  Thermodynamic properties of strongly interacting matter are investigated
using the Polyakov loop enhanced Nambu$-$Jona-Lasinio model along with some
modifications to include the hadrons. Various observables are shown to have a
close agreement with the numerical data of QCD on lattice. The advantage of the
present scheme over a similar study using a switching function is that here no
extra parameters are to be fitted. As a result the present scheme can be easily
extended for finite chemical potentials.
