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Unit 6: Agriculture in the National Economy

You must understand that the Fifth Plan (1974-1979) was planned with great care, with total Plan Notes
outlay at ` 39,430 crore out of which outlay on agriculture and allied sectors would be ` 8,740
crore (which was 24 per cent of the total Plan outlay). The targets for production of several crops
and the necessary inputs to achieve attain these targets were also clearly set out. Unluckily, all
the financial calculations went wrong due to the serious inflationary condition during 1973-74.
But, after the declaration of emergency (1975) agricultural progress was steady and plan targets
were nearly realised.
The Janata Party which came to power in 1997, but, suspended the Fifth Plan midway – quite
foolishly – and began preparing the Sixth Plan. It will be obvious from Table 6.2 that the real
production of food grains in the past year (1978-79) of the Fifth Plan was 132 million tonnes, as
against the target of 125 million tonnes. In truth, apart from the First Plan the Fifth Plan was the
just period when the real production of food grains surpassed the targeted production.

6.2.6 Progress Since the Sixth Plan

You may already be aware that of all the Plans, the Sixth Plan (1980-85) was welcomed as a great
success, especially due to the success on the agricultural front. As against the annual growth rate
of 3.8 per cent for agriculture, the real growth rate was 4.3 per cent. The production of food
grains in 1983-84 was 152 million tonnes (opposed to the target of 154 million tonnes) and was
welcomed by the Indian Government as the Second Green Revolution. Whereas the First Green
Revolution from 1967-68 arose from the launch of new high yielding varieties of Mexican wheat
as well as dwarf rice varieties, the Second Green Revolution from 1983-84 was stated to be from
expansion in supplies of inputs and services to farmers, better management and agricultural
extension.
While the First Green Revolution was restricted mainly to Punjab, Haryana and Western U.P.,
the Second Green Revolution had extended to eastern and central states involving West Bengal,
Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and eastern U.P. These states had made huge progress in recent
years.

Notes However, it is important to emphasise the fact that, despite all the great claims of
the Government, none of the targets (except in oilseeds) of agricultural production was
achieved during the Sixth Plan.

The Seventh Plan (1985-90), the Eighth Plan (1992-97) and the Ninth Plan (1997-2002) aimed at 4
per cent annual rate of growth and laid stress on specific projects in the field of agriculture. They
involved an exclusive rice production programme in the eastern area, national watershed
programme for rainfed agriculture, social forestry, national oilseeds development project, etc.

The Seventh Plan was not successful in the sense that the targets fixed for several sectors (except
cotton) were not acquired. But, the level of production at the end of the Seventh Plan was much
greater than at the start of the Seventh Plan.
The Eighth Plan (1992-97) was fundamentally sound in its approach in the strategy of development
and in the targets of agricultural crops. Luckily, weather and climate conditions were favourable
and widely many of the targets could be fulfilled.

Example: The actual outputs in 1996-97 (the last year of the Eighth Plan) of oilseeds, of
sugar cane, of cotton and of jute were greater than the targets for these crops in the Eighth Plan.

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