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Unprecedented Growth of Indian Economy
Vs
Disastrous Decline in Agricultural Growth
India felt genuinely proud to record GDP growth rate 9.4%, and to be fastest growing economy next to China. There are reasons to be happy, as the growth is little higher than what was expected and it is at a hand shaking distance of double digit. Manufacturing sector grew at 12.3%, more than 3% over last year and per capita income, without taking inflation in to account grew by 14.3%. During the first quarter ending June 2007-08 the growth profile has shown improvement. Economists have cheered the growth because of high rate inflow from foreign institutional investors (FII) and inspiring growth of Manufacturing and Service sectors. Though there are issues related to higher interest rate and management of cash reserve ratio, but these are lesser worries and are manageable as probably, a part of the growth.

Then where is main worry?
Worry is Disastrous Decline in Agricultural Growth. During the current year it has touched practically rock bottom. The contribution of agriculture to GDP stood at 40% in 1975 and has slowly and steadily declined to 20% by 2006. Growth rate has declined from 4.2% in 1992 to shocking 1.8% in 2006 - the Lowest Ever.
Per capita production in Kg per person per year has steady come down from 207 Kg in 1995 to 186 Kg in 2006. We have produced around 200 million tons against our own need of 210 MT. This will necessitate import of around 10 MT.The imports have been rising from Indian Rupees (INR) 12,000million to staggering INR 230,000 million.
The above scenario is disastrous as around 70% of India lives in villages and is dependent on agriculture. Decline in the level of food grains production per capita, means simply in unambiguous and unmistakable terms, decline in the income of the farmer. Coupled with price rise, farmers are becoming poorer slowly but surely.
If around 70% of country's population is sliding on poor to poorer economic profile, the economic growth achieved can only be termed as skewed, slanted and twisted. In the opinion of experts in the field, agriculture is heading for a collapse, if remedial measures are not taken urgently. Effect of Green revolution is over, more and more farmers are quitting their job and their suicides continue.
If we look at the sickness symptoms of the present agriculture, one can observe that total agriculture land available is stagnant at 120 million hectare at

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