Artha Vijnana: Journal of The Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics

A. Narayanamoorthy ¹

Affiliations
1 Center for Rural Development, Alagappa University, Karaikudi -630 003, IN

Abstract

The use of quality seed is very important for increasing and stabilizing the productivity of crops. Considering the importance of quality seeds, both the Central and state governments have been making efforts to increase the supply of quality seeds to the farmers in India. While the area cultivated using quality seeds has increased significantly over the years. The spread of adoption of quality seeds is not the same across different crops. Oilseeds and pulses are rich in nutrient content and they also give higher profit per unit of output than many cereal crops. Despite this, the use of quality seeds in these crops is low as compared to many cereal crops. Farmers have been using their crop produce as seed, which generally lacks genetic vigour and thus. It does not help the farmers for achieving higher productivity. Although oilseeds and pulses have occupied an important position in Indian agriculture. Comprehensive studies focusing on the use of quality seeds in these crops are very few and far between. In this study, therefore an attempt has been made to study the production, distribution and adoption of quality seeds in oilseeds and pulses using both secondary as well as primary data collected from Maharashtra.

Full Text

     

A. Narayanamoorthy ¹, K. G. Kshirsagar ¹

Affiliations
1 Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (Deemed University), Pune 411 004, IN

Abstract

This study evaluates the impact of a watershed development project on different parameters using the field data collected from Gaosud watershed located in Osmanabad district in Maharashtra. This project was implemented under the scheme of National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA). The study compares a sample of beneficiaries of the project with that of non-beneficiaries (i.e .farmers with lands in contiguous areas outside the watershed) with respect to different parameters. The results of the study show that the watershed programme, besides changing the cropping pattern from low value crops to high value crops, also made remarkable improvement in water level of the wells, irrigated area, adoption of improved farming practices, productivity of different crops, gross income, assets position and availability of fodder and fuel wood for the land owing households. This programme has also markedly improved the employment days, fodder and fuel wood availability for the landless labour households. The study suggests that watershed development programme can be taken up wherever possible ntl only for improving the performance of rainfed agriculture but also as a permanent remedy for the drinking water problem of the rural areas.

Full Text

     

R. S. Deshpande ¹, Amalendu Jyotishi ², A. Narayanamoorthy ¹

Affiliations
1 Agricultural Development and Rural Transformation Unit, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Nagarbhavi, Bangalore-72, IN
2 Agricultural Development and Rural Transformation Unit, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Nagarbhavi, Bangalore-72, ID

Abstract

India's largest share of poor is located among agricultural labourers belonging to Scheduled Castes. The poverty in this group persists and gets perpetuated due to continued discrimination in the employment opportunities and wage market. Owing to the low wages, they are perceptually under debt burden. This issue becomes sharp due to interlocking of labour and credit market. The insignificant participation of this group in the formal credit market makes the situation worse. In this paper, an attempt is made to analyse the indebtedness and market participatian of the deprived castes especially on the background of one of the most radical institutianal changes, i.e., lanf reforms. We have used secondary level information available from different sources in order to analyse the issue. The study concludes that due to marginalisation in land market as well as extremely weak bargaining position in the labour market, the indebteduess of this group has been increasing. This situation is aggravated by the relative neglect of this group by formal credit agencies.

Full Text

     

A. Narayanamoorthy ¹

Affiliations
1 Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune 411 004, IN

Abstract

Studies focusing on the indebtedness of agricultural labour households belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCLHs) are seldom seen. In this paper, therefore, an attempt is made to study the incidence as well as extent of indebtedness of agricultural lobour households belonging to the Scheduled Castes. State wise cross section data pertaining to five time points (1974-75, 1977-78. 1983, 1987-88 and 1991-94) available through Rural Labour Enquiry reports have been used for the analysis. It Is found that the share of institutional debt in the total debt of SCLHs has increased from 5.76 per cent in 1974-75 to 30.10 per cent in 1993-94. Similarly, the share of productive purpose debt to the total debt of the same group has also increased from 8.81 per cent to 21.63 per cent daring the same period. While the incidence of indebtedness of the Scheduled Castes labour househalds has deClined between 1974-75 and 1993-94 inmost of the states, the same is found to be higher than the national level average among the agriculturally advanced states at all time points. The average amount of debt (in real value) of the Scheduled Castes lobour. households has increased between 1974-75 and 1993-94 in almost all the states, but the value of debt is found to be smaller among the agriculturally less developed status. It appears from the analysis that the extent of indebtedaess of agricultural labour households is higher in those states that have higher percentage of landless labour households, percentage of the Scheduled Castes, labour households to the total agricultural labour households and share of productive purpose debt to the total debt.

Full Text

     

R. S. Deshpande ¹, A. Narayanamoorthy ²

Affiliations
1 Agricultural Development and Rural Transformation Unit, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore - 560 072, IN
2 Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (Deemed to be a University). Pune - 411 004, IN

Abstract

With the positive and firm steps towards liberalisation, the policy towards agricultural development in India has more complex problems to deal with than ever before. Infrastructural development takes equal priority as that of the development of the bypassed regions, crops and peasant classes which did not receive the benefits of the technological change of mid-sixties.

Full Text

     

A. Narayanamoorthy , R. S. Deshpande

Abstract

Over-exploitation of water resource due to the inefficient use has caused deep concern during the last two decades. This is common across the sources of irrigation. The dilemma of the situation is that on the one side we have the fast increasing density of wells/canal systems causing stress on water resources and on the other side stands the largely salinated land mass. The only reason for these two is the inefficiency in use of water for irrigation. Resouroe literacy. proper pricing policy or legislating access to water are a few methods suggested to control the use rates. On the technology front however, we have different methods of irrigation which directly control the water delivery System. In the eighth plan a centrally sponsored scheme on 'Use of Plastics' in Agriculture' was launched to promote plastic in agriculture. Drip irrigation method has been one of them. It is also referred to as 'micro irrigation' along with the other such methods like sprinkler irrigation perforated pipes etc. Initially drip irrigation was used under water stress conditions to vegetable crops and using this Israel could achieve high productivity growth.

Full Text

     

A. Narayanamoorthy ¹

Affiliations
1 Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune - 411 004, IN

Abstract

Most of the researchers theortically argue that the cheaper electrictiy tariff policy (Flat-Rate) introduced for agricultural purpose makes way for the famers to use both the electricity and groundwater inefficiently as the morginal cost of these inputs under this syslem is near zero. Therefore they advocate that pro-rata tariff system can be used to increase the efficiency in the use of these two inputs. But in real condition, influence of tariff rate on the consumption of these two inputs would he less as it constitiutes a very meagre proportion in the tolal cost of cultivation. Moreover consumption of these two inputs mostly determined by many supply and demand factors other than tariff role alone. It is in this context, this paper aims to find out the relationship between tariff rate and consumption of electricity as well as the factors which determine the consumption of these two inputs by using macro-level data. This study concludes that there seems to be no direct relationship between the tariff rate and the consumption of electricity per pumpset and fact, it is significantly higher where tariff rate is presently higher. Since the factors like development of groundwater, punpset intensity, availability of surface sources of irrigation, hours supply of electricity, cropping pattern etc. mostly determine efficient use of electricity and groundwater, it is difficult to achieve efficiency in the use of these two inputs by manipulating tariff rate. Therefore, the present study suggest that appropriate rationing in electricity supply, improving pumpset efficiency and differential tariff rate con be taken up simultaneoulsy with the introduction of quality extension network to achieve efficiency in the use of electricity and groundwater.

Full Text

     

A. Narayanamoorthy ¹

Affiliations
1 Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune - 411 004, IN

Abstract

Several studies have been conducted on fertiliser use and its relationship with Irrigation. IDTs area, land size, climatic conditions and productivity of crops. However, studies are rarely available on the adoption of recommended doses of different nutrients of fertiliser and its impact on yield of crop in the recent years.

Full Text

     

A. Narayanamoorthy

Abstract

It is already corroborated by studies and macro-level data that fertiliser decontrol which was introduced on August 1992 in two components, namely, Phosphate (P) and Potash (K) has reduced the consumption of fertiliser and sharply widened the NPK ratio more in an unfavourable way at all India level. However, the impact of decontrol has not been focused at state level so far. The present study analyses how the decontrol's impact varies across the states and which are the states affected largely. This study has found that the reduction of P and K fertiliser consumption is above the national average in majority of the agriculturally advanced states. The worst affected zone both in terms of P and K consumption and NPK ratio is north. Sharp reduction in P and K consumption has occurred mostly in state which has above national average in terms of gross irrigated area, groundwater area, canal irrigated area, area under food crops and cropping intensity. At the individual state level, the worst affected states are UP, Punjab and Haryana.

Full Text

     

A. Narayanamoorthy

Abstract

Experience of the countries which use drip irrigation extensively indicates that the method of drip irrigation enhances the yield of crop, reduces the consumption of water as well as the cost of cultivation. Results of the different research stations in India have also confirmed the importance of drip irrigation in increasing the productivity of the crops and reducing the consumption of water. In India, this method of irrigation was introduced in the early eighties through Government's schemes. Measures have been introduced in the recent years to promote this water saving technology on a large scale. In the Eighth Plan period a centrally sponsored scheme namely "Use of Plastics in Agriculture" has been launched for promotion of various plasticulture techniques like drip irrigatior, mulching and green houses with the objectives of achieving higher productivity with optimum utilisation of water resources. Maharashtra is one of the leading States in using drip irrigation. Large number of farmers have taken benefit of the State and Central schemes of drip irrigation. Present study is undertaken to evaluate the performance of drip irrigation system provided undcr the Government's schemes in Maharashtra.

Full Text

     

A. Narayanamoorthy , N. Rajasekaran , Deepak Shah

Abstract

Introduction of new seed-water-fertilizer technology in Indian agriculture has made greater changes in the use of machineries like pump-sets, tractors, sprayers, etc. Among the machineries, the diffusion of tractor is not uniform across the States. It is highly concentrated the areas where assured irrigation facility is available and among large farmers. But, owing to the commercialization of agriculture, the wage rate of both human and bullock labour has increased enormously in recent period.

Full Text