Five-Year Plans and Agriculture

Five-Year Plans and Agriculture 

The first seven five-year plans covering the period 1950-1990 attempted to realize these goals in different sectors as follows: 

Agriculture

Land Reforms:

• The land tenure was merely collected at the time of independence by the jagirdars or zamindars
• They never really improved the farms
• The land ceiling was another policy that fixed the maximum size of land that an individual could own

Positive aspects of land reforms:

The owners promised to give the tenants an incentive over increased cultivation which led to enhanced growth in agriculture.

• Land reforms were successful in Kerala and West Bengal because these states had governments committed to paying the policy of land to the tiller 
• Measures were taken to make the tillers the owners of the land, and steps were amended to abolish the intermediaries, which brought the government and tenants in direct contact

Limitations of land reforms:

• In some areas, Zamindars evaded these legislations by exploiting loopholes
• Poor labourers did not gain benefits from the land reforms
• The implementation got delayed due to the powerful landlords challenging the legislation of the courts
• They either registered the lands in the name of their close relatives, which led to escaping from the legislation 
• It did not become highly successful in some states, and vast inequality still continues 

The Green Revolution: 

• This revolution refers to the massive production of food grains from high-yielding varieties

Background:

• During independence, productivity in the agricultural sector was very low because of old technology and the absence of required infrastructure for the vast majority of farmers
• Monsoon affects India’s agriculture as the farmers typically depend on rains for cultivation

Benefits from the Green Revolution: 

• The green revolution enabled India to produce its harvest 
• The price of food grains declined relative to other items of consumption
• Low-income groups benefited from this decline in relative prices
• The government was able to procure sufficient amounts of food grains to build a stock that could be used in times of food shortage

Limitations of the Green Revolution:

• The use of these seeds required the use of fertilizer and pesticides in the correct quantities and a regular supply of water
• Hence the green revolution benefited the farmers who had access to such facilities. 
• In the first phase of the Green Revolution, the High Yield Varieties were used in a few states such as Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh
• It led to a huge gap between the small and big farmers
• High Yield Variety crops were also more prone to attack by pests

Proactive steps were taken by the government to bridge the limitations:

• Loans at a low-interest rate to small farmers and subsidized fertilizers to make needed inputs accessible
• Research institutes were established to advise on reducing pest attack risk
• The technology boomed in a larger number of states in the second phase of the green revolution
• The green revolution favoured the rich farmers only, but due to the extensive role of government, small farmers in various states benefited

The Debate over Agricultural Subsidies:

The government recognized the need for subsidies as farming in India continues to be a risky business as:

• The Poor farmers in India won’t be able to afford the raw material without the necessary subsidies
• If the subsidies are eliminated, equality will be shaken between the rich and poor farmers
• The correct policy is not to abolish subsidies but to take steps to ensure that only the poor farmers enjoy the benefits

On the contrary, subsidies in agriculture are criticized on the following grounds:

• The purpose of the subsidy has been served now and shall be phased out
• The subsidies are a burden on the government and are not really benefiting the target group
• The subsidies benefit the fertilizer industry, too but were originally meant to help the farmers