Browsing by Author "Singh B.P."
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Item Bhojunda Stromatolite Park (Rajasthan, NW India): a Window to Early Life and a Cry for Geoconservation(Springer, 2024) Quasim M.A.; Jain S.; Naz A.; Singh B.P.; Ahmad I.; Shaif M.In India, Rajasthan, the northwestern part of India, possesses geological diversity comparable to its cultural richness. This paper focuses on evaluating a promising geological heritage site in Rajasthan, the Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic Stromatolite Park at Bhojunda (District Chittorgarh). The Bhagwanpura Limestone Formation of the Lower Vindhyan Group hosts well-preserved stromatolites at this geosite. The paper assesses, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the potential of this stromatolite-bearing site and based on the available data and analysis considers it to be a strong candidate for a potential geoheritage site. SWOT analysis also suggests that the site has immense potential but at the same time, is in urgent need of geoconservation. Stromatolites provide valuable insights into the�early life on Earth; the Stromatolite Park at Bhojunda holds a significant potential as a Geoheritage site due to its extensive geological exposure. Stromatolites are layered sedimentary structures formed mainly by photosynthetic microorganisms that include cyanobacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and Pseudomonadota. They produce cementing materials that bind sediments (sand and other rocky materials) to form �microbial mats�. In the present study, species from seven genera, namely Conophyton cylindricus, Baicalia baicalica, Collenia columnaris, and Kussiella kussiensis, Tungussia sp., Stratifera rara, and Weedia walcott are recorded suggesting a lower?middle Riphean age. Petrographically, the Bhagwanpura Limestone is composed of fine grains of calcite and dolomite with dispersed grains of cryptocrystalline silica, iron oxide, chert fragments, and veinlets of quartz and calcite. Present analysis suggests that the Bhojunda Stromatolite Park meets all standards to become a Global Geopark. It is crucial to take the necessary actions to apply for UNESCO confirmation, advocating not just community-driven conservation of the region�s geological heritage but also fostering sustainable development by improving the native tribes� standard of living. � The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Association for the Conservation of Geological Heritage 2024.Item Contributions to the Proterozoic�Phanerozoic successions in the Himalaya: Status report 2020-2024(Springer Nature, 2024) Bhargava O.N.; Singh B.P.; Shukla U.K.; Ganai J.; Singh P.; Thorie A.; Mazumdar P.82 publications by Indian geoscientists pertaining to the Proterozoic�Phanerozoic have come out during the last four years (2020�2024). Guide Books for the IGC 2020, GSI publication on the Precambrian sequences and a publication on the evolution of the Lesser Himalaya provide glimpses of regional geology. Other publications deal with geochemistry, sedimentology, isotope geology, palaeontology, and stratigraphy. A succinct summary of the publications is presented with short comments where necessary. � Indian National Science Academy 2024.Item Decomposing the Certified and Uncertified Skill Wage Gap for Production Workers in India(Springer, 2024) Singh B.P.; Yadav A.; Pradhan K.C.Due to the lower capacity of formal learning institutions, informal learning is the prominent source of learning to skill a larger population in India. Still, many skilled workers in India face the problem of lower wages and difficulty finding employment opportunities because of skill certification. The present study examines the impact of skill certification on monthly wages using augmented Mincer wage equations. Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition is employed to study wage differentials between certified and uncertified skill workers. The empirical findings suggest that workers� characteristics such as skill certification, extended training period, superior occupational status, permanent job tenure, higher education level, membership in trade unions, and job experience help them earn higher monthly wages. The wage gap between certified and uncertified skill production workers is also observed based on skill certification. In addition, the wage gap is reduced by characteristics such as the long duration of the training, membership in trade unions, and job experience. However, uncertified skill workers face wage discrimination with rising age. In India, it is crucial to reduce wage differential due to skill certification to improve competitiveness, efficiency, and productivity in the labor market. Therefore, the government should promote skill development and certification of skills acquired through informal learning to achieve developmental goals. � The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2023.Item Disinvestment and Technical Efficiency of State-Owned Utility Sector Enterprises in India(Springer Nature, 2024) Tripathi S.; Singh B.P.The Indian utility sector is currently experiencing a phase of disinvestment, driven by various factors like advancements in technology, the ever-changing landscape of global energy markets, shifts in governmental policies, and evolving consumer preferences. In light of these circumstances, it becomes crucial to assess the utility sector�s condition and its existing efficiency level. The present study primarily examines the repercussions of disinvestment on the technical efficiency of the state-owned utility sector enterprises in India during the period spanning from 2003 to 2023. To gauge the technical efficiency, the study employs the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). The study also investigates how factors such as the size of the firm, its age, and the disinvestment process influence inefficiencies. The findings of the study indicate that among the considered factors, the size of the firm holds the most substantial sway on inefficiency levels, while the age of the firm and the occurrence of disinvestment do not exhibit a significant impact. On average, the utility sector enterprises within the sample demonstrated a technical efficiency of around forty-five percent. This statistic underscores the need for more comprehensive and profound structural reforms to enhance economic outcomes in the sector. � The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024.Item Does Access to Finance and Investment Climate Enhance Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Innovation in India?(Springer International Publishing, 2024) Gupta R.; Singh B.P.Innovation is a tool by which a firm can enhance, compete, and sustain in a dynamic world. Innovative firms are engines of total factor productivity and economic growth. However, financially constrained enterprises are less innovative in comparison to unconstrained firms in developing countries. The major aim of the study is to investigate the effects of access to finance and the investment climate condition on the innovation of SMEs in India using firm-level data on 6385 firms from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES), 2022. The study employs two-stage least square-instrument variable (2SLS-IV) approach to examine the relationship. Post-estimation tests such as Cragg�Donald F-statistic and Stock and Yogo are applied to check the model�s strength and validity. In addition, the Sargan and Basmann test is applied to test for overidentification in the model. The study�s major findings suggest that long-term finance promotes innovation whereas investment climate condition such as bribes adversely affects it. Hence, in addition to expanding access to long-term finance, emphasis should be given on investment climate such as containing bribes while framing policies to promote innovation and support SMEs in India. � The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.Item Does disinvestment affect stock prices? An event study approach on the Indian public sector stocks(Springer, 2024) Tripathi S.; Singh B.P.The impact of privatization on the performance of firms is widely debated in the economic literature. Under the philosophy of a New Political Economy, structural reforms in the form of liberalization and privatization started in 1991 in the Indian economy. This led to the disinvestment of a large number of central and state public sector enterprises. However, due to limited studies and mixed findings, the effect of disinvestment on the performance of public sector firms is inconclusive in the Indian market. The major aim of the present study is to revisit India�s disinvestment policy and examine the market response to disinvestment events in the utility sector under the improved business environment in the past decade. The study employs an event study technique on a sample of ten leading utility sector firms. The NIFTY-50 and NIFTY-CPSE indices are used to calculate market returns. The results imply that even better institutions fail to moderate partial privatization, and successive partial privatization is insufficient to bring efficiency and change management practices. It is because successive disinvestment keeps the fundamental ownership and management ethos the same. The findings warrant regulators addressing firm moderating factors in �window dressing� before going public for better privatization outcomes. � The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Institute for Social and Economic Change 2024.Item Estimation of Correlation Coefficient Analysis for Yield and Component Traits in Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.)(Dustri-Verlag Dr. Karl Feistle, 2024) Parth; Kashyap V.; Singh S.P.; Dikshit S.; Dixit P.S.; Singh N.; Pandey S.R.; Singh B.P.; Singh D.V.The present investigation entitled �Estimation of Correlation Coefficient Analysis for Yield and Component Traits in field pea (Pisum sativum L.)� for 10 characters. The experiment comprising of 23 genotypes of pea were grown in a Randomized Block Design (RBD), with three replications at Research Farm, Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, Post Graduate College, Ghazipur, during rabi season of 2017-2018, plant to plant and row to row distance was kept 10 cm and 45 cm, respectively. The maximum positive and significant phenotypic correlation coefficient (0.834) was found between seed yield per plant, biological yield per plant. Positive and significant correlations were observed between seed yield per plant and number of pods per plant, plant height. Positive and significant correlations were also recorded between biological yield per plant and plant height, number of pods per plant. Similarly number of pods per plant had positive and significant correlation with plant height. � Copyright (2024): Author(s)Item Exploring the Gamma-Ray Enhanced NIR-Luminescence and Cytotoxic Potential of Lanthanide-Naphthalene Dicarboxylate based Metal�Organic Frameworks(Springer, 2024) Rao P.A.; Padhy H.; Bandyopadhyay K.; Rao A.V.; Ganta R.; Bevara S.; Singh B.P.; Kundrapu B.; Saha S.; Malla R.; Mukkamala S.B.In this investigation, we explore the integration of lanthanides into Metal�Organic Frameworks (MOFs) to enable Near-Infrared (NIR) emission. Specifically, we focus on Lanthanide-Naphthalene Dicarboxylate based MOFs (Ln-MOFs), incorporating elements such as Praseodymium (Pr), Samarium (Sm), Dysprosium (Dy), and Erbium (Er). The synthesis of Ln-MOFs is achieved via the hydrothermal method. The structure, morphology, thermal stability, and luminescence properties of synthesized Ln-MOFs have been evaluated through different characterization techniques. Upon photoexcitation at 350�nm, Ln-MOFs show the emission in the Visible and NIR region. Further, the luminescence intensity of Ln-MOFs enhanced by 2�3 folds in the visible region and 6�8 folds in NIR region after exposing to Gamma irradiation at 150�kGy. Cytotoxic effect on the viability of MDA-MB 231 and MDA-MB 468 Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells was evaluated by MTT assay. The results revealed that among all synthesized MOFs, Pr-MOF exhibited an aggressive cytotoxic effect. Additionally, analysis of phase-contrast microscopy data indicates that Pr-MOF induces alterations in the morphology of both MDA-MB 231 and MDA-MB 468 TNBC cells when compared to untreated controls. The findings in this study reveal the utilization of Ln-MOFs for studying cytotoxicity and highlight their ability to enhance near-infrared (NIR) emission when exposed to gamma radiation. � The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024.Item Formation of the associating high-Al and high-Cr chromitites in the Nagaland-Manipur Ophiolites in northeast India(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2024) Chaubey M.; Singh A.K.; Imtisunep S.; Uysal I.; Singh B.P.; Satyanarayanan M.; Longchar B.; Khogenkumar S.The Nagaland-Manipur ophiolites (NMO), part of the Phanerozoic (538.8�0 Ma) Tethyan ophiolites, occur in the NNE-SSW trending Indo-Myanmar Orogenic Belt (IMOB), northeast India. The NMO hosts both high-Al (0.46 < Cr# < 0.53) and high-Cr chromitites (0.71 < Cr# < 0.79). These chromitite bodies are hosted in lherzolite, harzburgite, and dunite and show various textures, including massive, disseminated, nodular, and granular. The high-Al chromitite compositions in conjunction with the calculated Al2O3[melt] (15.66�16.39 wt.%), TiO2[melt] (0.65�0.94 wt.%), and FeO/MgO[melt] (0.65�0.83 wt.%) values indicate that they were derived from the tholeiitic melt that formed at the mid-ocean ridge centre through low-degree partial melting. In contrast, the high-Cr chromitites, coupled with the Al2O3[melt] (11.24�12.99 wt.%), TiO2[melt] (0.21�0.33 wt.%), and FeO/MgO[melt] (0.58�1.54) values show similar geochemical affinities to those derived from boninitic melts produced by partial melting of already depleted mantle due to the subduction of oceanic plate in a supra-subduction zone environment. The total platinum group element (PGE) contents (60�190 ppb) of high-Al chromitites are lower than the total PGE contents (118�2341 ppb) in high-Cr chromitites. Chondrite-normalized PGE patterns in high-Al chromitites are flat from Os to Rh and negatively sloping from Rh to Pd, whereas high-Cr chromitites show strongly fractionated chondrite-normalized PGE patterns. Total PGE contents and low Pd/Ir ratios (0.02�0.64) of chromitites are consistent with typical ophiolitic chromitites. Mineral chemistry and PGE systematics suggest that NMO chromitites were generated in two separate tectonic settings. Thus, we argue that the upper mantle of the NMO of the IMOB has been modified by a substantial amount of supra-subduction zone components after initially being formed in a mid-ocean ridge tectonic environment. � 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Item Garnet-Staurolite-Mica Schist from Southern Sonbhadra District, U.P.: Constraints from Geothermobarometry and P-T Pseudosection Modelling(Geological Society of India, 2024) Singh A.A.; Prakash D.; Singh B.P.; Singh C.K.; Pandey R.K.The area around Renukoot town shows the exposure of garnet-staurolite-mica schist belonging to the Chhotanagpur Granite Gneiss Complex (CGGC). The characteristic mineral assemblage present in the rock are garnet�biotite�staurolite�quartz along with minor opaque minerals like rutile, ilmenite and hematite. For the constituent minerals, the calculated XMg value decreases in the order: chlorite>biotite>staurolite>garnet. The metamorphic conditions of the garnet-staurolite-mica schist were determined using the winTWQ and Perple_X programmes, and the peak pressure-temperature conditions for the rock are estimated to be 5.3 kbar and 570�C. The metamorphic episode in the CGGC during Mesoproterozoic time may be attributed to the global level Columbian Super-continental accretionary orogeny. � 2024, Geological Society of India. All rights reserved.Item Geochemistry of Palaeoproterozoic Kajrahat Limestone, Vindhyan Supergroup, central India: insights into depositional conditions and sources of rare earth elements(Springer Nature, 2024) Singh A.; Singh B.P.; Kanhaiya S.; Quasim M.A.; Patra A.; Singh S.; Srivastava V.K.The Lower Vindhyan (Semri) Group substantially consists of unmetamorphosed and undeformed sedimentary sequences of Palaeoproterozoic age. A detailed geochemical study has been carried out to infer the paleoenvironment and the source of REEs for the Palaeoproterozoic Kajrahat Limestone, Vindhyan Supergroup, Central India. This study investigates the geochemical composition of major, trace and rare earth elements (REEs). The studied limestones, have a high percentage of CaO (ranging from 30.87 to 48.59) implies that calcite was the primary mineral phase in these carbonates. SiO2 is second most abundant major oxide. Sr is dominant trace element showing a negative correlation with CaO. All trace elements exhibit depletion with respect to Post-Archean Australian Shale (PAAS). The PAAS-normalized REE pattern of studied limestone has a relatively uniform pattern, with slightly enriched LREE compared to HREE with negative Ce anomaly. Collectively, low concentration of U and U/Th, Ce/Ce* ratios clearly indicates an oxic depositional condition for the samples. The ?REE shows a positive correlation with SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3 (r2 = 0.87, 0.84and 0.91 respectively) and a week positive correlation with CaO (r2 = 0.12) suggested that siliciclastic sediments also serve as a source for the REEs beside seawater. This, in turn, indicates that the deposition of this limestone occurred in a coastal/shallow marine environment with some contribution from continental part. � The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024.Item Mineral Chemistry and IMA Nomenclature of Amphibole Minerals of Amphibolite Sills from Chhotanagpur Granite Gneiss Complex (CGGC), Southern Sonbhadra, Central India(Geological Society of India, 2024) Singh A.A.; Prakash D.; Singh B.P.; Singh C.K.; Yadav M.K.; Pandey R.K.In southern part of Sonbhadra District, near the Rihand Dam, low to medium grade amphibolites of Paleoproterozoic age are exposed. The outcrops are in the form of sills that occur at places in the Chhotanagpur Granite Gneiss Complex (CGGC). The essential mineralogical constituents of the amphibolite are amphibole-plagioclase-chlorite-biotite-iron oxides. Based on the mineral chemistry and interpretation as per the international mineralogical association (IMA) nomenclature scheme, amphiboles in the analysed amphibolite rock samples have been identified as magnesio-hornblende, magnesio-ferri-hornblende and edenite. � 2024 Geological Society of India, Bengaluru, India.Item Policy palette: A spectrum of legal and educational challenges in the political landscape(EnPress Publisher, LLC, 2024) Widjaja G.; Pathak R.; Singh B.P.; Kem D.; Dreisbach S.M.; Al-Kassem A.H.; Singh C.S.The creation of points where law, politics and education policies take intersection is a very complex and dynamic environment determined by philosophical shifts, economic problems, and social dynamics. This study dissects various complicated challenges facing the process of the framing of educational policies and their implementation which have become rampant due to the rapid political transformations. The researched evaluation is applied via both qualitative and quantitative methods, including juridical research, case and best practices studies and surveys, with the descriptive nature of the research as the main tool. The heart of the essay is three main themes-the contention between the rigidity of the academic standards and the holistic growth of students, its possible effects when students are too identified with a test-centric approach as their knowledge is sacrificed for their test scores, and the inclusion of rights and protections for underrepresented populations even when faced with a government�s resistance. Similarly, the research examines the perils of creating legislation too quickly, especially, because of unexpected side effects and interpretation conflicts. Findings show profound demographic differentials over districts which implies the designing and implementation of policies need to be modified accordingly. Unless a certain policy brings the best outcomes in the learning process, then nobody should choose it even if it means disrupting student well-being and decreasing their involvement. It is also emblematic of how cross-party cooperation and stakeholders� understanding are important aspects of fairly dealing with complicated policy environments. � 2024 by author(s).Item Potential Changes in Air Pollution Associated with Challenges over South Asia during COVID-19: A Brief Review(Korean Meteorological Society, 2024) Singh B.P.; Nair A.; Kumari S.; Kumari S.; Kuamr K.; Gupta J.The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), also referred to as COVID-19 originated in the Wuhan city of Hubei Province of China in late December 2019 and spread to more than 200 countries, including many in Southeast Asia. This review has established a close relationship between the spread of coronavirus and air pollution and suggests that the prevailing environmental factors played a role in the spread of infection in the region. The rate of coronavirus transmission significantly declined as effective strategies and measures such as lockdowns, quarantine curfews, and country-wide lockdowns were adopted, eventually resulting in a dramatic improvement in air quality in different South Asian countries. The imposition of the lockdown improved air quality, contributing to lower incidences of COVID-19 infection and fatality rates across the region. Studies conducted by various scientists indicated a significant reduction in the level of air pollutants, especially the particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5) CO, SO2, and NO2 due to stringent restrictions on movement, shutting down of most industries, and halting of commercial and construction activities. However, ozone levels did not show any significant decrease. The results provided by the various agencies clearly suggest that the respiratory spread of infections is directly proportional to the air-quality parameters, and steps taken to decrease the particulate matter and other pollutants can help in containing the infection. The studies can help understand the epidemiology of the disease and thus serve as a useful tool for governments to manage the spread of respiratory infections and help mitigate air pollution and disease spread by adopting staggered lockdowns. � The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Korean Meteorological Society and Springer Nature B.V. 2023.Item Public Debt and Economic Growth in India: The New Evidence(SAGE Publications Ltd, 2024) Singh B.P.; Kumar S.The study gives new evidence on the effects of public debt on economic growth in India with key macroeconomic indicators from 1980 to 2019. In the past decade, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a substantial rise in public debt, which reached 90% of the GDP in April 2021. Therefore, it is imperative to study the impact of different public debt sources on the Indian economy to help policymakers frame informed debt management policies. The long-run equilibrium relationship and cointegrating coefficients are calculated using Johansen cointegration and fully modified ordinary least square techniques. Toda and Yamamoto�s (1995) Granger causality test is used as a short-run diagnostic test for the long-run equilibrium relationship. The study�s major findings suggest that domestic debt, total factor productivity (TFP) and exports are the major determinants of economic development in the long run. In contrast, economic prosperity determines the growth of external debt, debt service payments and TFP in the short run. It is recommended that the government should control and channel public debt productively for favourable growth effects. � 2022 Association of Asia Scholars.
