A speech on the following topics:-
1. how are economic activities important for the development. Majr economic activities in rural area
2. multicropping and green revolution
3. suggestions for the development of primary sectors in India
Answers
Answer:
Economic activities of a country determine the growth of a country in terms of monetary aspects of development of the citizens. Better income of the citizens can be achieved with better economic activities of the country. In turn, income status of people decides the kind of health and education people can avail.
Green Revolution is the term used for the spectacular growth in the food grains production, particularly in wheat and rice, as a result of the new agricultural strategy introduced in 1967-68.
This strategy was in the form of a package programme woven around new high yielding varieties (HYV) of seeds and included other inputs, such as chemical fertilisers and pesticides, assured water supply, supply of electricity at subsidised rates, improvement of rural infrastructure (road, transport, etc.), credit and marketing facilities on cooperative basis, a system of support prices and buffer stocking.
Thus, this strategy was supported by a system of subsidies, which were to be concentrated in certain selected high potential areas. The idea was to demonstrate to the farmer how productivity could be raised without increasing the area under production.
In the mid-1960s, the government introduced an Intensive Agricultural District Programme (IADP). The traditional practices were gradually replaced. The new technology was tried in 1960-61 as a “pilot project” in seven districts. Later high yielding varieties programme was also added to the IADP and extended to the entire country. The high yielding varieties programme (HYVP) was put into practice in India in the year 1966.
The second phase of the Green Revolution programme was launched in 1983-84, which aimed at covering the rainfed and commercial crops also.
Success of the Green Revolution Programme:
As a result of the new strategy, food-grains production rose sharply. Not only were imports not required, but large buffer stocks were also created. Attention could now be paid to diversification and to commercial crops. The main beneficiaries of the Green Revolution programme were Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh in terms of wheat production; the deltaic regions of east coast in terms of rice; and those areas of cotton crop where irrigation was made available.
The adoption of new technology also gave a boost to agricultural employment because of diverse job opportunities created by multiple cropping and shifts towards hired workers.
Sociological and Ecological Impact:
Enhanced Inter-Personal, Inter-Regional and Intra-Sectoral Disparities:
The benefits of Green Revolution were limited to the area under high yielding varieties (HYV) of seeds only. Even in the HYV areas, the benefits were mainly confined to wheat and rice. Those holdings with assured means of irrigation were the main beneficiaries because the new technology is moisture sensitive.
:
Regions which have been well-endowed with resources have benefited most from modern technology. This has led to growing inter-regional disparities.
The new package brought high returns from agriculture mainly to substantial landholders. These were the farmers who were in a position to afford costly inputs. These inputs were completely beyond the means of small and marginal farmers (accounting for about 70 per cent of the total cultivator-householders). Thus, a majority of rural population was left untouched by these benefits.
While employment opportunities increased in the areas of Green Revolution success, in most other areas employment of rural landless has declined.
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The new technology has made the farmers market-oriented, for the farmers are largely dependent on the market for the supply of inputs and for the demand of their output. The demand for agricultural credit has also increased as the new technology has enhanced the cash requirements of the farmer.
Disparities in incomes have been widened by the new technique and strategy in agriculture.
The rice-wheat pattern, promoted by the new package and accounting for a major part of the total food-grains, elbowed out other crops, especially dry-land crops, such as coarse cereals, oilseeds, pulses, cotton, etc. This trend is reflected in the uncertain food security for the poorer sections of society, who mainly consume coarse cereals, and in the low per capita availability of pulses since independence.
Thus there is a huge disparity in standards of living. One cause of increase in social tension is this disparity
(i) Primary sector contributes more than 20% to the GDP of India.
(ii) Its employment share is more than 55%.
(iii) It is the most labouring sector of Indian economy.
(iv) It covers agriculture, dairy, fishing, forestry which all contribute to the Indian economy.