Village Development
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PRA AR D T ES T H U Chapter 6 Village Development 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Status of Village Development1 in Uttar Pradesh: An Analysis The main objective of this chapter is to assess the quality of life in the villages of Uttar Pradesh and 6.2.1 Agriculture Sector suggest ways and means to improve the same. The Low Average Income Per Worker in Agriculture study followed a methodology of combining field visits, Agriculture is the largest sector of the state’s intensive village studies using a case study approach, economy with its share being the highest both in the analysing various documents collected from the state income as well as in employment. However, there departments, focus group discussions with field officers is a gross imbalance in these shares, and unlike the of the Government and the NGOs. other sectors of the state’s economy, its share in total The results of the study are analysed and workers of the state is far higher than its share in state discussed in the following structure. The chapter income. As a result, the average income per worker of presents an introduction about the state including this sector, with the largest workforce having to the demographic and other related parameters in support the largest section of population is far less Section 6.2. This is followed by a review of compared to the corresponding income per worker in approaches in the Five -Year Plans in selected other sectors of the economy. The average income per sectors such as forest, land, agriculture, joint worker in the main sectors in 1991 is given below: forestry, drinking water and energy and rural infrastructures in section 6.3. Section 6.4 provides TABLE 6.1 case studies with respect to nine villages selected Average Income Per Worker from across the state. The village study analysis provides the summary of varying situations across Sector Income No. of Average Income (Crores Rs.) Workers (Lakh) Per Worker (at the state’s villages with insights into the development Current Prices in Rs.) with micro -level perspectives. Section 6.5 discusses the government schemes and programmes launched in Agriculture 20846.24 301.60 6,912 Uttar Pradesh. The appendices provide the secondary Manufacturing 6879.18 32.05 21464 data analysis related to the various government projects Others 21770.82 79.96 27347 and programmes in the state, review of various Total: 49496.24 413.61 11967 All Sectors literature on the development of villages in India. Source: Government of Uttar Pradesh, Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-2007) and Annual Plan Vol.1 (Part 1) of Lucknow. 1. For the purpose of the study the sectors including land, water, agriculture, energy and physical infrastructure are undertaken from the secondary data collected from various departments. 170 UTTAR PRADESH DEVELOPMENT REPORT—VOL. 2 Stagnation in the Rate of Growth of Agriculture be felt until it also leads to a raise in the income of the It is well known that weather induced fluctuations agricultural workforce. Currently, this workforce is are a normal feature in agricultural production and the much more than what is required for full and gainful rate of growth in the agriculture sector is influenced by employment. It is an accepted fact that the size of the surplus workforce is quite large, anywhere close to 30 these fluctuations. But when these fluctuations are very per cent of the total workforce of this sector. This is large, either because of droughts or floods, there is not a recent phenomenon. It has been there in the past always a risk that rates of growth for a particular period and has not undergone any significant change in all do not always portray the correct picture depending these years. The workforce in agriculture in 1971 was upon the extent of loss in agricultural production in 213 lakh, comprising 78 per cent of state’s total the base year or the terminal year of the period. The workforce. In spite of surplus labour in this sector, the rates of growth given above are for different periods, workforce rose by 14 per cent to 243 lakh in 1981 and covering a long span of time. If we look at the average by yet another 24 per cent to 302 lakh in 1991, with a annual growth in agriculture in some of the recent Five marginal decline of three percentage points only in the Year Plans, it was 2.7 per cent in the Sixth, Seventh state’s total workforce from 78 per cent (1971) to 75 and Eighth Five Year Plans. There was, thus, a unique per cent in 1981 and a little further to 73 per cent in stagnation in growth in agriculture at 2.7 per cent in 1991. But while these shares have gone down only the recent past in these three consecutive Five-Year marginally, the fall in the share of agriculture in the Plans. Apart from stagnation in growth in agriculture, total state income has been far too steep. a trend of a lower growth of less than 3 per cent in agriculture continued to haunt the state in all these Imbalance in the Distribution of years. State Income vis-à-vis Agricultural Workers The dependence of the state’s economy on Against a decline of a mere three percentage points agriculture, on the one hand, and the poor performance in its share in state’s total workforce between 1971 and of agriculture, on the other, is thus a matter of great 1981, the share of the sector in the state income fell by concern for the development of the state. It would seven percentage points in the same period, from 57 per appear that either the efforts made for the development cent in 1971 to 50 per cent in 1981, and by 9 per cent of agriculture are not adequate and do not match the points in the following decades between 1980-81 and requirement for such development or there are some 1990-91, from 50 per cent to 41 per cent, against a far constraints on growth which are not being addressed or smaller decline of only three percentage points in its the development in agriculture has reached a plateau share in the state’s total workforce. Thus, while way beyond which it is now incapable of growing in the back in 1971, the contribution of agriculture to the present scenario. These are some areas that require total state income was 57 per cent and its share in the careful investigation in order to chalk out suitable state’s workforce 78 per cent the same contribution strategies and policies for a higher and sustained came down to 41 per cent 20 years later in 1991 with growth in agriculture. The fact that the present its share in total workforce still at 72 per cent. This is schemes and policies for the development of agriculture evidence of a trend of growing imbalance in the are not yielding a higher growth rate is clearly borne distribution of the state income against agricultural out from the past experience and, therefore, instead of workers, which comprises about three-fourths of the continuing the same in future, there is a need to have total workforce of the state and whose income levels a well thought out, more comprehensive approach are, therefore, very material in creating a demand for comprising a series of well coordinated and mutually goods and services, the most effective stimulant to supportive steps which can break the current growth in the economy. It is this workforce which stagnation and boost up growth in agriculture. This is must be targeted more effectively in our development where the proposed investigation must lead us to in policies, strategies and programmes so that the large the course of developing future plans and make a surplus and under employed among them shift in due beginning for the same in the Tenth Plan. course, to more remunerative occupations, leaving behind a workforce which the sector requires for full Disguised Unemployment and gainful employment. A higher growth in agriculture is not all that is The marginal decline in the shares of agriculture in needed to improve the state’s economy. The impact of a the state’s workforce, was accompanied by a very higher growth in agriculture on its economy will not substantial increase in the workforce of this sector, the Chapter 6 • VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT 171 same going up by 14 per cent from 213 lakh in 1971 to holdings of 4 ha. and above, on the other, are acting as 243 lakh in 1981, i.e. an increase of 30 lakh in these 10 a major constraint on capital formation and growth in years, and rising still further by 24 per cent to 302 lakh agriculture. It is necessary to assess the impact of these in 1991, a still higher increase of 59 lakh in these 10 changes on agricultural development in the state. years. These are some disquietening trends and need urgent attention. 6.2.2. Irrigation The main reasons for the above are briefly described. Irrigation is the lifeline of agriculture and yet a large A lower productivity of main crops in most areas of the proportion of the area is unirrigated in the state. state, lack of diversification in agriculture from low value to high value crops, inadequate and inefficient TABLE 6.2 infrastructure for development in rural areas and lesser Gross and Net Sown Area employment generation in the other more remunerative sectors of the economy than what is necessary for the 1998-99 Lakh Ha.