority attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology and information serve as instrumental forces that complement and enhance the pursuit of meaningful citizen engagement and inclusive governance, addressing a multitude of challenges faced by the human race. Odisha, as a state in transition, endeavours to leverage information and communication technology (ICT) and e-governance to tackle the complexities of administration. Within this context, the gender discourse and the developmental narrative of an increasingly ambitious women's community in the state reaffirm their rightful claims and strive to reclaim public spaces previously dominated by their male counterparts. However, the journey towards the liberation and social empowerment of women has not been without hurdles, including social, economic, and political challenges. In this scenario, the emphasis should be on enhancing capacity as a catalyst for the comprehensive empowerment of citizens, both in the economic realm and the broader socio-political domain. This approach aims to transform individuals into essential contributors and significant participants in the nation's progress and advancement. Therefore, the emphasis on capacity building, facilitated by the application of technology, is viewed as a crucial mechanism to achieve the broader objectives of empowering women in the state. Recognizing the crucial role of citizen engagement in the socio-economic domain, this paper seeks to explore the importance of women's empowerment. It also assesses the influence of citizen participation through a pioneering initiative, the Common Service Centres (CSCs), as a transformative factor in this context. This paper endeavours to examine the current era of digital governance in the Indian state of Odisha, which has garnered a remarkable impact on a national scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mass exodus of migrant workers from several cities during the nationwide lockdown in the early phase of the pandemic brought the social and economic vulnerability ofmigrant workers to the centre stage of public discussion. However, as the 'crises oflivelihood faced by migrant workers started to get some attention in the backdrop of an unprecedented pandemic, there is a danger of treating it as an isolated and transient phenomenon. The long-term factors that created such a widespread livelihoods vulnerability, however, need particular attention, particularly when designing policy alternatives to address the problem. The bottom line is that there is a large section of migrant workers who work and live under such a condition that, in the face of the lockdown, they could not simply survive such a sudden disruption of earnings. Rapid surveys indicate that a section ofthem did not have enough food to survive for the next few days. The vulnerability and precarious conditions of this section of the migrant workers were exposed by the pandemic. Its durability, however, defines the normal conditions of their existence. In this context, this paper argues that a political economy approach that takes into account the broader, structural contexts of migration is better suited to explain the reasons behind the persistent vulnerability of a section of migrant workers. In particular, the paper attempts to link the literature on the political economy of agrarian change with the vulnerability of circular migrants. Migrants' vulnerabilities can be examined at three levels-at the origin, during the migration process, and at destinations. Based on multiple rounds of field surveys on migration and agrarian change in one of the 'migration prone' regions in interior Odisha, as well as a survey of circular migrant workers in Delhi, the paper examines the factors that create and perpetuate vulnerabilities of diverse kinds among the migrant workers. At a more general level, the paper examines the question of vulnerable migrant workers in relation to the nature of contemporary, global capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pālā has attained a special position as an indigenous art of Odisha. A cultural folk ballad genre of Odisha that incorporates elements of Sanskrit and Odia literature is known as Pālā. It has achieved immense popularity for bringing progress to Odisha in the fields of religion, culture, literature, and social values. This research paper delves into the rich cultural heritage of Odisha, focusing on the Indigenous Ballard form that has been an integral part of the state's cultural fabric. Ballads in Odisha have served as a dynamic medium for storytelling, preserving historical events, and expressing the socio-cultural ethos of the region. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Indigenous Ballard form, with a particular emphasis on its song texts. The research employs a multifaceted approach, combining ethnographic methods, linguistic analysis, and literary criticism to unravel the layers of meaning embedded in the song text. The study also investigates the role of oral tradition in the transmission of these ballads across generations and its impact on language preservation. Furthermore, the research explores the intersection of the Indigenous Ballard form with broader issues such as identity, community dynamics, and cultural resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper makes an assessment of the coastal erosion hazard of the Odisha state with the use of 'Coastal Hazard Wheel' methodology which is a multi-hazard assessment as well as a management tool in a changing global climate. This study analyses the coastal environment to assess the vulnerability profile of coastal erosion by using bio-geophysical parameters such as geological layout, tidal range, exposure to waves, balance or deficit of sediments, characteristics of flora and fauna and exposure to storm climate. These are also used in analysing climate change hazards of the coast which are inherent to an area like saline flooding, gradual inundation, ecosystem disruption and salt water intrusion. CHW framework has generated information about the degree to which coastal erosion is inherent in a particular coastal location along the coast. This application has used remote sensing data from the public domain and a GIS approach to screen the problem with an appropriate scale as suitable for regional and national planning purposes with a management perspective because of limited data availability. The study has generated coastal erosion data and maps for the 480 km of the coastline dividing the coast in to 14 different morphological segments. Assessment of this hazard shows that 50 percent of Odisha's coastline is vulnerable to a high or very high inherent hazard of erosion, 45 percent exhibits a lower level of erosion presence and 5 percent is moderately vulnerable to erosion. This study has revealed increasing magnitude of coastal erosion than previous assessments by different researchers which were mostly based on coastal vulnerability indices. The study also identifies a number of possible erosion hazard management and mitigation options which can be used depending on their location specific field data and coastal characteristics. The finding of the study is significant in view of its contribution towards a first step in understanding coastal erosion at the regional level for their management. However, input of local data and manmade structures along the coast in the model would enhance the results for the site-specific mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our multifaceted cultural traditions are influenced by our diverse livelihoods, ethnicities, languages, localities and spiritual beliefs. Addressing cultural pluralism in architecture is a major challenge. This paper discusses the approaches taken by an eco-tourism business towards sustainable development, taking into account the business practices and the products of the Santali tribe in Kumari, Similipal (situated in the state of Odisha in India). With proper planning and a growth plan, eco-tourism can both be advantageous to the local economy and preserve the resource base. Local inhabitants in the Similipal tiger reserve buffer area can benefit economically from eco-tourism through conservation and sustainable development, as well as retain their resources: food, fuel and land tenure. This study provides a model for how researchers and professionals can develop a state-of-the-art eco-tourism development in a tribal area which benefits the local people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Journal of Cell Science, helping researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Debasna Panigrahi is first author on 'The inner mitochondrial membrane fission protein MTP18 serves as a mitophagy receptor to prevent apoptosis in oral cancer', published in JCS. Debasna conducted the research described in this article while a PhD Research Scholar in Dr Sujit Kumar Bhutia's lab at National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Odisha, India. She is nowa DBT Research Associate in the lab of Dr Arvind Ramanathan at Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, Bengaluru, India, investigating the regulation of the balance between mitochondrial division and recycling for optimal cellular health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a debate surrounding the nexus between poverty and environmental degradation. While the predominant school of thought argues that poverty is directly responsible for environmental degradation, another school of thought argues that poor do not have the resources which would force them cause environmental degradation. Empirical support for both the arguments, however, is based mostly on macro data. Using micro level data, this paper makes an attempt to examine whether poverty is a factor determining forest degradation in the state of Odisha in India. The study is carried out in two districts, divergent from each other in incidence of poverty, forest coverage and percentage of Scheduled Tribe population. The study finds no empirical evidence that poverty affects degradation of forest. On the other hand, there is evidence of forest degradation with the increase in income, though region specific. Hence, it is non-poor households than poor one who could be responsible for forest degradation. This result therefore does not support the downward spiral hypothesis and questions the assumption that poverty alleviation is an essential part of avoiding forest degradation. However, importance of poverty reduction cannot be overlooked, and effective forest management can be a way to address poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The covid-19 outbreak has changed the social lifestyle of the people significantly. The way people work, they way behave and communicate in the society has changed a lot. All have become more used to online activities and online transactions, during the pandemic spell. The digital dependence and consumption have grown significantly, during last two years, in each country. Many studies, on digital consumption pattern of users located at major cities, confirm this. But there are less studies or literature on the status of internet use in rural areas. Has there been similar growth, or it has much more diversity in the hinterlands, in smaller townships? Against this background, this paper aims to study the digital consumption pattern and socio-psychological impacts of internet users, during pandemic, in smaller cities, categorized as tier 3, 4, and 5 (or with population of less than 50,000). It studies the digital consumption pattern and diversity and socio-psychological impact, in the context of semiurban areas of Odisha, in India. People from the semi-urban areas, as the paper finds, have more or less similar purpose of use and pattern of use. However, they feel, as paper finds, that prevalence of adult content in internet disturbs social life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of crop diversification in agricultural transition towards high-value crops as well as farm income growth in Odisha, Eastern India. The empirical analysis reveals some crucial facts: first, a stagnant and relatively low level of crop diversification in Odisha agriculture. Second, there is an insignificant agricultural transition due to the negative area substitution effect for most of the crops, along with a weak expansion effect over the last two decades from 1995-2018. Third, a declining contribution of productivity growth coupled with an insignificant contribution of crop diversification to the farm income growth over the years. Hence, we conclude no or an insignificant agricultural transition from traditional to high-value modern agriculture in Eastern India, causing unsustainable farm income growth. This calls for an urgent need to promote a mixed cropping pattern and colossal investment to encourage the farmers to transition towards high-value crops, stimulating farm income growth. Furthermore, massive efforts are required to make farmers aware of the advantages of diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents local knowledge-based healthcare practices of Chuktia Bhunjia tribe of Odisha, India, and attempts to ascertain the socio-cultural rationale explaining its persistence against escalating modern healthcare facilities. Focusing on the coexistence of culture, ecology and healthcare, it describes the associated beliefs, rituals, institutions and practices concerning the healthcare. Data, collected using formal interview, observation and case study, reveal that the healthcare practices of Chuktia Bhunjia revolve around the customary beliefs, ecology and laws governing the access to healthcare services. Despite provision of modern medical facilities in their locality, their submission to culture, backed by purity-pollution, customary laws and absence of resource to afford modern medicine, continues to become determinant forces towards relying on traditional healthcare. With malfunctioning of the conventional healthcare institutions, coupled with communication constraint and lack of capability, ethno-ecological and community-based knowledge healthcare fill the gap between demand and supply of their healthcare services. Nevertheless, owing to the declining pathways of transmission of those knowledge bases due to state intervention, forest policies, migration of younger generation, socio-cultural transformation and disassociation of people with plant resources because of tiger project, healthcare knowledge and institutions are under threat. Therefore, given the implication of knowledge-based healthcare and possible threats to its existence, documentation of such practices would sustainably offer a solution to their healthcare, provided cultural diversity upholding those practices are preserved. Alternatively, owing to threats over cultural reproduction knowledge, any integration of their knowledge base with modern healthcare system can best just their healthcare practices in sustainable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of the preliminary measurements of indoor radon, thoron and progeny concentrations showed very high values of thoron concentrations in the eastern coastal region of Odisha, India. Therefore, measurements of thoron and its progeny concentrations were extended to a larger number of houses in this area for the assessment of the radiation dose received by the public. The measured values of thoron concentrations were used for the calculation of annual effective doses. The estimated values of the annual effective dose due to thoron exposure were observed in the range of 0.2–14.7 mSv. The estimated radiation doses responsible for thoron exposure were observed considerably high in the region. The results obtained are compared with those obtained in other studies performed so far in the study area and a review of different studies involving different measurement techniques is presented in the paper. The results of this study support the preliminary studies showing high values of thoron levels in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an empirical exercise carried out in five villages of Odisha in eastern India, the paper looks into ageing of the farm population and the experiences and responses of farmers of various age groups to farming. The findings of the study indicate that agriculture is greying, farmers are getting older and the youth, particularly of higher and cultivating castes, are averse to farming. The unwillingness of these youths to join farming is mainly attributed to loss of social status, declining profitability in agriculture and discouragement of immediate 'mentors', the middle‐aged farmers, caused by the perpetual decline of farm income and loss of social recognition. The hitherto nonfarming youths, belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and service‐rendering castes, especially the female youths, are joining farming to fill this gap, mostly as leased‐in cultivators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper understanding of ecological dynamics of faunal components, whether it is a large mammal or a tiny insect of any ecosystem including forests, plays an important role in the eco-management of any eco-zone. Dipteran insects constituting a major faunal group among the entomo-diversity of any forest ecosystem portray significant functional roles in determining the stability in the ecosystem functioning of the respective ecosystem. The present paper has attempted to document the diversity of dipteran insects inhabiting a tropical deciduous forest of the extended part of Deccan Biogeographic Zone in the eastern part of India, the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary alongside indicating its habitat preference and distribution patterns. A total of 34 species under 19 families of the order Diptera were recorded from different habitats of the studied forest areas, of which three species are considered new reports from the state of Odisha, India. Out of the three selected eco-zones, the deep forest area having a higher density of sal trees (Shorea robusta) revealed less species richness but high relative abundance, whereas the barren grazing land demonstrated higher species richness with low relative abundance. The eco-zone with wetlands and associated vegetation have shown moderate species richness and diversity of dipteran insects. Three contrasting seasons (pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon) of this region have also demonstrated different patterns of diversity and density of this group of insects which have been segregated into several feeding guilds in tune with the seasonal availability of food resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since antiquity, Puri, known for excellence in the field of art and architecture, has been one of the Char Dhams (holy places) of the Hindu Pilgrimage of India. India is rich in temples and historical settlements from the ancient Kashi to Char Dhams. The abode of Shree Jagannath, Puri, is one of the cardinal centres of pilgrimage for Hinduism. Puri, the cultural capital of Odisha, connects thousands of pilgrims to spirituality through its art, culture, heritage and Jagannath traditions. In the eastern state of India, Odisha is an uncharted gem of cultures and traditions with literature and architecture, picturesque beaches and wilderness, with Puri as its focal point. Puri has a distinctive blend of ethnicity, culture and tradition with an eclectic flair. The city accounts for about half of the tourist inflow to the state while tripling it during the Rath Yatra — the annual chariot festival. Situated on the Bay of Bengal, Puri, a high disaster risk zone, often encounters natural catastrophes such as heavy rainfall, floods, thunderstorms and severe cyclonic storms. Despite its importance and numerous governmental schemes, cultural heritage is always vulnerable to damage and destruction. This makes the documentation and sensitive planning approach to the conservation of the pilgrim city of the utmost importance. Based on secondary data and extensive surveys, this paper construes the multifaceted challenges of Puri with emphasis on its sociocultural identities, critically exploring the city in its contemporary form with the urban conservation initiatives undertaken by authorities. It summarises that modification in the planning approach is mandated to achieve its optimum potential to be revered as a world-class heritage city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tries to study the relationship between various constructs, such as tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, accuracy, security, ease of doing business, convenience and empathy with the quality of services provided by the banking sector in the state of Odisha, India. This study uses a modified 'SERVQUAL' model/scale comprising seven constructs/dimensions to measure the quality of services provided by the banks in the Odisha state. The respondents selected are the customers from both private and public banks operating in Odisha. The result of the study shows that, the constructs/dimensions studied in the modified SERVQUAL model and used in the study significantly and positively contribute to the customer service quality of the banks, except one construct, i. e, reliability, which significantly affects the service quality - but negatively. Further, the result points out that the banks in the state of Odisha are giving priority to the ease of doing business and facilitating convenience aspects that are followed by the responsiveness of the banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to understand the life of Bhima Bhoi as a subaltern saint poet and studies his poems, his reformative teachings and their impact on the people. It also discusses some of the principal philosophical ideas in his poems. The paper argues that Bhima Bhoi as a poet of humble origin has social reform, simplicity and devotional undertones in his poetry and for these reasons, his poems are popular among the masses. It also analyses some features of his poems that contribute to this popularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: By encouraging treatment adherence and lowering mortality, dietary supplements can serve as adjuvant therapy for the success of medical interventions. We determined the effect of locally accessible food supplements on treatment outcomes, and health-related quality of life in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis initiating anti-tuberculosis treatment (ATT) in Odisha, India. Method: Between September 2017 and December 2018, implementation research in patients with newly diagnosed sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis initiating ATT in five districts of the tribal belt of Odisha, offered food supplements along with ATT in a phased manner. Clinical symptoms, anthropometry, sputum for M. tuberculosis (M. tb), health-related quality of life and return to normal function were assessed periodically, and favourable treatment outcome (cure or treatment completed) was measured at the end of treatment. The effect of the food supplement on unfavorable outcomes (treatment failure, death, or lost-to-follow-up) was modelled using mixed-effects Poisson regression to determine the risk factors. Results: Among the 761 participants enrolled, 614 participants received the food supplement and 147 did not receive the food supplement. Among the 614 participants in the supplement group, 537 (87%) had a favorable outcome and among the 147 participants in the no-supplement group, 113 (77%) had a favorable outcome (p = 0.0017). Higher age (>55 years) [aRR = 2.1(95% CI: 1.1–3.8)], male gender [aRR = 1.7(95% CI: 1.2–2.9)], and smear grading ≥2+ [aRR = 1.5 (95% CI: 1.1–2.2)] were associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes. Nutritional status, quality of life and lung health showed significant improvement from baseline in the supplement group. Conclusion: Improvement in the nutritional status of the patient can be considered a predictor of treatment success rates. Early food supplementation has a positive impact on the nutritional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): To estimate continuation rates for postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device (PPIUD) at 6 weeks, 6 months and 1-year within existing programs in an under-resourced setting, and to identify determinants of discontinuation, removal and expulsion. Study design: We used a prospective cohort design and enrolled recent PPIUD adopter women across 100 public healthcare facilities in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, India. We collected their socio-demographic information and followed them up telephonically at 6 weeks, 6 months and 1 year for complications and continuation status. We assessed PPIUD continuation rates and factors associated with PPIUD discontinuation, removal, and expulsion using Cox proportional hazards modelling. Results: We enrolled 916 participants (579 (63.2%) from Odisha and 337 (36.8%) from Chhattisgarh). The continuation rate of PPIUD was 88.7% at 6 weeks, 74.8% at 6 months 60.1% at one year. Once discontinued, chances of not opting for any family planning method was high (up to 81.2%). Participants with education of 6th to 12th class and those experiencing complications (pain abdomen, bleeding and discharge per vaginum) were more likely to remove the IUD with adjusted hazard ratio of 1.82 (95% CI: 1.18–2.79) and 4.39 (95% CI: 3.25–5.93) respectively. For expulsion, we did not find any factor that was statistically significant. Conclusion(s): PPIUD continuation rates declined considerably after the initial 6 weeks. Counselling and follow-up services for managing complications must be strengthened, especially in the first 6 weeks of PPIUD insertion, to enhance and sustain programmatic impact. Implications: Our findings emphasize on the need to strengthen client counseling and follow-up for management of complications, especially in the first 6 weeks of insertion of PPIUDs. Ongoing programs need to address comprehensive capacity building efforts in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater has been the largest accessible freshwater source globally. The overall dimensions of every basin's water budgeting are closely linked to the quantity quality of available surface and subsurface water. In this paper, the groundwater levels trend in six districts within the Baitarani River Basin, Odisha State, India has been analyzed. Data on the depth to groundwater level for pre and post-monsoon season from 32 wells spread over six different regions from 1997 to 2020 were analyzed. Sen's slope techniques and creative trend analysis were used to investigate the behavior of groundwater level changes in pre- and post-monsoon periods to identify both monotonic and non-monotonic behaviors. The findings showed that, throughout the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods, the depth to groundwater level for four Tubewell, five Borewell, and seven Dugwell locations increased. However, only three tubewell stations Champua, Bhadrak, and Karanjia exhibited declining trends in the pre- and post-monsoon periods. In the case of borewell, only one station (Anadapur) has a negative trend in post-monsoon. For Dugwell, during pre-monsoon Banspal represents the –ve trend, and Bhandaripokhari, Banspal, Anandapur, and Joda show negative trends in post-monsoon seasons. A significant decline in groundwater level was observed in three stations for tubewell, one station for borewell, and four stations for dugwell observed in the current study. Accordingly, spatial maps of increasing and decreasing trends of groundwater levels were prepared, which can be used by water resource managers to identify the causes of declining groundwater levels for managing the resources effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]