Q29
“The Government of India has introduced various institutional and technological reforms to improve agriculture in the 1980s and 1990s.” Support this statement with examples.
Solution
The Government of India has introduced various institutional and technological reforms under a comprehensive Land Development Programme to improve agriculture in the 1980s and 1990s.
Land Development Programme:
Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease.
Establishment of Grameen (regional rural) banks, cooperative societies and banks for providing loan facilities to the farmers at lower rates of interest.
Other Reforms:
Apart from land development program, the government has initiated many other benefit schemes for the farmers.
Kisan Credit Card (KCC): Scheme for giving easy and cheap loans to small farmers. Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) for Kisan Credit Card (KCC) holders.
Special weather bulletins and agricultural programs for farmers were introduced through radio and television channels.
The government also announced Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various agricultural products like cereals, pulses and others (to check the exploitation of farmers by middlemen).