ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS FOR PUNJAB AGRICULTURE

BIBHU PRASAD SAHOO¹*, KARMAN KAUR^2
1Department of Commerce, SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi 110021
²Department of Economics, SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi 110021
* Corresponding Author : bibhusahoo2000@yahoo.co.in

Received : 17-02-2017     Accepted : 14-06-2017     Published : 06-07-2017
Volume : 9     Issue : 31       Pages : 4451 - 4455
Int J Agr Sci 9.31 (2017):4451-4455

Keywords : Green revolution, Punjab, Sustainable agriculture, Mechanisation of farms, Soil and air pollution, Female labor force participation
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : The authors are grateful to SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, for its kind support.
Author Contribution : All author equally contributed

Green revolution in India took place back in the mid 1960s. The two waves of green revolution transformed the working of Indian agriculture and helped it reach greater heights. The use of high yielding variety of seeds, improved pesticides, irrigation facilities etc., helped improve the quality and quantity of the primary produce in India. States like Punjab which was greatly benefited by the green revolution, witnessed the rise in it’s productivity. but the flip side to this significant wave has been the degradation suffered in the sustainability of the agriculture in the state. The study done here shows, how the economic, environmental and social aspect in the concept of sustainable agriculture is hampered in the state post green revolution. The increased use of machines on the farm led to huge displacement of labor. Punjab carries nearly 80% of small and family farms. The increased displacement has led to increased incidences of disguised unemployment in the state, confronting the economic aspect of sustainable agriculture. The adaptation of new cultivation strategy has restricted the state to have only two crops, i.e., wheat and paddy. Further it has resulted in diseased soil, pest infested crops, overexploited groundwater and water logging deserts. Another apparent outcome of green revolution in the state has been the evidences of reduced female labor participation in the labor force. Also green revolution has led to smaller land holdings, disparity in rural income. The increased use of machines and improved inputs has created a wedge in the gender employment in the state.

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