Regional Growth of Agricultural Sector: Potential and Performance

Abstract

Agriculture is the largest economic sector in India and its development is of paramount importance to the progress of the economy as a whole. In view of this importance, this booklet on "Agricultural Development in Rural Areas" has been prepared. The people working in rural areas with some concepts and ideas about various agricultural development programmes in the rural areas. In the context of Indian conditions the concept of agricultural development in the rural areas may be defined to mean the measure taken to bring about economic and social changes in the rural areas, especially for the poorest of the poor. Growth with social justice is the basic aim of Indian planningparticularly in field of agriculture. This programme aims at increasing the agricultural productivity by using modem technology and motivating the farmers for the adoption of the same. A similar programme, Intensive Agricultural Area Programme (IAAP) was started during 1964- 65 with the same objective, but with a less intensive staffing pattern, supervision, establishment of laboratories and centres. Processing of agricultural produce used to suffer due to lack of processing units near the production areas. Bulk processing of products turned out by agriculture has been done in urban-based industries. This delay in the processing of the produce used to reduce the quality. So, a need was there to establish rural industries which also create employment.