Page 161 - DECO502_INDIAN_ECONOMIC_POLICY_ENGLISH

Unit 13: Recent Issues in Indian Agriculture

The problem lies in the disconnect between the farmer, the administration and the agriculture Notes
knowledge worker, which is why critical information does not travel to the small farmer even though
there is a multiplicity of agencies at the policy-making levels.
Essential Commodities Act

The other obstructive legislation is the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), which was put in place in
1955 after Independence to control the production, supply and distribution of essential agricultural
commodities. India was then facing acute food shortages, and the Act was meant to ensure the
availability of food products. Conditions have changed since, and there is recognition that controlling
the movement of products by licensing of dealers, limits on stocks and control on movements will
hamper the growth of the agricultural sector and the promotion of food-processing industries. This
Act was amended in 2003 to encourage free movement of agricultural commodities across regions.
The larger issues are around the fact that India’s growing population has to be fed, and that will need
some drastic and dramatic changes in the way agriculture is being run. It needs to be borne in mind
that with economic growth, the diet of large segment of India’s population is changing : there is far
greater demand for dairy and meat products, and this is an area that will demand special attention.
It also means that the rate of increase in food consumption will be higher than the rate of population
growth. Furthermore, Indian agriculture will have to grow amidst unsustainable increases in the
price of inputs, with petroleum costs making all food grain and input movements expensive and
food, therefore, dearer.
Self-Assessment
1. Choose the correct option:
(i) The Black rust of disease of wheat is caused by-
(a) Xanthomonas graminis (b) Puccinia graminis
(c) Puccinia recondita (d) None of these
(ii) A crop grown in zaid season is
(a) Soyabean (b) Water melon
(c) Jute (d) Maize
(iii) The adoption of High Yielding Variety Programme in Indian Agriculture started in -
(a) 1966 (b) 1965
(c) 1968 (d) 1967
(iv) Which of the following is a food crop?
(a) Palm (b) Jute
(c) Cotton (d) Maize
(v) Which of the following is an oilseed ?
(a) Cardamom (b) Garlic
(c) Clove (d) Mustard
(vi) Which one of the following makes a case for intensive, modern farming?
(a) Cropping pattern (b) Higher output using organic method
(c) Remunerative price (d) None of these
(vii) Which of the following is not an agricultural product?
(a) Alum (b) Cotton
(c) Jute (d) Rice

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