Population Research Center

Population Research Centre, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

(Estd by: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India in 1977)

The Population Research Centre (PRC), Odisha was established in Utkal University, Bhubaneswar in the year 1977 and it is a not fully developed (Type – II) PRC. This Centre has a small core of multi disciplinary research team.  It has been contributing substantially to the population programmes and policy formulation at State and  National level. It has taken up projects on topics akin to its research objectives from National and International agencies.  It also acts as a Resource Centre for the faculty members and students of the social science departments in the teaching/research activities related to population and demography. The Centre offers consultancy services to the State Government and Non-Government Organizations to carry out the welfare programmes on Health and Population related activities.

GENESIS OF POPULATION RESEARCH CENTRES IN INDIA

Population Research has emerged as one of the important activity, bearing considerable relevance to planning and implementation of population and health related programmes since the inception of Family Welfare Programme in India.  This has prompted the Central Ministry to establish Demographic Research Centres, which were later re-named as Population Research Centres (PRCs) in the year 1978-79.  Presently, a net work of 18 PRCs is functioning all over the country to provide, inter alia, critical research based inputs related to the Health and Family Welfare Programmes and Policies at the national and state levels.  Out of 18 PRCs, 12 are located in Universities, while 6 are in Institution of repute scattered over 17 major states of India on the basis of facilities and other infrastructure available. Of 18 PRCs, 9 are classified as ‘Fully Developed’ (Type-I) and the remaining 9 as ‘Not Fully Developed’ (Type-II) depending on their staffing pattern. The first PRC was established at the Institute of Economic Growth, University of Delhi in the year 1958 and the last one at Dr. H.S. Gour Central University, Sagar in 1999.  The PRCs are autonomous in their functioning and are provided 100 percent assistance in the form of grant-in-aid on a year to year basis.

OBJECTIVE & WORK PLAN FOR PRCs: 

The network of 18 PRCs are to promote critical research related to health and Family Welfare Programmes, population development etc. at the National and State levels.  PRCs are also mandated to undertake monitoring and evaluation of such programmes. The feedback received from the PRCs is widely used for policy formulation, mid-course correction of ongoing programmes/schemes of the Ministry.

A Committee was constituted at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India level during 2013-14 for devising a systematic work plan for PRCs in the country. The recommendations of the committee are as follows:

• The PRCs are to carry out (a) Core set of activities, (b) State/Area Specific activities and (c) Pan India research to be specified by the Ministry from time to time.
• Over and above the core activity, Pan India research and Area Specific studies; PRCs may take up the studies they proposed in their Annual Action Plan.
• PRCs can take up studies for agencies other than Central and/or State Government relating concerns of the health department and health goals.
• PRCs may participate in large scale survey/evaluations undertaken by the Ministry.

During 2015-16, monitoring of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under National Health Mission was entrusted by the Ministry as core activity for all the PRCs in addition to validation of HMIS data quality and other PRC initiative studies approved in respective Annual Action Plan of PRCs.  Thus, PIP Monitoring of four identified districts of Odisha i.e., Khurda, Nayagarh, Balasore, and Baragarh allotted to PRC, Odisha as the core activities during the year 2015-16. Besides, checking of Health Management Information System (HMIS) data quality at district and facility level was also entrusted to PRC, Odisha to give feedback on improvement in HMIS data quality. In addition, three other studies as PRC initiatives were approved in the Annual Action Plan of PRC, Odisha for the year 2015-16.

Human Resource:

In pursuance of the orders of the Hon’ble Chancellor   the system of rotation of Honorary Directorship was dispensed with for smooth functioning of the Centre and the Centre has been working as an unit of the University under the Vice Chancellor as Ex-Officio Director since February, 1991. The Deputy Director functions as the Chief Executive of the Centre with full control over staff of all categories, funds and projects. The research, administrative and other activities of the PRC are adversely affected due to vacancy of posts such as Deputy Director, Assistant Director, Field Investigator and Senior Assistant which are lying vacant since long. Presently,  following research staff are in position at the PRC.

Publications:

INFRASTRUCTURE

Building, Library & Equipment

The Centre is functioning in its own building, constructed in the year 2003 with assistance of Rs. 6 lakhs from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.  The Centre has good collection of Census volumes, United Nation Publications, books and national and international journals on population and related subjects. This centre is also having computer facility for the researchers and students.

Areas of Research Work undertaken by the PRC:

Evaluation/Baseline/Operation Research  of Health and Family Welfare Programmes:

• Evaluation of Health and Family Welfare Programmes in Odisha
• Evaluation of Special Orientation Training camps in Drought Affected Districts of Orissa.
• Concurrent Evaluation of Sterilization Beds Scheme in West Bengal.
• Evaluation of Functioning of Health and F.W Training Institutes in Odisha and West Bengal.
• Evaluation of RCH Schemes : RCH Camp, RCH Outreach and Dai Training in Odisha & West Bengal.
• Baseline survey under RCH sub-project in Kalahandi District, 1999 sponsored by State Government.
• Concurrent Evaluation of Family Welfare Programme in Khurdha District.
• Operation Research on Spacing Methods in Orissa – A Diagnostic Study.
• Pulse Polio Immunization Coverage Survey –State level sponsored by UNICEF
• Multi-Indicator Immunization Coverage Survey – State Level sponsored by UNICEF.
• Immunization Coverage Evaluation Survey, Orissa sponsored by the state Government.
• National Family Health Survey – Orissa (NFHS – 1),1992-93 sponsored and collaborated by MOH&FW, USAID and IIPS.

Rapid Assessment Study:

• Rapid Assessment of National Rural Health Mission Implementation in Sambalpur and Kendrapara districts of Odisha state.
• Rapid Assessment Survey of 3 districts of Odisha – Nayagarh, Deogarh and Cuttack.

Other Studies:

• An Exploratory Study on Blindness Control Programme in Orissa funded by World Bank.
• Sociological Study on Elderly persons of Low Income Homes in Bhubaneswar City.
• Study on Child labourers in Bhubaneswar City
• Knowledge and Awareness on HIV/AIDS among Young Population.
• Impact assessment study of existing IEC activities on poor & marginalized groups funded by Govt. of Odisha.

Validation of HMIS Data Quality and Checking of MCTS Data Quality:

• Validation of HMIS data quality available on the Health Management Information System (HMIS) Portal of Odisha and field verification.
• Checking of MCTS data quality based on MCTS register and field verification.

Monitoring of NRHM/ DLHS/ Immunization Coverage Evaluation Survey:

• Monitoring of Immunisation Coverage Evaluation Survey (CES), 2009 in Orissa, Bihar and Jharkhand.
• Monitoring of District Level Household Survey-3 in Orissa, Bihar, Jharakhand & Assam.
• Monitoring of NHM Programme Implementation Plan in selected districts of  Odisha since 2012-13 (completed PIP Monitoring of  20 districts of Odisha State till date).

List of Research Studies completed (2010-2016)

III. STUDIES IN HAND & PROPOSED DURING 2016-17:

1. PIP MONITORING OF FOUR DISTRICTS OF WEST BENGAL UNDER NHM: South 24 Paraganas, Cooch Behar,Malda and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal

By: Dr.Kanaklata Devi and Sri Satyanarayan Swain

Justification and Objectives;

MoH & FW, Govt. of India entrusted monitoring of the Programme Implementation Plan (PIP) under National Health Mission (NHM) in four identified districts of West Bengal namely; South 24 Paraganas, Cooch Behar, Malda and Murshidabad during the year 2016-17 to give feed back to the programme managers to improve quality of services rendered under approved NHM PIP.

Methodology:

One district will be covered in a month by a single PIP monitoring team of the PRC following the ministry guideline. The PRC monitoring team will visit selected health facilities such as District Head Quarter Hospital, one Sub-Divisional Hospital (if existing), one CHC (FRU), one PHC functioning as 24×7 and one Sub-Centre, functioning as delivery point of one district. Information will be collected using the checklist and template supplied by MoH & FW, GoI after interaction with programme managers, service providers and beneficiaries of the facilities visited.

(Dr. K. L. Devi, Research Investigator, doing field work in Maldah District, West Bengal, 2016)

2. Adolescent Sexual Health: Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among the Slum Dwellers of Bhubaneswar. By: Dr. Kanaklata Devi and Sri Satyanarayan Swain

Justification and Objectives:

To assess the knowledge, attitude about sexual health and practice of sexual health services among the adolescent Slum Dwellers (10-19 age group) of Bhubaneswar.

Methodology:

For undertaking the field work (90 working days) in 6 slums of Bhubaneswar city (two slum pockets from 3 slum zones of Bhubaneswar) will be visited.

3. Exploration of extent of Out of Pocket Expenditure of JSSK Beneficiaries in two districts of Odisha By: Dr. Kanaklata Devi and Sri Satyanarayan Swain

Justification and Objectives:

Assess the extent of Out of pocket expenditure of JSSK Beneficiaries in two districts of Odisha.

Methodology:

Undertake the field work (90 working days) in selected facilities of two districts of Odisha.

1. RESEARCH COORDINATION COMMITTEE/TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

The Research Coordination Committee although constituted not held since the retirement of Deputy Director of PRC in 2004. The Technical Advisory Committee consisting of Director, Regional Office Health and Family Welfare, Bhubaneswar, State Consultant, HMIS, State Demographer, representative of NIC and Deputy Director, PRC used to held regularly during 2011-13 and study findings was presented by the PRC research staff on HMIS and MCTS data quality to appraise the state officials regarding the HMIS and MCTS data gap and to improve the data quality. No Technical Advisory Committee meeting was held during 2015-16.

1. INVOLVEMENT OF PRC WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS:

This PRC is associated with the students and research scholars from different Post Graduate Departments like Statistics, Economics, and Geography, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology and Women’s Studies of the Utkal University.  The Centre has provided library facility to students and researchers having interest in Population and Demography as their special paper.

1. Contact Details of Director/ Honorary Director and Key Person of PRC:

Prof. Sabita Acharya,
Vice-Chancellor & Honorary Director  Population Research Centre,
Utkal University, Vani Vihar,
Bhubaneswar  –  751004, Odisha.

Prof. Debendra Kumar Biswal,
Professor in Department of Anthropology & Deputy Director,
Population Research Centre,
Utkal University, Vani Vihar,
Bhubaneswar  –  751004, Odisha.
dkbiswal@rediffmail.com

Dr. Manoranjan Mohapatra,
Research Investigator
Population Research Centre,
Utkal University, Vani Vihar,
Bhubaneswar – 751004, Odisha.
manoranjanmohapatra.jnu@gmail.com
Contact No: 7008788449