Arjun Jana

This study investigates the linkages between changes in agricultural land use and population growth in India. We have employed long-term time series and a panel dataset of 1869 samples (267 districts × 7 time points from 1961 to 2021) to determine this. We theorize that there is an inverted “U-shape” relationship between changes in population growth and agricultural land. Our findings suggest a positive impact of population growth on the change in cultivated land. However, this relationship was not static during 1961–2021. We found a two-stage split relationship with a breakpoint in 1981. Prior to the 1980s, there was a 12% expansion in cultivated land in response to a unit increase in population growth. During the post-1980s, with a unit decline in population growth, there was a 5% reduction in cultivated land. The findings were reaffirmed through several robustness checks: analyses using alternative outcome variables, alternative break points in a segmented regression model, and spatial modeling. From a policy perspective, this study advances the need for the reduction of population growth rate in high-fertility states and the adoption of superior and green technology for agricultural intensification and diversification to stop cropland expansion at the cost of environmental sustainability.

: Background: In an ageing society, the provision of long-term care is the prime need. In Indian cultural setting, family members are the informal, albeit primary caregivers to the elderly. Caregiving demands intense emotional and financial involvement. While taking care of elderly persons’ health and wellbeing, these family members, acting as informal caregivers, may themselves become vulnerable to poor health due to additional stress and burden. Using a nationally representative survey, the study tried to identify how health condition varies within caregivers and a comparative analysis of how in similar socio-economic background health condition varies between caregivers and non-caregivers. Method: The data, used for the analysis, is taken from Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), Wave I. Both descriptive and multivariable regression analysis are done in different models along with interaction effect of caregiving to understand the difference in health status between caregiver and non-caregivers. Results: Nearly 29% and 11% of the informal caregivers, reported to have depressive symptoms and poor self-rated health (SRH), respectively. Almost half of the caregivers, who provide care for more than 40 h a week, are diagnosed to have depressive symptoms. They are also at higher risk of having depressive symptoms (AOR 1.59 CI 1.16–2.18) and poor SRH (AOR 1.73 CI 1.11–2.69) than those who invest less than 40 h in a week. In almost every socio-economic condition, caregivers are at a higher risk of having depression and poor health than non-caregivers. Caregivers, who are widowed, live in rural areas or are not satisfied with current living arrangement are more vulnerable to have depressive symptoms. On the other hand, caregivers of age 45–59 years, widowed, male and who live only with their children with spouse absent, have almost 2 times higher odds of poor SRH than non-caregivers. Conclusion: Caregivers are more susceptible to depression and poor self-rated health compared to non-caregivers irrespective of their socio-economic characteristics, only the magnitude of vulnerability varies.

India has a very high prevalence of female sterilisation compared to other countries in the world, with a prevailing situation of very low level of information about contraceptive options given to women. It is well established in demographic research that, there exists a strong association between knowledge of contraceptive methods and type of contraception chosen. Present study uses data from 3 consecutive rounds of National Family Health Survey (3, 4 & 5). The sample contains currently married women who started using the current method 5 years prior to each round of survey. Multilevel Logistic Regression and Fairlie Decomposition Model are used to analyse the effect of information given to respondents and decision-making power regarding contraceptive methods on choice of female sterilisation. Women, who are informed about available methods, have lower chance (45.8%, 37.5% & 40% for NFHS 3, 4 & 5 respectively) to opt for sterilisation after controlling all other factors. If woman is the sole decision maker for contraceptive choice, the chance of sterilisation reduces than cases where decision is taken only by husband or jointly. Information about other methods also contributes towards reducing the chance of female sterilisation over the time. Information about contraceptive methods is found to be a major factor in controlling choice of temporary or permanent method. Thus, major focus for the policy makers should be to make information regarding contraceptives more accessible for women.