What measures are taken by the Indian government for increasing agricultural production?
Answers
The government has provided massive subsidies to farmers on agricultural inputs like irrigation, fertilizers and power. The objectives of input sub-sidisation are to increase agricultural! production and productivity by encouraging the use of modern inputs in agriculture.
Indian government has taken various steps for the improvement of agriculture. These are as follows:-
1. Institutional reforms:- It refers to reforms introduced by the government such as Land Callings Act, consolidation of land holdings, collectivisation, abolishing of zamindari system, development of cooperative societies.
2. Technological reforms:- Improving the availablity of technology in agriculture through green revolution by providing HYV seeds, fertilizers and better irrigation facilities. Initiating white revolution by improving the production of milk through cooperatives.
3. Agricultural finance:- Establishment of Grameen banks, Cooperative societies and other banks to provide easy loan facilities to the farmers at lower rate in interest.
4. Land development programmes:- By adopting a comprehensive land development programme in 1980s-90s that consisted of both institutional and technical reforms. Provision of crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease are part of this programme.
5. Other reforms:- Providing Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS), introducing special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes in radio and television channels and announcing Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for agricultural products like cereals, pulses to check the exploitation of farmers by middlemen.