  In order to investigate the contribution of $\alpha$ production in the
reaction cross sections, measurements of elastic scattering and inclusive
$\alpha$ particle angular distributions have been carried out with the $^9$Be
projectile on $^{89}$Y, $^{124}$Sn, $^{159}$Tb, $^{198}$Pt, and $^{209}$Bi
targets over a wide angular range at energies near the Coulomb barrier. The
measured elastic scattering angular distributions were fitted with optical
model calculations, and reaction cross sections were extracted. The same data
were also analysed using both global optical model potentials (Global OMP) and
microscopic S$\tilde{a}$o Paulo potentials (SPP), to obtain the reaction cross
sections. The data available in the literature for $^9$Be projectile includes
the elastic scattering angular distributions, $\alpha$ production cross
sections, and complete fusion cross sections on these and other targets at
several energies are also utilised for comparative studies. The reaction cross
section extracted from the three potentials (Best Fit, Global OMP and SPP) are
in reasonable agreement for all the targets except for the energies below the
barrier where the results from SPP deviate by 30-50 \%. Inclusive $\alpha$
particle production cross sections were also extracted by integrating the
$\alpha$ particle angular distributions. The present data and data available
from literature of reaction and $\alpha$-particle production cross sections
were utilised to make systematic studies. Systematics of reaction and
$\alpha$-particle production cross sections revealed their universal behaviour.
