Agriculture in India was traditional and stagnant in every respect at the time of Independence in 1947. It was characterized by feudal land relations and primitive technology, resulting in low productivity per hectare of land. Consequently, rural India presented a picture of mass poverty and widespread unemployment and under-employment. Therefore, the first task of the government in the immediate post-Independence period was to initiate growth process in agriculture on modern lines. Modernization of agriculture was required both in terms of technological and institutional changes. Abolition of intermediaries in agriculture, namely zamindars and jagirdars, was accomplished soon after Independence. Agricultural sector occupies a key position in the Indian economy. Agriculture (inclusive of animal husbandry, forestry and fishing) is central to the nutrition needs of India and also remains the largest sector of India’s economy as a source of employment. Two major components of agricultural development strategy have been: (a) subsidies on inputs and (b) minimum support price for output. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, a countrywide lockdown was announced from March 25, 2020. Most of the economic activities came to a grinding halt in urban areas. However, rural India continued to be normal in view of the exemption from restrictions allowed to farmers to conduct farming operations, including harvesting and transporting their produce to grain markets with the general conditions of face covering, hand hygiene and social distancing. These exemptions helped to maintain continuity in supply chain, especially in view of harvesting and sowing season. Not only cultivation, but agriculture-related activities—plantation, horticulture, cattle breeding, fishing, and dairy farming—also remained, by and large, immune to COVID crisis, providing a silver lining in the otherwise gloomy scenario. Government of India promulgated three ordinances on June 5, 2020 relating to agriculture. These ordinances were subsequently replaced by the following Acts of Parliament. (1) Farmers [Empowerment and Protection] Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 is a dedicated legislation to enable contract farming based on written agreements. (2) Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 liberates farmers by giving them the freedom to sell anywhere. (3) Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 has the objective of restricting the conditions on which the government can impose stock limit on agricultural produce. According to Economic Survey, 2020-21, “The reforms in the agricultural sector were more overdue than even the labour reforms as the existing laws kept the Indian farmer enslaved to the local mandi and their rent-seeking intermediaries”. Rural development implies both the economic betterment of people as well as greater social transformation. Increased participation of people in the rural development process, decentralisation of planning, better enforcement of land reforms and greater access to credit and inputs go a long way in providing the rural people with better prospects for improved quality of life. Improvements in housing, transport and communications, energy supply, health and education, water supply, and sanitation coupled with attitudinal changes are key elements of rural transformation. Alleviation of rural poverty has been one of the primary objectives of planned development in India. Ever since the inception of planning, the policies and the programmes have been designed and redesigned with this aim. Progressive reduction of unemployment has been one of the principal objectives of economic planning in India. Hence, India’s poverty alleviation strategy has leaned towards wage employment programmes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The present book provides an exhaustive, descriptive and analytical account of policies and programmes for development of agriculture and rural areas in India since Independence in 1947. The book contains 25 chapters which have been organized into 2 parts. Part I (chapters 1 to 15) is titled Agriculture and Allied Sectors. It provides glimpses of Indian agriculture during the British rule, role of agriculture in the Indian economy, recent legislative measures for agricultural sector, land reforms, agricultural inputs, agricultural marketing, plantation and horticulture, agricultural exports and imports, agriculture and information technology (IT), gender issues in agriculture, climate change and Indian agriculture and various other topics related to agriculture and allied activities. Part II (chapters 16 to 25) is titled Rural Infrastructure and Development. It explains and examines rural industries, rural financial inclusion, MGNREGS, rural housing, rural transport and communications, rural electrification and water supply, rural health and sanitation and other topics related to rural development. CONTENTS Part I: Agriculture and Allied Sectors 1. Indian Agriculture during British Rule 1.1 Early Phase of British Rule 1.2 Land Relations and Land Rents 1.3 Royal Commission on Agriculture (RCA) 1.4 Great Economic Depression of 1930s and Agriculture 1.5 Government of India Act, 1935 and Agriculture 1.6 Second World War and the Grow More Food (GMF) Campaign 1.7 Statement on Agriculture and Food Policy in India, 1946 1.8 Partition and the Aftermath 2. Agriculture and Allied Sectors: An Overview 2.1 Role of Agriculture in the Indian Economy 2.2 Subsistence Nature of Farming and Small-sized Holdings 2.3 Components of Agriculture and Allied Sectors 2.4 Low Productivity of Indian Agriculture 2.5 COVID-19 and Agricultural Sector 3. Constitutional Provisions, Institutional Set-up and Recent Legislative Measures for Promotion of Agricultural Sector 3.1 Agriculture in the Constitution of India 3.2 Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare 3.3 Recent Legislative Measures to Promote Indian Agriculture 4. Land Reforms: Aspects and Critical Appraisal 4.1 Abolition of Intermediaries 4.2 Tenancy Reforms 4.3 Ceiling on Land Holdings 4.4 Consolidation of Holdings 4.5 Protection of Tribals’ Rights in Land 4.6 Critical Appraisal of Land Reforms in India 5. Agricultural Inputs, Education and Research 5.1 Improved Varieties of Seeds 5.2 Fertilizers 5.3 Plants Protection and Insecticides 5.4 Agricultural Implements and Machines 5.5 Agricultural Education and Research 6. Irrigation Development and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) 6.1 History of Irrigation Development in India 6.2 Importance of Irrigation 6.3 Sources of Irrigation 6.4 Minor and Major Irrigation Schemes 6.5 Command Area Development Programme (CADP) 6.6 Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) 6.7 Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) 7. Agricultural Credit and Farm Loan Waivers 7.1 Credit and Agricultural Development 7.2 Credit Needs of the Indian Farmers 7.3 Sources of Credit for the Farmers 7.4 Co-operative Banks 7.5 Rural Co-operatives 7.6 Farm Loan Waivers 8. Agricultural Marketing, Trade, and e-NAM 8.1 Nature and Significance of Agricultural Marketing 8.2 Present System of Marketing Agricultural Produce 8.3 Marketing Organizations of the Government 8.4 Agricultural Marketing Information Network (AGMARKNET), 2000 8.5 State Agricultural Produce Marketing (Development and Regulation) Act, 2003: The Model Act 8.6 National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) 9. Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) and Food Stocks 9.1 Objectives of Agricultural Price Policy 9.2 Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) 9.3 Assessment of Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) 9.4 Burgeoning Food Stocks 10. Gender Issues in Indian Agriculture 10.1 Role of Women in Agriculture 10.2 Importance of Land for Women 10.3 Gender-sensitive Agricultural Policies of the Government 11. Agriculture and Information Technology (IT) 11.1 Importance of IT-based Services to Farmers 11.2 National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGP-A) 11.3 Computerisation of Agricultural Census and Input Survey 11.4 Rural Portal of Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) 11.5 National Rural Employment Guarantee Act Software Package (NREGASoft) 11.6 Cyber Dhabas 11.7 E-Choupal 11.8 Kisan Call Centres (KCCs) 11.9 E-Panchayat 11.10 BharatNet 11.11 Digital Village 12. Plantation and Horticulture 12.1 Need for Diversification of Indian Agriculture 12.2 Plantation Sector 12.3 Horticultural Crops 13. Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying 13.1 Fisheries 13.2 Animal Husbandry 13.3 Dairy Farming 14. Agricultural Exports, Imports, and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) 14.1 Agricultural Exports 14.2 Agricultural Imports 14.3 FDI in Agriculture and Allied Sectors 15. Climate Change, Indian Agriculture and Policy Measures 15.1 Evidence on Climate Change 15.2 Perceived Consequences of Climate Change 15.3 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 15.4 Impact of Climate Change on India 15.5 India’s Approach to Climate Change 15.6 National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) 15.7 Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change 15.8 Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Part II: Rural Infrastructure and Development 16. Constitutional Provisions and Institutional Set Up for Rural Development 16.1 Degree of Ruralisation 16.2 Constitutional Provisions for Rural Development 16.3. Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) 16.4 Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) 16.5 Training of Rural Development Functionaries 16.6 District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) 16.7 Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialisation (MGIRI) 16.8 Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) 16.9 Bharat Nirman Programme for Rural Infrastructure 16.10 Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) 17. Rural Industries: Khadi, Coir, Handloom and Others 17.1 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) 17.2 Khadi and Village Industries (KVI) 17.3 Coir Industry 17.4 Handlooms 17.5 Powerlooms 17.6 Handicrafts 17.7 Silk and Sericulture 17.8 Unorganised Wool Sector 17.9 Food Processing Industry 18. Rural Financial Inclusion 18.1 Financial Inclusion Defined 18.2 Advantages of Financial Inclusion 18.3 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Financial Inclusion 18.4 Financial Inclusion Measures by NABARD 18.5 Micro Finance 18.6 Self-help Groups (SHGs) 18.7 RuPay ATM-cum-Debit Kisan Credit Cards (RKCCs) 18.8 NABARD’s Project E-Shakti for Digitisation of SHGs 19. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) 19.1 Objectives and Significance of MGNREGS 19.2 Expression of Demand for Employment 19.3 Labour Budget, Inventory of Projects and Perspective Plan 19.4 Work Record, Payment of Wages and Preventing Bogus Muster Rolls 19.5 Vigilance and Transparency 19.6 Other Processes of MGNREGS 19.7 National Rural Employment Guarantee Act Software Package (NREGASoft) 19.8 Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) 19.9 Aadhar Linked Payments (ALP) 19.10 National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS) 19.11 GeoMGNREGA 19.12 Recommendations of NCEUS to Improve MGNREGS 19.13 New Guidelines to Strengthen MGNREGS 19.14 Some Recent Initiatives under MGNREGS 19.15 MGNAREGS in Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan 19.16 Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan 19.17 MGNREGS: Concluding Observations 20. Rural Housing and Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G) 20.1 Rural Housing Programmes in India: A Brief History 20.2 Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) 20.3 Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G) 21. Rural Transport and Communications 21.1 Rural Transport 21.2 Rural Telephony: Digital Divide and Universal Service Obligation (USO) 22. Rural Electrification and Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana 22.1 Rural Electrification Policy, 2006 22.2 Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana ((RGGVY) 22.3 Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DUGJY) 22.4 Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana—Saubhagya 23. Rural Water Supply and Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)─Rural 23.1 Importance of Water 23.2 Need for Safe Drinking Water 23.3 Water Pollution 23.4 Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) 23.5 Swajaldhara 23.6 National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) 23.7 Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)─Rural 23.8 National Rural Drinking Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Programme (NRDWQM&SP) 23.9 Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) 23.10 Major Issues in Rural Water Supply 24. Rural Health and Ayushman Bharat 24.1 Importance of Health 24.2 Constitutional Provisions 24.3 National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) 24.4 National Health Mission (NHM) 24.5 Major Initiatives under National Health Mission (NHM) 24.6 Ayushman Bharat: National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) 25. Rural Sanitation and Cleanliness 25.1 Sanitation: A Basic Need 25.2 Central Rural Sanitation Programme (CRSP) 25.3 Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) 25.4 Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) 25.5 Swachh Bharat Mission—Gramin (SBM-G) 25.6 E-governance Initiatives for Sanitation in Rural Areas 25.7 Clean Living Conditions Bibliography Index ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Yashvir Singh was Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Government of India; Chairman of Kisan Kamgar Sammelan and Vice-Chairman of Kisan Trust of India, New Delhi. He holds B.Sc. degree in Biology, M.Sc. in Plant Science (Botany), M.Phil. in Plant Science, and Ph.D. in Plant Genetics (Biotechnology). He has held various academic assignments including Lecturer in the Department of Agriculture, Meerut University; Senior Research Associate at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi; and Scientific Officer of a Research Project of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in JNU. He has published 42 research papers on plant genetics in Indian and international journals of repute. Dr. Yashvir was a member of High Powered Committee on Rural Lending, Reserve Bank of India (RBI); member of Advisory Council of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD); member of the Board of Directors, Small Industrial Development Bank of India (SIDBI); member of the Governing Body of Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART); member of the Committee on Rural Employment set up by the Planning Commission of India; and member of the Task Force Committee on Silk set up by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.