Discuss the comprehensive reforms introduced in Indian agriculture since 1980s .
Answers
Contribution Of Agriculture:
- Agriculture is the back bone of Indian economy
- In 2010-11, it constitutes 52% of work force was employed in the farm sector
- From 1951, agriculture contribution to Indias GDP is declining
- There govt. of India established Indian council of agricultural research (ICAR)
ICAR
It is responsible for organisation and management of research and education in agriculture, forestry etc..
Reforms:
Majority of farmers in India depends upon monsoon and natural fertility for growing crops. As there is an increase in population, crops grown in this way are not sufficient. Therefore priority is given to institutional reforms after independence.
The theme of first Five year plan is land reform
Green revolution and white revolution (Operation flood) were the strategies initiated
A comprehensive land development programme was initiated in 1980's and 1990's. This included crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease
- Establishment of Grameen banks, cooperative societies and banks to give loans to farmers at low interest
- Special programmes for farmers was started in Radio and TV
- Minimum support price, Remunerative and procurement prices were announced by govt
- Kisan credit card (KCC), Personal accident insurance scheme and other schemes were introduced
White revolution
White revolution is a miraculous story of dairy revolution in India.
In 1951, per capita mild availability per day was 124 gr.
In 1970, declined to 112gr
Indian population is largely lacto vegetarian and protein deficiency diseases and malnutrition were reampened during 1960-70s.
Thus, through the governments proactive step i.e, operation flood was initiated
The chief architect of white revolution is Vergese Kurian
In 1970, National dairy development board started this programme
Objective: To create milk grid nation wide
Implementation:
- 700 towns and cities in india joined this national milk grid.
- No price variations among these 700 cities and towns
- Major share is to producer
- It has been carried out in 3 phases
Phase I: A central nodal agency National Diary development board established. The base for the operation flood was village cooperative and the target mass was marginal and small farmers. It was initiated in semi arid and subhumid regions where pasture lands were available and land capability was low .In this phase 18 sheds belonging to metropolitan cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai were combined to form mother diaries. Aim of this phase is to improve marketing of milk in the above mentioned metropolitan cities
What are the challenges that white revolution faced at this stage ?
Lack of rural infrastructure
Rural electrification is serious bottleneck
Refrigeration, storage facilities not available
Social outlook towards dairy farming
Poor quality fodder
India has drought resistant cattles, so per capita yield is very low. Indian cows are called as tea cup cows
Natural grasslands are absent ( coarse grasses, lsess nutritious)
Lack of mechanisation
Dairy processing plant
ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠɪsᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴄᴏɴsᴏʟɪᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ʟᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢs, ᴄᴏᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʙᴏʟɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴢᴀᴍɪɴᴅᴀʀɪ ᴇᴛᴄ. ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ᴘʀɪᴏʀɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ʙʀɪɴɢ ɪɴsᴛɪᴛᴜᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʀᴇғᴏʀᴍs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ɪɴᴅᴇᴘᴇɴᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ.
ʟᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇғᴏʀᴍ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ғᴏᴄᴜs ᴏғ ᴏᴜʀ ғɪʀsᴛ ғɪᴠᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀ ᴘʟᴀɴ. ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ɪɴʜᴇʀɪᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ғʀᴀɢᴍᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ʟᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢs ɴᴇᴄᴇssɪᴛᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴄᴏɴsᴏʟɪᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ʟᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢs.