A Scale to Measure the Attitude of farmers towards Kisan Call Centre

Kisan call centre is one of the active services provided by the Government of India exploiting the area of ICT to support the farmers in their day to day farming activities. Since the service is free of cost and can be accessed from any part of the state from 6 AM to 10 PM, it is assumed to be utilized by majority of the farmers in India. Hence the present study was undertaken to develop a scale that would help to measure the attitude of farmers towards Kisan call centre.  Thirty statements expressing the attitude of farmers towards KCC to be included in the scale reflecting both favourable and unfavourable attitude towards KCC was collected through review of literature and discussion with experts in the field of extension and was carefully edited using the criteria suggested by Edwards (1957). S-value and Q- value for the statements were found and that statement whose S-value was spread throughout the continuum and had small Q- value was selected. Finally twenty three statements were selected to form Thurston and Chaves (1928) equal appearing scale to measure the attitude of farmers on KCC. The reliability and validity of the scale was also found in order to ensure the scales usability.

Measuring Environmental Efficiency of Industry: A Case Study of Thermal Power Generation in India

Technical and environmental efficiency of some coal-fired thermal power plants in India is estimated using a methodology that accounts for firm’s efforts to increase the production of good output and reduce pollution with the given resources and technology. The methodology used is directional output distance function. Estimates of firm-specific shadow prices of pollutants (bad outputs), and elasticity of substitution between good and bad outputs are also obtained. The technical and environmental inefficiency of a representative firm is estimated as 0.10 implying that the thermal power generating industry in Andhra Pradesh state of India could increase production of electricity by 10 per cent while decreasing generation of pollution by 10 percent. This result shows that there are incentives or win-win opportunities for the firms to voluntarily comply with the environmental regulation. It is found that there is a significant variation in marginal cost of pollution abatement or shadow prices of bad outputs across the firms and an increasing marginal cost of pollution abatement with respect to pollution reduction by the firms. The variation in marginal cost of pollution abatement and compliance to regulation across firms could be reduced by having economic instruments like emission tax.environmental and technical efficiency; shadow prices of bad outputs; air pollution

Scenario Analysis of Rice Cultivation in Kerala

Rice is the staple food crop of Kerala. At present only 12% of the gross cropped area in the state is under paddy. The paddy fields in Kerala are constantly getting converted for other purposes. A steady decline in the area under rice cultivation occurred from 1980s onwards. This paper studies the changing trend in rice cultivation and provides the factors leading to shifting of rice cultivation

Attitude of Farmers towards Kisan Call Centres

The present study was conducted to measure the attitude of farmers in Kerala, India towards Kisan Call Centre (KCC). Kisan Call Centre provides free agricultural advisory services to every citizen involved in agriculture through a toll free number. One hundred and fifty farmers who have utilized the Kisan Call Centre service were selected from the database of KCC. The results showed that the respondents had moderately favourable attitude towards KCC followed by highly favourable attitude. The variables digital divide, temporal awareness on KCC, satisfaction towards KCC and utilization of KCC were found to have a positive correlation with the attitude of respondents towards KCC

Awareness, Practices and Treatment Seeking Behavior of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Delhi

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a multisystem disorder that is associated with number of complications. Patient’s awareness and practices are crucial components in reducing the burden of diseases and its complications.Aim: To assess patient’s knowledge about their disease and its complications, practices, treatment seeking behavior and average expenditure incurred by its management.Subjects and Methods: A community based cross‑sectional study was conducted in rural and urban slum areas of Delhi selecting a total of 98 diabetic patients diagnosed during the two community surveys and interviewed using pretested and predesigned questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 17 (Chicago II, USA). Chi‑square, fisher or Mann–Whitney tests were used for test of significance and considered statistically significant at P < 0.05.Results: Of 98 participants, 31.6% (31/98) were from urban slum area, and 68.4% (67/98) were from the rural area. In both urban and rural areas, majority were Hindu, married, literate and unemployed. Significantly less subjects (61.3%, 19/31) of urban slum area than of rural area (85.1%, 57/67) could name at least one complication of DM (P < 0.01, odds ratio [OR] =3.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.3–9.6). Majority of participants in both urban slum and rural area have knowledge about at least one component of management but significantly lesser in urban (83.9%, 26/31) than rural area (97.0%, 65/67) were reported (P = 0.02, OR = 6.2, 95% CI = 1.1–34.2). Significantly more subjects (29.0%, 9/31) in urban slum area than rural areas (7.5%, 5/67) reported that they were not taking any treatment for DM (P < 0.01, OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1–0.6). In urban area, 32.2% (10/31) patients told that it is a burden on their family while in rural area 44.7% (30/67) of the patients told that they have to squeeze money from the family expenditure to afford drugs.Conclusion: Patients need to be made aware of the asymptomatic phase of DM and its long‑term complications. At the same time, efforts should be made to sensitize them about the importance of taking regular treatment and management.Keywords: Diabetic mellitus type 2, Economic impact, Knowledge, Practice

Deciphering Customer Perceived Value a Comparative Study using Holbrook's Typology across Brands in Visakhapatnam

This study explores the intricate landscape of customer perceived value through a comprehensive examination of theoretical frameworks and empirical analyses. Drawing on model named Holbrook's Typology, the research investigates the multifaceted dimensions that shape consumers' assessments of value with a sample size of 168 in Visakhapatnam city. Statistical analyses, including Chi-Square Tests and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure, affirm the robustness of the study, revealing significant associations within constructs such as Extrinsic Value Assessment, Intrinsic Value Assessment, Self-oriented Value Assessment, Other-oriented Value Assessment, Active Value Engagement, and Reactive Value Assessment. The nuanced interpretation of the findings, acknowledging instances of rejected null hypotheses, provides actionable insights for brand marketers. The study suggests strategies for marketers to enhance customer perceived value, ranging from elevating intrinsic value through user experience to tailoring offerings based on self-oriented and other-oriented values. Emphasis is placed on active engagement, positive word-of-mouth, and strategic partnerships, offering a roadmap for creating meaningful connections with consumers. This research contributes not only to theoretical understandings of customer perceived value but also provides practical guidance for marketers navigating the complex landscape of consumer preferences. By aligning strategies with the identified dimensions of perceived value, brand marketers can cultivate dynamic relationships, foster loyalty, and navigate the evolving market with strategic precision