Ruchira Bhattacharya

@nirdpr.org.in

Assistant Professor, Gender Studies and Development
National Institute of Rural Development

Ruchira Bhattacharya


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https://researchid.co/ruchirab.nird

EDUCATION

Ph D in Regional Development

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Development economics, gender and development, food security, public policy and policy analysis
10

Scopus Publications

268

Scholar Citations

6

Scholar h-index

6

Scholar i10-index

Scopus Publications

  • Revisiting the Linkage of Women’s Decision Making in Agriculture and Nutrition at Micro Level: A Cross-sectional Study from Rural India
    Ruchira Bhattacharya
    Indian Journal of Human Development, 2024
    This study critically analysed the association of nutritional intake—measured by individual dietary diversity scores (IDDS), with women’s decision-making in agriculture—measured by the Women Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) (modified). The study included 578 dual agricultural households in rural India from cross-sectional primary data collected in 2019 through a probability-proportionate randomised stratified sampling survey. The individual ‘empowerment scores’ were derived from the sub-indices of a contextualised ad hoc WEAI. A modified Wagstaff concentration index titled empowerment ranked concentration index (ErCI) of ‘adequate’ IDDS was estimated with the WEAI ‘empowerment scores’ as underlying rankings. Results showed an average 62.55% of the women with inadequate input in decisions in 43.99% of the domains—mainly due to lack of leisure, inadequate leadership and low input on production decisions. Poor nutrition (low-IDDS) was concentrated among disempowered individuals (ErCI: −0.180; p < .001). However, low IDDS concentration among disempowered was higher in the households at higher asset classes indicating that the influence of women empowerment on nutrition varies with other structural barriers such as wealth. At a macro policy level, it is recommended that combining nutrition initiatives with women empowerment initiatives may show better results for wealthier households. At a more operational micro level, the study recommends a need to look for contextualised metrics of empowerment to capture specific inadequacies relevant to the development environment.
  • SUBSIDISED FOODGRAINS TRANSFER FOR HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY: COMPARISON OF CHANGING CONSUMPTION FROM THE PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AGAINST OTHER STAPLE-SOURCES IN RURAL INDIA
    Ruchira Bhattacharya
    Journal of Rural Development, 2023
    This study evaluated the effect of subsidised in-kind transfers on household food security by comparing the calorie consumption share between the Public Distribution System, India, and other sources. Using the pseudo-panel of NSSO-CES data from 1993, 2004, and 2009, and the latest 2011 (released in 2014), the study found that the share of home-produced foodgrains was supplanted by PDS. The analysis revealed a negative elasticity of per-capita calorie intake to the decline in PDS subsidies, after controlling for socioeconomic and spatial attributes. Regional interactions with elasticity were statistically significant in regions with greater vulnerability to food insecurity. Strengthening the in-kind subsidised transfer is recommended as a crucial strategy, given the continued decline in the share of home-grown sources.
  • Gender advocacy for food and nutritional security
    Engendering Agricultural Development Dimensions and Strategies, 2023
  • IS THERE A SPATIAL EQUITY IN THE PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM? COMPARISON OF SPATIAL-TEMPORAL PATTERN OF STAPLE CONSUMPTION FROM THE PDS TO STAPLE PRODUCTION
    Ruchira Bhattacharya, Joseph K. Ravi
    Journal of Rural Development, 2022
    The paper compares the consumption of staple grains from various sources at the household level to the production of staples to examine whether the PDS is consumed in the regions that show a deficit production of staple grains. It is observed that the PDS has fulfilled the spatial equity requirement for most parts of India, especially in the drought year of 2009. Results show that the PDS is important for non-food producing households and regions that do not produce staple grains. However, there is a scope for spatial equity in the PDS, as there are areas with a low consumption from the PDS despite a low consumption of own production of staple grains. This inequity is visible in the regions that traditionally consumed coarse grains and were discontinued from the PDS. The study notes that the demand for fine staples from the PDS relates to the regional nature of traditionally consumed foodgrains.
  • Gender Advocacy for Food and Nutritional Security
    Engendering Agricultural Development Dimensions Strategies, 2021
  • Social identity as a driver of adult chronic energy deficiency: analysis of rural Indian households
    Ruchira Bhattacharya
    Journal of Public Health Policy, 2020
    This study investigates the effect of social identity (caste, religion, gender, and asset) on adult chronic energy deficiency (CED) using the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS) data from 2005 and 2011. From 2005 to 2011, out of 63,323 adult individuals, four-fifths (85.7%) of men and two-fifths (44.7%) of women improved their health status from CED to non-CED. The lowest improvement was observed among Dalit (Scheduled Casts, Scheduled Tribes) women: 41.9% moved from CED to non-CED status. We also find significant differences in prevalence of CED between Dalit and non-Dalit individuals and households. To achieve a significant improvement in CED, programs targeting malnourishment must be prioritized the Dalit households.
  • Measuring vulnerability among female sex workers in India using a multidimensional framework
    Bidhubhusan Mahapatra, Ruchira Bhattacharya, Yamini Atmavilas, Niranjan Saggurti
    Plos One, 2018
    Measuring vulnerability and identifying determinants of vulnerability are key to designing interventions for marginalized groups like sex workers. The current study introduces a new approach of measuring vulnerability among female sex workers (FSWs) by adopting a multidimensional poverty measurement framework. A multidimensional vulnerability index was created from four dimensions and 16 indicators using a dual cut-off approach. The study found that 55% of FSWs were multidimensionally vulnerable with 48% of intensity in vulnerability. The overall value of multidimensional vulnerability index was 0.265. FSWs in Maharashtra were most vulnerable (82%). Lack of financial security contributed mostly to FSWs’ vulnerability. Further, compared to less vulnerable FSWs, multidimensionally vulnerable ones were more to engage in behaviors that put them at risk such as inconsistent use of condoms with clients, alcohol consumption, engaging in anal sex with clients and experiencing sexually transmitted infections. Findings suggest that structural, social and financial vulnerabilities of FSWs need to be addressed concurrently.
  • High rates of sexual violence by both intimate and non-intimate partners experienced by adolescent girls and young women in Kenya and Zambia: Findings around violence and other negative health outcomes
    Sanyukta Mathur, Jerry Okal, Maurice Musheke, Nanlesta Pilgrim, Sangram Kishor Patel, Ruchira Bhattacharya, Nrupa Jani, James Matheka, Lunda Banda, Drosin Mulenga, Julie Pulerwitz
    Plos One, 2018
    Background While links between intimate-partner violence (IPV) and HIV risk have been established, less is known about violence perpetrated by people other than intimate partners. In addition, much of the research on IPV has been conducted with adults, while relatively little is known about violence experienced by adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). We examined experiences of sexual violence and associated sexual and mental health among AGYW in Kenya and Zambia. Methods Using cross-sectional surveys with women aged 15–24 years, we assessed experience of partner sexual violence among respondents who reported a boyfriend/husband in the last 12 months (Kenya N = 597; Zambia N = 426) and non-partner sexual violence among all respondents (Kenya N = 1778; Zambia N = 1915). We conducted logistic regression analyses to examine experiences of sexual violence and health outcomes. Results Sexual violence from intimate partners over the last year was reported by 19.1 percent of AGYW respondents in Kenya and 22.2 percent in Zambia; sexual violence from non-partners was reported by 21.4 percent in Kenya and 16.9 percent in Zambia. Experience of sexual violence was associated with negative health outcomes. Violence from non-partners was associated with increased odds of STI symptoms and increased levels of anxiety and depression. Results were similar for violence from partners, although only significant in Kenya. While sexual violence from a non-partner was associated with increased HIV risk perception, it was not associated when the violence was experienced from an intimate partner. Conclusions AGYW reported high levels of sexual violence from both intimate partners and non-partners. These experiences were associated with negative health outcomes, though there were some differences by country context. Strengthening sexual violence prevention programs, increasing sexual violence screening, and expanding the provision of post-violence care are needed to reduce intimate and non-partner violence and the effects of violence on AGYW.
  • The dynamics of land use/cover and the statistical assessment of cropland change drivers in the Kabul River Basin, Afghanistan
    Omaid Najmuddin, Xiangzheng Deng, Ruchira Bhattacharya
    Sustainability Switzerland, 2018
    To cope with the growing agrarian crises in Afghanistan, the government (following the fall of the Taliban regime in 2002) has taken measures through cropland expansion “extensification” and switching to mechanized agriculture “intensification”. However, cropland expansion, on one hand, disturbs the existing land use/cover (LULC) and, on other hand, many socio-economic and biophysical factors affect this process. This study was based on the Kabul River Basin to answer two questions: Firstly, what was the change in LULC since 2001 to 2010 and, secondly, what are the drivers of cropland change. We used the spatial calculating model (SCM) for LULC change and binomial logistic regression (BLR) for drivers of cropland change. The net change shows that cropland, grassland, water-bodies, and built-up areas were increased, while forest, unused, and snow/ice areas were decreased. Cropland was expanded by 13%, which was positively affected by low and plain landforms, slope, soil depth, investment on agriculture and distance to the city, while it was negatively affected by plateaus and hill landforms, dry semi-arid, moist semi-arid, and sub-humid zones, precipitation, population, and the distance to roads and water. Climate adaptation measures, cropland protection in flood prone zones, population and rural migration control, farmer access to credit, irrigation, and inputs are necessary for agricultural deployment.
  • Estimating Poverty Including Social Expenditure: Adequacy and Implications of New Official Methods in the Context of Urban India
    Ruchira Bhattacharya
    Agrarian South, 2015
    This article examines the adequacy of private expenditure on education and health in the All India urban Poverty Line Basket (PLB) proposed by the Tendulkar Committee. Estimating the normative expenditures for education and health care and comparing them with the level of expenditure at poverty lines suggested by the Tendulkar Committee, the article observes that the revised PLB does not satisfy the normative level of expenditure required at the poverty line class. Adjusting the starting point of index multiplication upward by adding the normative cost of education and health care to the existing PLB, it attempts to answer the question whether households can afford adequate expenditure on education and medical care if they are simply provided with the value required. The results show that the normative expenditure is unmet even after an upward revision and that the poverty line monthly expenditure level, where households actually spend the normative amount of social expenditure, is far above the PLB. The other implication is that targeting based on a poverty line that does not satisfy social expenditure will leave out impoverished households. The article concludes that households at the poverty line class cannot take the social expenditure burden, nor can a transfer of adequate value make them capable of spending it. Rather, the social services should be provided by the government to all households so that they do not have to bear the expenses and that targeting is not required.

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Revisiting the Linkage of Women’s Decision Making in Agriculture and Nutrition at Micro Level: A Cross-sectional Study from Rural India
    R Bhattacharya
    Indian Journal of Human Development 18 (3), 400-422 , 2024
    2024
    Citations: 1
  • A Qualitative Evaluation of the Micro-level Barriers to Better Delivery and Utilisation of Nutrition Services in Rural India
    R Bhattacharya, JK Ravi
    Asia-Pacific Journal of Rural Development 33 (1), 7-32 , 2023
    2023
  • Effectiveness of SERP Telangana’s Health/ Nutrition Intervention in Improving Women’s Nutrition/Sanitation Practices
    R Bhattacharya
    http://nirdpr.org.in/nird_docs/rss/SERP_Report%20_Final_Mar_31_Final.pdf , 2023
    2023
  • Subsidised Foodgrains Transfer for Household Food Security: Comparison of Changing Consumption From the Public Distribution System Against Other Staple-Sources in Rural India
    R Bhattacharya
    Journal of Rural Development, 234-251 , 2023
    2023
  • Is There a Spatial Equity In The Public Distribution System? Comparison of Spatial-Temporal Pattern of Staple Consumption from the PDS to Staple Production
    R Bhattacharya, JK Ravi
    Journal of Rural Development, 64-86 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 1
  • What are the micro-level barriers to better nutrition service delivery and utilization? Qualitative evaluation of the beneficiary experience from the Integrated Child …
    R Bhattacharya, J Ravi
    Advance. Preprint. , 2021
    2021
  • Gender Differences in Nutrition in relation to Women's Access to Food Production in Rural India
    R Bhattacharya, NV Madhuri, S Maitra, M Sajid
    10.13140/RG.2.2.30016.05128 , 2021
    2021
  • Child-Friendly Local Governance: Documenting Good Practices from India
    NV Madhuri, B Devsharma, R Bhattacharya
    2021
  • Gender Advocacy for Food and Nutrition Security
    R Bhattacharya
    Engendering Agricultural Development, 29-47 , 2021
    2021
  • The Child Rights Training Manual
    NV Madhuri, B Devsharma, R Bhattacharya
    http://nirdpr.org.in/crru/docs/trainings/Final%20CRTM.pdf , 2020
    2020
  • Social Identity as a Driver of Adult Chronic Energy Deficiency: Analysis of Rural Indian Households
    R Bhattacharya
    Journal of Public Health Policy, 1-17 , 2020
    2020
    Citations: 11
  • High rates of sexual violence by both intimate and non-intimate partners experienced by adolescent girls and young women in Kenya and Zambia: findings around violence and other …
    SM Sanyukta Mathur, J Okal, M Musheke, NP Nanlesta Pilgrim, SK Patel, ...
    2018
  • Community-led Structural Intervention to Address Multidimensional Vulnerabilities Among Female Sex Workers in India
    B Mahapatra, N Saggurti, S Patel, M Battala, R Bhattacharya, M Walia
    AIDS RESEARCH AND HUMAN RETROVIRUSES 34, 201-201 , 2018
    2018
  • Measuring vulnerability among female sex workers in India using a multidimensional framework
    B Mahapatra, R Bhattacharya, Y Atmavilas, N Saggurti
    Plos One 13 (9), e0204055 , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 19
  • High rates of sexual violence by both intimate and non-intimate partners experienced by adolescent girls and young women in Kenya and Zambia: Findings around violence and other …
    S Mathur, J Okal, M Musheke, N Pilgrim, S Kishor Patel, R Bhattacharya, ...
    PloS one 13 (9), e0203929 , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 97
  • The dynamics of land use/cover and the statistical assessment of cropland change drivers in the Kabul River Basin, Afghanistan
    O Najmuddin, X Deng, R Bhattacharya
    Sustainability 10 (2), 423 , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 54
  • The Dynamics of Land Use/Cover and the Statistical Assessment of Cropland Change Drivers in the Kabul River Basin, Afghanistan. Sustainability, Vol. 10, No. 423
    O Najmuddin, X Deng, R Bhattacharya, O Najmuddin, X Deng, ...
    Najmuddin O, Deng X, Siqi J (2017) Scenario analysis of land use change in … , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 6
  • La intervención social en el inicio del siglo XXI: transferencias condicionadas en el orden global
    A de Sena
    Estudios Sociológicos Editora , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 42
  • Human Development: Education, Health, Public Services
    S Dipa, B Ruchira
    How Lives Change: Palanpur, India, and Development Economics , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 2
  • Women: Possibilities and Constraints
    S Dipa, B Ruchira
    How Lives Change: Palanpur, India, and Development Economics , 2018
    2018

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • High rates of sexual violence by both intimate and non-intimate partners experienced by adolescent girls and young women in Kenya and Zambia: Findings around violence and other …
    S Mathur, J Okal, M Musheke, N Pilgrim, S Kishor Patel, R Bhattacharya, ...
    PloS one 13 (9), e0203929 , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 97
  • The dynamics of land use/cover and the statistical assessment of cropland change drivers in the Kabul River Basin, Afghanistan
    O Najmuddin, X Deng, R Bhattacharya
    Sustainability 10 (2), 423 , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 54
  • La intervención social en el inicio del siglo XXI: transferencias condicionadas en el orden global
    A de Sena
    Estudios Sociológicos Editora , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 42
  • Comparative analysis of the extent of free education and average private expenditure on education in India
    R Bhattacharya
    Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 37, 277-295 , 2012
    2012
    Citations: 22
  • Measuring vulnerability among female sex workers in India using a multidimensional framework
    B Mahapatra, R Bhattacharya, Y Atmavilas, N Saggurti
    Plos One 13 (9), e0204055 , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 19
  • Social Identity as a Driver of Adult Chronic Energy Deficiency: Analysis of Rural Indian Households
    R Bhattacharya
    Journal of Public Health Policy, 1-17 , 2020
    2020
    Citations: 11
  • The Dynamics of Land Use/Cover and the Statistical Assessment of Cropland Change Drivers in the Kabul River Basin, Afghanistan. Sustainability, Vol. 10, No. 423
    O Najmuddin, X Deng, R Bhattacharya, O Najmuddin, X Deng, ...
    Najmuddin O, Deng X, Siqi J (2017) Scenario analysis of land use change in … , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 6
  • Public services, social relations, politics, and gender: tales from a north Indian village
    D Sinha, DK Tiwari, R Bhattacharya, R Kattumuri
    Oxford University Press , 2016
    2016
    Citations: 4
  • El “Public Distribution System”(PDS) en India: Un programa alimentario en especies basado en la transferencia de granos1
    R Bhattacharya
    LA INTERVENCIÓN SOCIAL EN EL INICIO DEL SIGLO XXI: TRANSFERENCIAS … , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 3
  • Public services, social relations, politics, and gender
    D Sinha, DK Tiwari, R Bhattacharya, R Kattumuri
    The Changing Village in India, 401-436 , 2016
    2016
    Citations: 3
  • Human Development: Education, Health, Public Services
    S Dipa, B Ruchira
    How Lives Change: Palanpur, India, and Development Economics , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 2
  • Effect of Non-market Sources of Consumption on Nutritional Intake of Rural Labourers in India
    R Bhattacharya
    Indian Journal of Labour Economics 57 (3), 203-20 , 2014
    2014
    Citations: 2
  • Revisiting the Linkage of Women’s Decision Making in Agriculture and Nutrition at Micro Level: A Cross-sectional Study from Rural India
    R Bhattacharya
    Indian Journal of Human Development 18 (3), 400-422 , 2024
    2024
    Citations: 1
  • Is There a Spatial Equity In The Public Distribution System? Comparison of Spatial-Temporal Pattern of Staple Consumption from the PDS to Staple Production
    R Bhattacharya, JK Ravi
    Journal of Rural Development, 64-86 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 1
  • Estimating Poverty Including Social Expenditure: Adequacy and Implications of New Official Methods in the Context of Urban India
    R Bhattacharya
    Agrarian South: Journal of Political Economy 4 (3), 394-432 , 2015
    2015
    Citations: 1
  • A Qualitative Evaluation of the Micro-level Barriers to Better Delivery and Utilisation of Nutrition Services in Rural India
    R Bhattacharya, JK Ravi
    Asia-Pacific Journal of Rural Development 33 (1), 7-32 , 2023
    2023
  • Effectiveness of SERP Telangana’s Health/ Nutrition Intervention in Improving Women’s Nutrition/Sanitation Practices
    R Bhattacharya
    http://nirdpr.org.in/nird_docs/rss/SERP_Report%20_Final_Mar_31_Final.pdf , 2023
    2023
  • Subsidised Foodgrains Transfer for Household Food Security: Comparison of Changing Consumption From the Public Distribution System Against Other Staple-Sources in Rural India
    R Bhattacharya
    Journal of Rural Development, 234-251 , 2023
    2023
  • What are the micro-level barriers to better nutrition service delivery and utilization? Qualitative evaluation of the beneficiary experience from the Integrated Child …
    R Bhattacharya, J Ravi
    Advance. Preprint. , 2021
    2021
  • Gender Differences in Nutrition in relation to Women's Access to Food Production in Rural India
    R Bhattacharya, NV Madhuri, S Maitra, M Sajid
    10.13140/RG.2.2.30016.05128 , 2021
    2021