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The case studies are introduced in this study, highlighting freight transportation via road and road rail between satellite cities in Pakistan's Punjab and Sindh provinces. The case study analysis contributes to developing environmentally friendly and cost-effective transportation solutions and reducing nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with road and intermodal freight transit. We developed a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to formulate the bi-objective problem, including real-life constraints, emissions at starting nodes, ending notes, and between the arc. In the mathematical model, the cost and emissions functions are developed to minimize the primary and secondary objective functions in the road and intermodal transportation. Furthermore, five distinct sets (locations, starting stations, ending stations, transport orders, and transport service) with parameters relating to container movement between the starting and ending nodes are a necessary part of the MILP formulation. The multiobjective optimization problem is solved by metaheuristic techniques such as the multiobjective genetic algorithm as the goal of applying a metaheuristic algorithm is to find the search space to search the near to optimized solutions. The Pareto front solutions are provided for balancing the costs and emissions of transporting supplies from Punjab to Sindh using the MATLAB solver toolbox. We gathered data from one of Pakistan's most well-known logistics service providers in the paper industry. According to the findings, intermodal transportation is 72% more cost-effective than road transportation. Additionally, by substituting intermodal transportation for road transportation, N2O, and CO2 emissions can be reduced by 74% and 57%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop raiding has been reported in many parts of Punjab as a result of an overabundance of nilgai antelopes (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and farmers are constantly battling to save their crops. In the present study, various management strategies such as physical deterrents (nylon rope, nylon net and garden net), visual repellents (scarecrow and reflective ribbon), chemical repellents (different concentrations of Neelbo and Ecodon (based on ricinoleic acid) applied by spraying, soaking jute rope, soaked in wood shavings packed in plastic bags and paper cups) and biological deterrents (bioacoustic device and different concentrations of faecal solution of horse, tiger and Himalayan black bear) were evaluated to minimize the damage caused by nilgai. Nylon net was the most promising method, providing complete protection against nilgai, which can be used for protecting crops at vulnerable stages with a one-time cost. The nylon rope and garden net provided partial protection from nilgai damage. The bioacoustic device and reflective ribbon were also effective for a short period of time. Neelbo was found more effective as chemical repellent against nilgai. The faecal solution of horse and Himalayan black bear remained effective as repellent for 10 days. It is thus concluded that while comprehensive damage prevention may be difficult, animal management devices can help reduce nilgai damage at vulnerable stages of the crop. The employment of a range of management devices at the proper time can be part of a cost-effective system to keep nilgai damage at acceptable levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article attempts to analyse the relationship between the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and evaluation systems of two simultaneously existing examination systems in Pakistan: Secondary School Certificate (Matriculation) and Cambridge O Level system. The major concern of the paper lies in observing the targeted outcomes of the two types of examination systems in the light of the aims and objectives specified by the two systems. One paper from each testing system has been analysed and the prospective outcomes have been matched with their exclusive aims provided by their respective boards. Results show that both the systems, in their own distinct syllabi, aim at making the students proficient in the learning of English as foreign language through a system that involves skills which are incorporated into the learners and then tested so as to make them proficient in the language. The evaluation system, however, differs widely in both. Matriculation assessments are purely a test of memory and assess the students' ability on the basis of discrete implementation of skills in the questions while the Cambridge O Level system offers as process-based learning of the language by keeping in view a holistic approach of applying various modes of skills in to its question papers. Hence, a reformation in the system of evaluation as well as that of teaching needs to be promoted to meet the prescribed outcome mentioned in the syllabus of Punjab Board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rainy season crop of guava is severely infested by fruit fly and fetches lower economic returns. The farmers going in for rainy season crop have to use aggressive chemical measures, which may render serious health hazard to the consumers. In the present study, different bagging materials for guava fruits viz. non-woven bags of green, white, red and blue colour, leno bags, butter paper bags, perforated polythene bags and newspaper bags were put on immature green fruits at marble stage of development and evaluated for their efficacy to prevent fruit fly damage. The fruit size, weight, organoleptic rating and yield improved significantly in all the non-woven bagged fruits as compared to non-bagged fruits. The fruit bagging especially in non-woven bags eliminated the incidence of fruit fly infestation. Thus, 98-99 per cent fruits bagged in non-woven bags were healthy, free of fruit fly infestation and marketable while non-bagged fruits exhibited 100 per cent damage. Though, the effective yield obtained from blue and white non-woven bagged treatments was >12 kg but the white coloured bags proved to be the best in terms of fruit size, yield and quality. The benefit cost (B:C) ratio exhibited by newspaper bags was highest (2.11) because they were cheaper but were not very effective in controlling the fruit fly damage. The overall costs of the bagging treatments with non-woven white bags amounted to Rs 120 per 100 fruits which is affordable as the benefits are greater compared to non-bagged fruits which were unmarketable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work in this paper primarily focuses on how the Multimedia Presentation elements can be applied and hence, used for engineering educational purposes. Undoubtedly, the conventional approach of the teaching-learning system has proven to be helpful. However, with the introduction and usage of Multi-Media Presentations, the restructured engineering educational system has been made more interesting, creative, and impressive. The use of elements like audio, video, text, and animation provides liberty to the learner to record/reuse the information as and when required. Thus, the paper presents Multi-Media Presentations that can be helped in the engineering education system to evolve into a better platform as compared to the traditional system. The data has been collected from the engineering institute situated in Punjab to validate the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted in Ludhiana District of Punjab (India) to understand the organic waste management practices followed by dairy farmers of the area. To investigate the practices pertaining to organic waste management, an ex-post facto research design was used and a total of 80 dairy farmers were selected randomly for the study, grouped as small and large dairy farmers. Results revealed that the majority of the farmers were using paddy straw as animal bedding followed by in situ burning. As far as paddy stubbles were concerned, most of the farmers were mulching them followed by in situ burning. All farmers were found to be using wheat straw as livestock feed and mulching wheat stubbles. For household waste, the majority of the farmers were found to be feeding kitchen waste to their livestock, preparing farmyard manure from garden waste and paper waste. For dairy waste management, all the farmers were preparing farmyard manure from dung and discarding livestock urine in drains. A little more than half of the farmers were producing biogas from the dairy waste. The majority of the dairy farmers of the research area were found to have low organic waste utilization scores. Relational analysis was carried out and social participation and knowledge level were found to be highly significant (p < 0.01) with a positive effect on the organic waste utilization score. Therefore, the study was concluded with the impression that the knowledge level of the farmers needs to be enhanced for better and effective utilization of organic waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soon after its independence from the British in August 1947, Pakistan's socio-political culture became entangled into a monopoly of the right-wing with feudal lords, especially in the Punjab province. The pseudo right-wing political parties exploited Pakistan's religious foundations and established a cultural hegemony. Historically, Punjab had remained the epicentre of political bargains since its inception; therefore, it retained strong alliances for stable government in the centre. Somehow, dissident voices and views from any other political ideology were deemed to be anti-state or anti-religious. This paper analyses through Antonio Gramsci's Theory of Cultural Hegemony how the right wing manipulated the opinion of the masses to legitimize their rule, which ultimately led to the decline of socialism. This paper illustrates the underlying ultra-religious campaigns in the electoral manoeuvring of the right wing from 1977 to 1997, thereby gaining the consent of the people. This study also outlines the systematic othering and demonizing of the left wing in society by pseudo right-wing factions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The core emphasis of the paper is to inspect the relationships between managerial leadership, employee happiness and turnover intentions among academicians of private universities in Punjab. Design/methodology/approach: The proposed study used a descriptive research methodology and a structured instrument to collect responses from individuals (n = 400) using a purposive sampling method. SPSS and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) are applied to evaluate the data. Findings: The outcomes disclosed that managerial leadership has a substantial effect on employee happiness (ß = 0.591, p < 0.05) and turnover intentions (ß = 0.566, p < 0.05). Besides this, it has been discovered that employee happiness mediates the association among managerial leadership and turnover intentions. The present research is among the few empirical findings that have examined academicians' perspectives on their turnover intentions in private universities. Originality/value: By concentrating on effective managerial leadership and employee happiness, the analysis will be advantageous for human resource (HR) managers and authorities of private universities to strengthen academician retention. Therefore, the study adds something novel to the corpus of extant literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solitary bees are in constant decline due to climate change, pesticide toxicity, and habitat loss. Provision of nesting sites is an important conservation strategy. Various factors affect bee nesting, including parasitism, entrance orientation, nesting substrate type, and diameter. This study explored the impact of nesting substrate, cavity diameter, and entrance orientation on solitary bee nesting preferences. Additionally, it investigated the influence of landscape type and seasonality on bee nesting efficiency which is the ability of a bee to successfully establish nest. Trap nests were placed at eight locations, representing five landscapes (forest, desert, agriculture, peri-urban, and urban). These trap nests had five different nesting substrates (bamboo reeds, wooden blocks, wooden logs, mud blocks, and paper tubes). At each location, four traps were set in all directions. The results showed maximum cavity occupation in south-facing nests. Peri-urban landscapes were the most favored for nesting, followed by forests. Solitary bees primarily preferred bamboo reeds for nesting, with peak occupation from April to June. Bees favored cavities with 6- and 8-mm entrance diameters, while wasps occupied smaller diameters (< 5 mm). Overall, bee species occupied fewer nests compared to parasitic wasps. Future research should explore brood chamber numbers and species-specific nesting preferences for bees, along with the impact of cavity microclimate on bee growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper attempts to look at the factors leading to the victory of the Aam Aadmi Party which have not been taken up by the traditional political analysis. Making an ethnography of the Punjab assembly elections 2022 in the Malwa belt of Punjab, it chronicles the social and cultural impact of the farmer’s movement, particularly its far-reaching impact on changing the mood of the electorate. The paper also focuses on the novel digital election campaign which resulted in new election outcomes from the past trends and a massive victory for the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key objectives of this research study are to construct a valid and reliable household-based Human Development Index (HDI) and to estimate human development disparities in 36 districts of Punjab (Pakistan) by analysing Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey microdata. The household-level HDI, a composite index, is constructed by applying the arithmetic mean of the household-level health, asset, and education indices. The district of Lahore, among all the 36 districts of Punjab, has the highest HDI score of 0.743, followed by districts Rawalpindi, Jhelum, and Gujrat. Four neighbouring districts from South Punjab: Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzzaffar Gar, and Rahim Yaar Khan, have the lowest HDI scores of 0.492, 0508, 0.531, and 0.566, respectively. This paper has used the Palma-ratio and Gini-coefficient to estimate human development disparities in Punjab. The highest human development disparities are observed in the Rajanpur district with a Gini-coefficient of 0.38 and a Palma Ratio of 1.55. Both the Gini and Palma Ratio methods produce similar district rank orderings of inequality. This research recommends that additional efforts be made to uplift the districts with the lowest human development in Southern Punjab through local government restructuring and devolution of relevant powers, including the formation of a separate province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs the feminist educational leadership perspective to analyse the ecological context and its influence on the leadership experiences of school head teachers within a patriarchal cultural setting. Methodology: This paper forms part of a mixed methods study that included a quantitative random survey during the first research phase to determine the leadership styles of 350 secondary school head teachers across nine districts in the Punjab province of Pakistan using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. This paper is based on the second research phase that analyses empirical data from semi structured interviews of a purposive-stratified sample of 14 head teachers, selected from among the 264 survey respondents, comprising of seven males and seven females. Bronfenbrenner's ecological development theory is employed as an analytical framework for thematic analysis. Findings: The study reveals that females must navigate gender stereotypes in a society where they have to fight to establish authority, encounter misogynistic attitudes, rely upon familial support to begin their career, gain spiritual support from a higher power, face work-family conflicts all while practicing educational leadership with high motivation. On the other hand, males assume themselves to be natural leaders and appear to be spared from ecological challenges that impede their leadership journeys. Implications: The findings confirm the prevalence of gender stereotypes that position leadership within the masculine domain in a patriarchal context. The study proposes a complete restructuring of the socio-cultural framework to create a gender neutral society that provides equal educational and professional opportunities to all social members in order to maximize human capital development that is crucial for a country's economic progress. The findings reflect several subtle and non-subtle socio-cultural challenges faced by female leaders around the world. Originality – This study contributes to enhancing the literature on gender and educational leadership in a patriarchal cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic, India's government instituted a severe nationwide lockdown in late March 2020. In this paper, we analyze household survey data on income from an Indian state, Punjab. We analyze the impacts of the pandemic and lockdown on total household income, as well as its components, including wages, business income and transfers. This paper innovates in this area by using Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood estimation to deal with the skewed distributions of various income components, as well as quantile regressions to examine differential impacts across the income distribution. We examine the differences between rural and urban households, differential impacts on female-headed and laborer households, and the time pattern of impacts. We find that rural households experienced more persistent income declines than urban households, and their wages suffered relatively more. Households with daily laborers were most badly affected, and this was especially true at the bottom of the income distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability in cotton production is inevitable because producing more cotton means more employment, economic acceleration, and industrial expansion. India, China, the United States, Brazil, and Pakistan contribute 74% of worldwide cotton production. Pakistan is contributing only 5%, despite the high potential of cotton. The average yield of cotton in Pakistan is stagnant at 570.99 kg hm−2, whereas it entails the highest cost of production among all other crops. The yield obtained in Pakistan is less than the potential, profitability is drastically lessening, and farmers are abandoning cotton for alternative kharif crops. Some traditional quantitative studies have unveiled different factors that affect cotton production. However, an in-depth qualitative study has never been conducted in Pakistan to explore the root causes of growing cotton crop failure. Following Moustakas's traditional phenomenological guidelines, this phenomenological study was conducted in the district of Rahim Yar Khan in the core cotton zone of Punjab province. A total of 10 interviews were conducted with purposively selected cotton growers based on a criterion: (i) having more than 10 years of cotton growing experience, (ii) being a cotton grower, and (iii) having at least 10 years of formal schooling. Interviews were conducted face to face on an interview guide. One interview lasted 45–50 min, and responses were recorded and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. A total of 6 themes emerged from the collected data, including (i) climate change, (ii) varietal problems, (iii) pesticide usage, (iv) sense of institutional services, (v) attitude of farmers and (vi) soil health and environment. These six merging themes contributed to cotton crop failure and yield decline. The deep exploration further summarized that researchers, extensionists, and farmers need to seriously consider variety, sowing time, and the environment to revive cotton crops. The detailed recommendations and policy guidelines are presented in this paper, highlighting the cotton sector's research, development and investment areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmer Producer Organisations provide support to member farmers as these organizations help in reducing marketing costs, getting employment for self and family, post-harvesting help as well as helps in resolving financial issues. This paper studies the benefits accrued and challenges faced by member farmers of Punjab and Haryana FPOs. Members reported an increase in savings after joining FPOs and getting benefits. Besides benefits, Member farmers face some issues regarding infrastructure, professionalism of FPO, business plans and many more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the history of humankind, lunar eclipse has always captured attention and imagination of human beings. This study is an anthropological attempt to describe prevailing perceptions and myths about lunar eclipse and resultant religious and cultural practices in some of the rural areas of Central Punjab, Pakistan. For this purpose, qualitative research techniques of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions have been used to understand and untangle the strings of indigenous perpetuations about a celestial phenomenon. The research findings showed multiple sets of socio-cultural and religious beliefs and practices which have been followed through generations that demonstrate the richness of culture and mythological value of local verbal tales. Perceptions include fear of God, remembering the day of judgment, good or bad luck, and occurrence of disease. Practices include praying, charity, taking certain precautions to avoid the disease, and doing some religious and cultural rituals. Some unique folktales are also narrated by the respondents of the locale which have specific socio-cultural meanings for them. The paper describes all these perceptions and practices in two main parts: socio-cultural perceptions and practices and religious perceptions and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper focuses on the emergence of the Saraiki ethnolinguistic movement and the Bahawalpur Province Movement in Pakistan. The movement is getting stronger especially after the 18th amendment and it is getting more visible and discussed in the national political discourse. It is essential to understand the roots of this new ethnolinguistic movement which can create disturbing ripples for the official Pakistani nationalism project. For this purpose, this research paper utilizes an historical and descriptive approach to analyse the dynamics and origin of Saraiki movement. Saraiki is a linguistic identity, but it is becoming more of an ethnic identity with passing time. The demand of new Saraiki or South Punjab province can also end the numerical majority of Punjab province in state institutions thereby creating multiple political implications. This research paper also focuses on the socio-economic and cultural grievances of Saraiki people and other peoples of South Punjab which has led to political mobilization on ethnic or regional lines. Finally, in the concluding section, there would be a brief mention of the possible promises and challenges of the Saraiki movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper aims to investigate the multifaceted factors influencing agricultural farm productivity and test the hypothesis that participation in Water Users Association (WUA) activities contributes to improved farm productivity. Primary data was collected from the Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan, and hierarchical regression analysis was employed to assess the statistical significance of different variable blocks. The findings reveal that farm productivity (measured in Rs/Acre) is primarily influenced by water and land resource characteristics (54%), followed by personal characteristics of resource users (7.9%) and community and institutional characteristics (1.1%). The study identifies a negative relationship between landholding size and age with farm productivity, while a positive relationship is observed between resource users' level of participation in WUAs and farm productivity. However, it is important to note that these positive outcomes should not solely be attributed to the success of devolution of irrigation management, as inequities in canal water allocation between head and tail still persist. The paper emphasizes the critical role of participatory irrigation management governance in addressing such inequities. The results further suggest that meaningful institutional and land reforms are essential for promoting equitable economic benefits in agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence is quickly emerging as a technological solution for the agriculture industry to surmount its classical challenges. Artificial Intelligence is facilitating farmers to refine their products and alleviate unfavourable impacts due to the environment. The central concern of this paper is predictive analytics to develop a machine learning model to identify and predict crop yield based on multiple environmental factors. In this paper, a hybrid learner 'RaNN' is proposed that combines the feature sampling and majority voting technique of Random Forest in-combination with the multilayer Feedforward Neural Network to predict the crop yield. Research has also ascertained the essential features responsible for accurate yield prediction. The proposed model works for rice yield prediction, one of the chief grains of India. The region chosen for the work is Punjab, which is among the largest producer states of India for rice. The dataset consists of 15 attributes comprising the weather and agriculture data collected from the Indian Meteorological Department Pune, and Punjab Environment Information System (ENVIS) Center, Government of India. The study has also made a comparative assessment of 'RaNN' with machine learning methods like Multiple Linear Regression, Random Forest, Decision Tree, Boosting Regression, Support Vector Machine Regression, Ensemble Learner, and Artificial Neural Network. Our model RaNN has listed a better prediction accuracy with minimal error among the other techniques providing a 98% correlation between the actual and the predicted yield. Abbreviations: AI – Artificial Intelligence; ANN – Artificial Neural Network; BR – Boosting Regression; Chem Fert – chemical fertilisers; DT – Decision Tree; EL – Ensemble Learner; ENVIS – Punjab Environment Information System; GBM – Stochastic Gradient Boosting Method; GPS – Global Positioning System; HMAX – highest maximum temperature in degrees C; IMD – Indian Meteorological Department; L1 – Lasso regression; L2 – Ridge regression; LMIN – lowest minimum temperature; ML – Machine Learning; MAE – Mean Absolute Error; MEVP – mean evaporation in mm; MLR – Multiple Linear Regression; MMAX – mean maximum temperature in degrees C; MMIN – mean minimum temperature in degrees C; MSSH – Mean sunshine duration in hours; MWS – mean wind speed in km/h; P1 – number of days with precipitation (0.1–0.2 mm); P2 – number of days with precipitation (greater than or equal to 0.3 mm); RaNN – Hybrid RF-ANN model; RMSE – Root Mean Squared Error; $${R^2}$$ R 2 – Coefficient of determination; RD – number of rainy days; RF – Random Forest; SVM Reg – Support Vector Machine Regression; TMRF – total rainfall per month in mm [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the newly developed Decision Support System version 1.0 (DSS v1.0) for air quality management activities in Delhi, India. In addition to standard air quality forecasts, DSS provides the contribution of Delhi, its surrounding districts, and stubble-burning fires in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana to the PM2.5 load in Delhi. DSS also quantifies the effects of local and neighborhood emission-source-level interventions on the pollution load in Delhi. The DSS-simulated Air Quality Index for the post-monsoon and winter seasons of 2021–2022 shows high accuracy (up to 80 %) and a very low false alarm ratio (∼ 20 %) from day 1 to day 5 of the forecasts, especially when the ambient air quality index (AQI) is > 300. During the post-monsoon season (winter season), emissions from Delhi, the rest of the National Capital Region (NCR)'s districts, biomass-burning activities, and all other remaining regions on average contribute 34.4 % (33.4 %), 31 % (40.2 %), 7.3 % (0.1 %), and 27.3 % (26.4 %), respectively, to the PM2.5 load in Delhi. During peak pollution events (stubble-burning periods or wintertime), however, the contribution from the main sources (farm fires in Punjab–Haryana or local sources within Delhi) could reach 65 %–69 %. According to DSS, a 20 % (40 %) reduction in anthropogenic emissions across all NCR districts would result in a 12 % (24 %) reduction in PM2.5 in Delhi on a seasonal mean basis. DSS is a critical tool for policymakers because it provides such information daily through a single simulation with a plethora of emission reduction scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most textile manufacturing companies in the world heavily rely on manual labor, particularly in the fabric inspection section, especially for cotton fabric. Establishing smart manufacturing systems like industrial automation in the textile industry for cotton fabric inspection is important for error-free inspection. The proposed make-to-order (MTO) inventory model focuses on the strategic development of a supply chain network under fuzzy uncertainty. The distinctiveness of this research lies in integrating a methodology that involves human and machine interaction, along with allocating resources to investment in smart manufacturing. This article presents a case study of the Jagatjit Cotton Textiles (JCT) manufacturing company in Punjab, India, as an example to validate the model and check the performance of SMT in the fabric inspection process in cotton TC mills. This paper contributes by developing four distinct textile supply chain models with industrial automation under triangular and trapezoidal fuzzy demand. A numerical analysis is conducted to verify the effectiveness of installing automated fabric inspection machines in the cotton plant. This article proposes an iterative solution algorithm (KDPMG) to obtain the global optimum for the proposed model. A comparative study of the proposed algorithm, KDPMG, and the genetic algorithm (GA) is presented in this study to verify the credibility of the obtained results. It is observed that KDPMG provides more appropriate solutions to the problem compared to the GA. Moreover, the computational time of KDPMG is significantly less than that of the GA. The rigorous analysis reveals that maximum profit can be achieved under trapezoidal fuzzy demand with fully automated fabric inspection technology. Using a triangular fuzzy demand pattern, the model with fully automated smart manufacturing achieves an 8.62% higher profit compared to a traditional system. Similarly, in the case of a trapezoidal fuzzy demand pattern, the adoption of automation in cotton plants can achieve an 8.69% higher profit. Hence, the implementation of smart manufacturing systems in the mending section of the cotton textile industry proves to be more profitable compared to the traditional inspection process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid renewable energy sources are sustainable and eco-friendly and challenge the alternative sources of conventional energy production facilities. Pakistan's present energy dilemma is a serious impediment to its economic progress. This paper proposes a techno-economic analysis of commercial-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems for commercial agricultural farms in Punjab, Pakistan. A survey was conducted to gather the load data of the farms from major cities of north, center, and south Punjab. For the PV system design, the K-means approach was used to cluster data from 93 farmers into nine clusters with similar electrical consumption. A complete technical, economic, and environmental study is undertaken of the PV systems deployed in five selected cities. The most practical locations are Attock and Multan, which have the lowest Levelized Cost of Energy at 5.52 and 5.37 cents/kWh, respectively. PV installations are nevertheless technically, economically, and environmentally feasible for all cities. Throughout its lifespan, the planned PV system has the potential for Faisalabad and Chiniot to minimize 154 metric tons of emissions, resulting in a greener environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A robust assessment of water used in agriculture, including livestock production systems and supply chains, is critical to inform diversification and the development of productivity and sustainable food production systems. This paper presents a detailed analysis of water used and consumed in nine dairy milk processing plants spread across Punjab, India's leading dairy milk-producing state. Over the five years (2015–2019), the direct water use (DWU) was quantified at 3.31 L of groundwater per kg of milk processed. Only about 26% of the direct water used was consumed, including evaporative losses in various milk processing operations, while the remaining 74% was returned as effluent discharges. The average total water footprint (TWF), accounting for both direct and indirect water consumption, was quantified at 9.0 L of water per kg of milk processed. The majority share (~89%) of the total water footprint was contributed by the indirect water footprint associated with the consumption of electricity (energy) in dairy milk processing activities. The plant's milk processing capacity and processing products mix also affected significant seasonal and annual variations in the direct and indirect water footprints of dairy milk processing. The analysis also found an inverse relationship between the average total water footprint and the average monthly amount of milk processed in the study plants. Therefore, efforts to reduce the indirect water footprint (associated with energy consumption), the treatment and recycling of effluent discharges, and the optimization of milk processing capacity, the dairy processing product mix, and the locations of dairy processing plants are expected to help reduce the water footprint of dairy processing in the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper examines the decline of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in the province of Punjab during the general elections of 2013 and 2018. The paper aims to identify the root causes behind the declining popularity of the PPP in Punjab and analyze the consequences of this decline on the party's political standing. The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. Primary and secondary data sources, including interviews, surveys, and archival records, are used to gather relevant information. The findings shed light on the factors contributing to the PPP's decline, such as internal party dynamics, electoral strategies, socio-political environment, and voter perceptions. Furthermore, the paper discusses the consequences of the decline for the PPP, its role in Punjab's political landscape, and potential implications for the party's future. The study concludes by offering recommendations for the PPP to address the identified root causes and regain electoral support in Punjab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercialization of agriculture in patriarchal rural Pakistan has transformed women's critical roles in pulses production and has re-organised the gendered division of labour in what used to be widely known as a 'women's crop'. Pulses are grown in the marginal and arid lands by small-holder farming families where women care for the crops as an extension of their other caring roles for the households. Based on an ethnographic study of women pulse farmers in Pakistan, this paper examines the complex relations of women with the crop and the challenges they face. It argues that the restoration of a caring relationship between women and the pulses crop through a re-animation of multispecies contact zones may be a way to ensure everyday food provisioning in rural Punjab, maintain traditional socio-cultural and ecological relationships, understand the masculinity that has pushed women to the margins, and value women's contribution, experience, and knowledge in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to ascertain the effect of individual fruit wrapping on fruit quality and colour development of Flame Seedless variety of grapes during 2018-19 fruiting seasons. Uniform size clusters of Flame Seedless were bagged with white colour and red colour non-woven bags, butter paper bags and LDPE sheets at 40 per cent colour break stage during first of June. At time of attaining full colour, fruits were harvested from all the replication during morning hours and taken for analysis. The significantly lowest uneven berries colour per cluster (18%), maximum cluster weight (366.6 g), cluster and berry size (length and breadth) were recorded in clusters covered with white coloured non-woven bags. Likewise, significantly higher total soluble solids (18.5), total sugars (17.4), total anthocyanin contents (38.95 mg) and lowest value of acidity (0.48%) were found in clusters wrapped with white coloured non-woven bags followed by clusters wrapped with LDPE sheet. As fruit ripening time coincides with early monsoon in Punjab, butter paper bag was completely damaged by rain, while in case of LDPE Sheet there was high percentage of spoilage of clusters due to trapping of rain water. The present studies suggested that wrapping grape clusters with white coloured non-woven bag at colour break stage was helpful for development of uniform colour with improved quality of Flame Seedless grapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the determinants of participation and performance in post‐compulsory education, controlling for selection into post‐compulsory education and prior attainment, using a unique primary data set on pupils studying in the post‐compulsory grade in 2011–2012 from one district of Punjab province in Pakistan. The main findings of this paper show that participation and performance in post‐compulsory education are two different processes, with participation being driven by the availability of post‐compulsory institutions within travel distance and performance, once in post‐compulsory education, determined by ability. The results further highlight that distance reduces participation most for those living in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anglo-Indians are often overlooked in the discourse on the independence of India and Pakistan. However, despite their small numbers, Anglo-Indians punched above their weight and had a significant presence in various critical fields, as well as active and robust and political organisations. This paper traces the development of Anglo-Indian politics in the Punjab, a province which (like Bengal) was partitioned in 1947. Starting with the general Anglo-Indian quest to locate both their identity and nationality in the 1940s, this paper investigates why and how the community leaders in the Punjab not only broke with the central leadership but also argued for a very novel, 'Anglo-Muslim' identity, as they began supporting the Muslim League. This change of stance was much to the chagrin of the central leadership which, by 1947, was firmly tied to the Indian National Congress. This paper thus not only substantially improves our understanding of the politics of the Anglo-Indians during partition, especially at a provincial level, but enables us to understand the manoeuvrings for survival of small communities at a time when the focus seemed to be on only the Muslims and Hindus (and Sikhs in the context of the Punjab). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing regimen of behavioral finance has given birth to new research in this arena. Behavioral finance has unfolded new assumptions that stand in sharp contrast to the standard finance. The macro and micro behavioral finance talk about the inefficiencies of the financial markets and the bounded rationality of the investors. The present study brings into the forefront some common behavioral biases and the factors influencing the investment behavior of individual investors. The paper includes eight behavioral biases namely herding, home, anchoring, representative, overconfidence, gambler's fallacy, hindsight and confirmation bias. A sample of 400 respondents has been taken from two cities of Punjab i.e. Jalandhar and Amritsar. The College and University teachers serve as the respondents for this study. Factor Analysis has been applied for studying the factors affecting investment behavior of respondents while making investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Green Revolution transformed agriculture in the Indian State of Punjab, with positive spillovers to the rest of India, but recently the state's economy has fallen dramatically in rankings of per capita state output. Understanding the trajectory of Punjab's economy has important lessons for all of India. Economic development is typically associated with changes in economic structure, but Punjab has remained relatively reliant on agriculture rather than shifting economic activity to manufacturing and services, where productivity growth might be greater. Design/methodology/approach: The authors empirically examine structural change in the Punjab economy in the context of structural change and economic growth across the States of India. The authors calculate structural change indices and map their pattern over time. The authors estimate panel regressions and time-varying parameter regressions, as well as performing productivity change decompositions into within-sector and structural changes. Findings: Panel regressions and time-varying-coefficient regressions suggest a significant positive influence of structural change on state-level growth. In addition, growth positively affected structural change across India's states. The relative lack of structural change in Punjab's economy is implicated in its relatively poor recent growth performance. Comparisons with a handful of other states reinforce this conclusion: Punjab's lack of economic diversification is a plausible explanation for its lagging economic performance. Originality/value: This paper performs a novel empirical analysis of structural change and growth, simultaneously using three different approaches: panel regressions, time-varying parameter regressions and productivity decompositions. To the best of the authors' knowledge, it is the only paper we are aware of that combines these three approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: One of the approaches to represent scientific publications in a field of science is to determine research trends and hot topics. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the research trends on the Library and Information Science (LIS) in the Scopus database during 2011-2020 and specify the hot topics in this field from July 2020 to July 2021. Materials and Methods: This study used scientometric techniques. The research population consisted of all papers in the field of LIS from July 2011 to July 2021. The data were collected from the Scopus database. The results were limited to 2011-2020 for determining the research trends in the field of LIS and from July 2020 to July 2021 for specifying the hot topics in this field. Data were analyzed using the word co-occurrence and social network analysis techniques, and UCINet, NetDraw, and VOSviewer software were used to draw scientific maps and identify core topics and individuals. Results: The keywords "Systematic Review" (frequency=531) and "Bibliometrics" (frequency=51) had the highest and lowest frequencies, respectively. "Libraries and information technology" (n=151), "research methods" (n=70), and "databases" (n=23) were the three important topic clusters in the study area, in which the United States, China, and the United Kingdom were the three most active countries, respectively. The Department of Library and Information Science, University of London, with 71 documents, and the Department of Information Management, University of Punjab, with 55 documents, had the most significant contribution of article publication among the influential institutions. Moreover, Zhang, Yut, and Wang, Liying each with 27 documents, and Li, Xiano with 24 documents were three active and influential authors in this field. In addition, "systematic review", "diffusion pattern", and "bibliometric" were also three hot topics. Conclusion: This study revealed that the orientation of the LIS research is going from traditional topics toward novel and emerging technologies. The results of this study can provide valuable information to researchers in LIS at the domestic and international levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevailing housing situation in Pakistan is alarming, as more than 47% of urban households are estimated to be living in squatters. Housing stakeholders require an enabling environment to collaborate to reduce the drastic inequity with too many housing options for the high-income and too few for the low-income groups. Existing literature reveals that Pakistan lacks stakeholder studies with a collaborative focus on providing low-income housing in urban areas. This study explores the barriers and impediments to stakeholder collaborations in the low-income housing sector through in-depth interviews within the urban setting of Lahore, the capital and the most populous city of the biggest province, Punjab, Pakistan. The findings identify the emergence of five cross-cutting collaboration challenges (GLIPP), placing government capacity, institutional complexity, and political willpower & intervention as dominant ones. This study stresses revising the organizational hierarchy of government institutions to develop a collaborative culture in the Pakistani housing sector. As part of practical implications, this paper would agitate policymakers to develop housing policies and programs for low-income groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper explores the coexistence and convergence of plural healthcare practices in British Punjab with a prime focus on the need for a diverse social order to accommodate multiple healthcare setups. The interdisciplinary conceptual framework of this research rests on the debate around the dynamics of medical pluralism and its implications for healthcare delivery, while combining medical anthropology, and historical sociology. The objective is to explore how different medical systems, both indigenous and contemporary, influence and interact with each other, hence serving as the driving forces towards their coexistence and sometimes convergence of these systems. The findings reveal a dynamic landscape of medical pluralism in the then British Punjab, with traditional Ayurvedic, Unani, and homoeopathic practices showcasing interactions between traditional and Western medical practices. Results support the fact that recognizing and integrating multiple medical traditions and practices is crucial for ensuring accessible and effective healthcare services for the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are the haemotophagous arthropods causing livestock and public health threats. Among various control methods of ticks, chemical control remains the cornerstone especially in the resource-poor communities; however, their extensive or inappropriate use leads to the development of acaricidal resistance. In this regard, efficacy of the commonly used acaricides used in the field must be evaluated and alternate methods should be considered to overcome the prevailing resistance. Thus, the present study was aimed to investigate the acaricidal efficacy of over-the-counter i.e., ivermectin (IVM) in comparison with that of entomopathogenic fungus (EPF); Metarhizium (M.) anisopliae against adults of Hyalomma (H.) anatolicum ticks collected from the selected districts of southern Punjab, Pakistan. The tick specimens appropriately collected in pre-labelled screw-capped plastic bottles, with holes created for aeration, transferred to laboratory for further processing where the ticks were washed and dried over tissue paper. Various doses of the treatments viz.,1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5% of IVM and 1×105, 1×106, 1×107 and 1×108 of M. anisopliae were prepared. Sham treatment was made through 1% Triton-X for IVM and 0.1% (v/v) Tween ® 80 for M. anisopliae. A total of 900 partially fed female hard ticks in 10 batches and three repeats were subjected to in vitro Adult Immersion Test (AIT). The best dose of IVM against H. anatolicum was 2.5%, a higher dose, and M. anisopliae gave best results at 1×108. The LC50 (107 spores/ml) and LC90 (108 spores/ml) of M. anisopliae were proved more effective as compared to all IVM concentrations. The results conclude M. anisopliae can be a potential as an augmentative strategy to control hard ticks. However, toxicity trials of M. anisopliae are needed to be done for safety check before their recommendation in the practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to examine the role of green human resource management (GHRM) in the university's environmental performance. Furthermore, this research also focuses on the mediating effect of green commitment and pro-environmental behavior. It also aims to check how green self-efficacy moderates the relationship between green commitment and pro-environmental behavior. The paper opted for a quantitative design using the convenience sampling technique/approach by collecting the data through a structured questionnaire on 208 academic staff currently employed in the university. The data were collected from August until December 2021 on two campuses (Gujranwala, Jhelum) of the University of Punjab in Pakistan. The current study results give empirical insights that show how green human resource management practices lead to environmental performance at a greater level in a university setting. Study results proposed that change in behavior of employees through human resource management practices can ultimately affect the organization's environmental performance. Further results also demonstrate that green self-efficacy moderates the relationship between green commitment and pro-environmental behavior. This study highlights the role of the university staff's level of commitment and self-efficacy, which are beneficial for enhancing the university's environmental performance. The originality of this study fills the gap in how green commitment mediates the relationship of green human resource management and environmental performance further; it fulfills the gap of green self-efficacy that moderates the relationship of pro-environmental behavior and green commitment. The study sheds light on green human resource management practices in the higher education sector. It emphasizes the vital role of academic staff's environmentally conscious behavior in enhancing a university's environmental performance. The further study highlighted the increasing concept of green human resource management as a set of building the ability, enhancing motivation, and providing opportunities to influence workers' pro-environmental behaviors. The conclusion of the current research was capable of validating the positive concerns of green GHRM, behaviors, and commitments for environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper backtracks many commentaries on Bhai Vir Singh's master piece novel Sundri, enunciated by scholars of Punjab studies, feminist studies, and critical theory. While contesting that these exegetical commentaries rendered by the scholars of aforesaid domains have displaced and decentered the spirit of the text, the paper presents a fresh lens that endeavors to redeem this important text and its spiritual essence. In doing so, we grapple to decolonize a subaltern voice, that we feel, has been reduced to a feeble murmur in the aura of assertive contestations and many interpretations dissecting the textual body of Sundri. The paper will also be published by Naad Pargaas as an introduction to Bhai Vir Singh's 'Sundri' that was translated from its 16th Punjabi edition by Prof. Puran Singh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the events and circumstances that shape the voter's decisions and their involvement in the electoral process. It also aims to analyze factors that have affected electoral politics and voting behavior in the Punjab Assembly election. India's geo-political, socio-economic, cultural, and religious conditions played an important role in the formation, identity, and growth of the political parties in Punjab. The present study deals with the comparative analysis of the major political organizations and their role in future political developments in the province. This research article also provides a deep political insight into the nature and quality invested in the leadership of the Punjab political parties. The paper analyzes the analytical overview of Punjab's electoral politics from the 2012 to 2022 Assembly elections. Lok Sabha elections 2019 initially seemed to be a direct fight in the State of Punjab between the traditional rivals of politics, i.e., the Shiromani Akali Dal—Bharatiya Janata Party alliance and the Congress Party. But the excellent performance of the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party made it a triangular contest between the Shiromani Akali Dal—Bharatiya Janata Party alliance, Congress, and Aam Aadmi Party. The study examines the causes for the Aam Aadmi Party's landslide success in Punjab elections and why residents overwhelmingly voted for the Delhi model of development promised by the party in the state's 16th assembly election. The present study is based on secondary data sources and adapted the qualitative and quantitative methods. Participatory research methods, narratives, discourses, and grounded theory are the fundamental approaches besides correlation, technique, and geo-spatial mapping. The data has been analyzed and interpreted with the help of various statistical methods like simple statistics and cartographic techniques for analyzing data like percentages, choropleth, line Graphs, and Arc GIS 10.2. It is being observed that political party-based association, local groupings, language, class, factors of caste, biradari, ideology, and religious identities are the main contributing factors in defining the trend of voting behavior in Punjab. The emergence of Aam Admi party as a dominant political force in electoral politics of Punjab is reflected in the crucial adaptation of civic politics based on its profound Delhi Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research expounds on the question of how the micro-foundations of power are constituted and manifested in middle class trader families? In the pursuit of answering this question, the present study aims to focus on the domestic sphere of traders who primarily belong to Nirankari Bazaar1 in Rawalpindi, historically a mercantilist city2. This work is based on my ethnographic study and observation of the community norms and practices within the homes of the traders. This work will explore how relationships in the domestic sphere are made, contested and befriended so as to know how the intra-group dynamics unfold in traders' families. The underlying focus of this is to understand the significance of women of traders in the making of the families, formulating or breaking linkages to consolidate or disintegrate the economic position of the trader. In this regard, we look at the institution of marriage as the basic unit of intra-group dynamics and relationships whereby 'new' relatives are designated as instrumental drivers of the family and house. The central argument in this study is how the new woman after being included in the trader household is expected to connect or disconnect family unity and property which is a marker of significance for the trader. The paper draws semblance with literature on domestic relationships in Punjab from the historic, economic and social context. Further, the paper is based on the theoretical foundation from Levi-Strauss's structural analysis within anthropology that explains, society as like language is based on rules and patterns that constitute the deeply embedded structures within. The embedded or unconscious3 structure in this case of marriage determines the subsequent conscious4 social relations and practices of making and unmaking alliances in the trader household. This purpose of the research is to elucidate the role of new women in contouring family dynamics despite the dominance of men in the traders families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to understand the factors that determine the quality of higher educational institutions and to measure the relative importance of those factors from the students' perspective. A multi‐criteria decision‐making methodology (MCDM), that is, the fuzzy analytical hierarchical process has been used for measuring the relative importance of factors which determine the student satisfaction with regard to perceived quality in education. The measurement of relative weights of the factors that determine the quality of higher educational institutions as per the perception of the students has been done. Further best preference structure of the students for educational institutions has been found from the study. The study was confined to Punjab state of India that means only the perception of students of this particular region was measured. Moreover, the factors undertaken in this study are also limited which were identified from the extensive review of the literature but there is a possibility that some factors might have been ignored. The results of this study can be used to measure the internal quality by the higher educational institutions. In addition to this, the study may be helpful to higher educational institutions to identify the weak areas to be worked upon and give the students as better as possible quality from the students' perspective. The paper attempts to understand the determinants of quality and to prioritize those for educational institutions as perceived by the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stubble burning is a conventional technique of residue management that has affected the physio-chemical properties of the soils. In soil sciences, dielectric properties of soils using radio and microwave-based remote sensing have huge applications. Thus, presented paper has studied the burning effects of stubble on soil's physical, chemical and dielectric properties ($\varepsilon {^{\prime}} $ ε ′ and $\varepsilon {^{\prime \prime}}$ ε ′′ ). Moreover, the experimentally observed soil's dielectric data has been explored with various classical Machine Learning (ML) and Neural Network (NN) based regression models. The soil samples were taken from the fields of Punjab, India, in the October-November months following a multistage soil sampling method. Then, Dak-12 open-ended coaxial probe (DOCP) has been used in alliance with a two-port Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) E5071C, Agilent Technologies, to investigate the dielectric properties of soil samples. The obtained results indicate that physio-chemical and dielectric properties have been strongly affected by burning as well as because of the presence of high concentrations of ash residues. $ \varepsilon {^{\prime}} $ ε ′ and $\varepsilon {^{\prime \prime}}$ ε ′′ variations with depth indicate that ash residues can seep up to depths of 10 cm in a single burning process. Moreover, the continuous burning of stubble can have permanent effects on soil's properties. Among considered regression models, the Deep NN-based regression model has given the most accurate predictions of the regressor variables $\varepsilon {^{\prime}} $ ε ′ and $\varepsilon {^{\prime \prime}}$ ε ′′ , with a root-mean-square-error (RMSE) of 0.06 and 0.07, respectively. Stubble burning has visible effects on physical, chemical as well as dielectric properties of soil. The burning of stubble damages natural ecosystem and essential nutrients which decrease fertility of soil. Also, the resultant residue ash becomes permanent part of soil profile and alters basic properties of soil. Moreover, exploration of ML-based regression models suggests the tremendous applications of data-centric models in soil and material sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the state of Punjab, the heart of the green revolution in India, a large fraction of agricultural labour is expended by migrant workers. The unplanned lockdown imposed by the Indian government affected paddy transplantation, a labour‐intensive activity in Punjab primarily due to interstate restrictions on movement. Drawing on a primary survey in a village from the Malwa region of Punjab, the paper examines the changes in agrarian relations in rural Punjab due to the Covid‐19 pandemic by critically analysing the dynamics of capital labour relations. The restriction on labour movement and unilateral imposition of transplantation wage rates by a few Panchayats in Punjab (dominated by capitalist landlords and rich peasants) has intensified class conflict in the state. The Punjab government's policies, which are driven by the capitalist landlords and rich peasants, have played a significant role in the increased exploitation of workers. The paper concludes with a brief evaluation of the changes induced by Covid‐19 in the agrarian political economy of Punjab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to examine the viewpoints of teachers and students regarding basic and modern employability skills. For the study purpose, secondary and primary data were gathered. For primary data, two separate questionnaires were framed with a five-point Likert scale, and for secondary data, various websites, blogs, newspapers, journals, reports and research papers, etc. were explored. To collect the viewpoints of teachers and students, data was gathered from various universities in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Chandigarh. From the analysis, it is concluded that for students, gaining marks is the priority, and for teachers, it is not the basis of education. Teachers try to impart multiple skills to the students, but most of the students focus on theoretical knowledge. There is a need for proper training to the students so that they can understand the actual market demand and work on building their personality for better future opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2011, an outbreak of dengue fever struck the most urbanised districts of Punjab. After an initially slow response, the Punjab Government set up a digital disease surveillance system which was soon hailed as a model for epidemic control and public health governance. Despite these successes, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have continued to take advantage of the micro‐ecologies of Lahore's urban landscape—in part because of the fragmented and uneven socio‐spatial dynamics of water access, storage, and use. This paper brings into conversation, and in tension, these different infrastructural dimensions of dengue, namely the celebrated system of vector surveillance and the fractured infrastructures of water, within a single frame of "epidemic infrastructures". It conceptualises the long‐standing unevenness of Lahore's water systems as "infrastructures of transmission" and techno‐managerial systems of control as "infrastructures of problematisation". The paper uses the lens of heterogeneity to bring together different components of these systems and explore their intersecting effects. I show how the transmission of dengue paradoxically follows both the scarcity and abundance of water use in the city. Yet these socio‐ecological complexities are bypassed in the technical matrices to visualise, enumerate, and emplace vectors, which also provide the means to narrativise state successes. I argue that epidemic infrastructures work together to reinforce individualised responsibilities for infrastructural maintenance and urban health to residents and workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shiromani Akali Dal has provided an important platform for the Scheduled Caste community which has been integral to the party's electoral success. This paper empirically shows that share of the SC community in electoral success of the Akali Dal has always remained one-fourth or more since 1962 except 2017 election alongwith better electoral success rate of the SC community leaders. Despite these contributions, the SC community perceives caste discrimination in the party while the Jats and rich families dominate the party. The paper suggests organic integration of the SC community and addressing their grievances in the party. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]