Current Science

Rahi Jain ¹, Himank Ajmera ², Bakul Rao ¹

Affiliations
1 Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas
2 Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, IN

Abstract

In resource constraint settings of developing countries like India, inadequate importance and consideration to resource (re)allocation approach causes resource disparity issues. The Indian public health care system has focused on developing rural primary health centres (PHCs) to reduce rural–urban resource disparity and pressure on urban health care facilities. However, all the resources as recommended in national standards for PHCs’ functioning are not completely available in PHCs. Local-level decision-makers are not provided with a policy framework to (re)allocate resources. This study states that empowering local-level decision makers with the ability to (re)allocate resources to reduce resource disparity is critical. The study proposes a new framework for minimizing resource disparity with resource allocation optimization. The study suggests a strategy to improve implementation of policies like the National Rural Health Mission and the National Health Policy. The 42 PHCs in rural areas of Osmanabad District (India) with 23 laboratory technicians (LTs) as resources are considered as a case study to assess the proposed method. The study optimization model showed that reallocating 6 of 23 LTs to different PHCs would reduce disparity in LT workload (from 57.62% to 30.54%) and LT access (from 116.4% to 49.3%). The disparity reduction highlights the impact of resource reallocation according to the proposed framework.

Keywords

Developing Nations, Healthcare, Optimization, Policy, Resource Disparity, Resource Allocation.

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Ashish Kumar ¹, Bakul Rao ¹, Arun Kumar De ²

Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, IN
2 Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, ICAR, Port Blair 744 101, IN

Abstract

Increasing evidence supporting the correlation between bovine beta-casein and disorders in milk consumers has led to the development and popularity of A2 milk and milk products worldwide. The indigenous cattle population of India harbours the preferred A2 allele of beta casein; however, genetic improvement of this cattle population by crossbreeding with exotic breeds is spoiling the gene pool as most of the exotic breeds contain A1 allele of the gene. In this study, we aim at evaluating the status of beta-casein in the Indian dairy sector and provide a discussion of future implications to the A2 milk industry. Our results show that the genotypic frequencies of A1 and A2 genes in a sample cattle population were 0.365 and 0.635 respectively. Based on the pure nature of the A2 allele in indigenous cattle, the presence of the A1 allele was assumed to be attributable to crossbreeding with exotic cattle breeds. Current options to drift the frequency of herds towards A2 are highly limited, raising serious questions regarding breeding policies in India and the lack of availability of certified A2 semen straws. The absence of any official standards and certification procedures in the country for A2 milk and milk products aggravates the situation from a food safety perspective. The future focus of sorted sexed semen and embryo transfers by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in India for dairy development should include A2 certification as an integral component. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India should define and establish standard protocols for certification of A2 milk and milk products to safeguard the rights of consumers against the potential food fraud.

Keywords

Beta-caseins, Genotyping, Livestock Breeding Policy, Milk Safety, Milk Proteins.

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Rahi Jain ¹, Bakul Rao ¹, Satanand Mishra ²

Affiliations
1 Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400 076, IN
2 Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute, Bhopal 462 026, IN

Abstract

India launched the National Mission on Medicinal Plants (NMMP) to provide livelihood opportunities for rural entrepreneurs. This study determines effec-tiveness of the mission in achieving rural sustainabi-lity. A case model of Khirvire village, Maharashtra using system dynamics approach is considered to identify the possible externalities which can challenge NMMP effectiveness. It is found that interventions most preferred by the policy and finance are of less preference for the village system. The study concludes that NMMP in its current design will not be sufficient for adequate activities dissemination in the Indian villages.

Keywords

Approach, Interventions, Medicinal Plants, Rural Development, System Dynamics.

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Ashish Kumar ¹, Bakul Rao ¹, Rahi Jain ¹

Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 085, IN

Abstract

In India, the major indicators used to assess the dairy sector are the age-old criteria of considering only the total production and per capita availability. Such indicators may not be able to adequately assess the development of the dairy sector. First, the indicators inadequately capture the complete scenario of the dairy sector. Secondly, dairy as a sector has multistake-holder dependency. Different stakeholders want to direct the sector in their perspective which pertains to social, economic or environmental domains. Thirdly, India is a resource-constraint nation, which makes it important for it to judiciously allocate its resources to achieve maximum benefits for which such indicators provide incomplete scenario.

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