The Indian Agriculture Sector

Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy. It accounts for nearly 20 percent of the aggregate output. To be specific, nearly half of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihood (Government of India, 2010, p. 6). Contribution of the agricultural sector to the economy is declining, however other sectors thrive.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Indian Agriculture Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, approximately 45 percent of the total output was obtained from the agricultural sector in the early 70s,. The figure has dropped to less than 20 percent in the last decade. Nonetheless, agriculture still remains a significant source of employment for many Indians. It provides jobs to over half of the country’s population (Government of India, 2010, p. 12). The dwindling agricultural production has led to a decrease in agricultural exports and an increase in agricultural import s. The ratio of agricultural exports to the total exports dropped to 10 percent in 2010 compared to 20 percent in the early ’90s. On the other hand, the ratio of agricultural imports to the aggregate imports grew by approximately 6.6 percent in the last three decades (Government of India, 2010, p. 13). The decrease in agricultural production and the increase in agricultural imports have been a cause of major concern. Hot debates didn’t provide any solution to the problem, as well as small reforms. situation deteriorated which led to introduction of the next five-year plan. As a result, the government came up with a five-year plan, which solely targets the agricultural sector. The five-year plan is aimed at reversing the disturbing trend in the sector. The five-year plan puts emphasis on the country’s self-sufficiency and self-reliance in the food production (Vaidyanathan, 2010, p. 9; Government of India, 2013, p. 5). This paper explores the impact of the 11th fi ve-year plan on India’s agricultural sector, particularly in promoting local food production and economy stability. 11TH  Five Year Plans (2007-2011) As the country’s population keeps growing, the nation needed to enhance its food production to take care of the ever-increasing demand. Given the significance of the agricultural sector to the economy, the government introduced the 11th five-year plan to provide support and incentives to farmers and other stakeholders in order to enhance production of food (Government of India, 2013, p. 5).Advertising Looking for essay on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are four principal elements of this policy. The first element is enhancement of viability of agricultural operations by increasing market access, availing insurance cover, and monitoring agricultural commodity prices (IBEF, 2013, p. 7). The second element is provision of suitable technologies thr ough research and training. The third element is increase of budgetary allocation for agriculture and its infrastructure so as to improve efficient use of natural resources and of agricultural commodity markets functioning. Last but not least is provision of better delivery of services, for instance, loans to farmers, veterinary services and general farm inputs. In a nutshell, the 11th five-year plan was aimed at increasing food production by providing special programs and building agricultural infrastructure (IBEF, 2013, p. 7). The Impact of the 11th Five-Year Plan on the economy and local food production Figure 1 below shows India’s GDP growth rate over the last ten years. It is clear that between 1997 and 2007 the real agricultural output was decreasing, whereas the non-agricultural output was increasing. The ratio of agricultural GDP to the total GDP was very low during that period. This forced the government to reconsider its policy on food production, hence to introduce the 11th five-year plan (Central Statistics Office, 2011, p. 44). The 11th five-year program introduced the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), which significantly increased production of cereals in the country. The principal goal of the National Food Security Mission was to establish scientific elements which incorporate mechanization, soil supplements and crop security measures (Government of India, 2013, p. 6). The 11th five-year plan helped to attain 3.2 percent agricultural GDP growth. Even though the figure was below the projected value of 4 percent, it was significantly better than the figures under the previous policies (Central Statistics Office, 2011, p. 45). Figure 1: Agriculture and Non-Agriculture GDP Growth Rate in India in the Last DecadeAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Indian Agriculture Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Source: (Central Statistics Office, 2011) Before the introduc tion of the 11th five-year plan, the share of acreage of agricultural lands decreased by approximately 20 million hectares. Similarly, the area under food grains shrank by 10 percent. The lowest production was recorded in 2008. However, the introduction of new technologies under the 11th five-year plan led to 80 percent increase in acreage of agricultural lands. The production of rice, wheat and maize increased significantly, followed by pulses on the second place. Under the 11th five-year plan, food grain output increased by 2.3 percent (Central Statistics Office, 2011, p. 45). Generally, Indian agribusiness is characterized by diminutive and divided area holdings. There are around 130 million active holdings in the country. On average, each active holding possesses approximately 1.2 hectares. Less than 1 percent own more than 10 hectares (Sharma, 2011, p. 6). Before the introduction of the 11th five-year plan, the overall productivity among the smallholder producers was exceedingl y low. Their participation in the market was poor because of such reasons as high transaction costs, low yields, inadequate information and small market consumption. In addition, increased land fragmentation led to big losses on farmlands. As a result, many farmers opted to lease their lands or seek gainful employment outside the agricultural sector (IBEF, 2013, p. 5). The introduction of the 11th five-year plan brought some positive results. The 11th five-year plan supported the formation of cooperatives and self-help groups. The cooperatives and self-help groups not only helped farmers to access credit facilities, but also to market their products. The government increased access to loan facilities by providing interest-free loans and subsidized inputs.Advertising Looking for essay on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For this reason, many Indians went back to farming (IBEF, 2013, p. 6). By the end of 2012, cultivation areas had increased by 8 million hectares. The government also introduced other support programs through the 11th five-year plan, such as water for canal irrigation, power for groundwater pumping, retention price subsidy scheme for fertilizers, and access to the international market (IBEF, 2013, p. 7). According to the IBEF (2013, p. 7), the main objective of the 11th five-year plan was to increase the production of food grains by 20 million tons. The government allocated roughly 900 million U.S. dollars for the project. There are four main achievements of the 11th five-year plan for the first year according to the National Food Security Mission (NFSM). The first achievement was a 70 million tons to over 90 million tons increase of wheat production. The second achievement was a 90 million tons to over 110 million tons increase of rice production. The third achievement was an 80 mil lion tons to over 100 million tons increase of maize production. And the last was a 13 million tons to over 15 million tons increase of pulse production (IBEF, 2013, p. 7). Figure 2 below highlights the growth rate of land, labor and capital output based on the agricultural GDP index. Even though the productivity growth rate in the agricultural sector has always been low, averaging 2 percent per year, during the 11th five-year plan it reached 5 percent. This was the highest figure recorded in the country’s history. The closest was 3 percent, which was recorded in 1981. As a matter of fact, the Commission of Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) estimated the growth rate of real wages in the agricultural sector at 8 percent per annum during the period (Government of India, 2013, p. 9). Figure 2: Growth Rate of Land, Labor and Capital Output Source: (Government of India, 2013, p. 9) The introduction of the scientific elements, for instance, labor saving mechanization led to the rapid increase of private investment in the agricultural sector. This is attributed to the country’s rigid labor laws and the ever-increasing wages (Shiva, 2013, p. 2). Although mechanization helped farmers to deal with labor challenges, it caused a sharp decline in capital productivity. Even though moderated by gains from trade deals and debt cancellation, long-term investment in the agricultural sector may be unsustainable due to deteriorating capital productivity (Shiva, 2013, p. 3). The 12th five-year plan (2012-2017), which is basically a continuation of the 11th five-year plan also emphasizes increase of food grains production. The two plans (11th and 12th five-year plans) recognize the fact that self-sufficiency in food production can only be attained by increasing the production of staple foods. In India, food security is inextricably linked to food grains. Therefore, the debates on food shortages are concentrated on rice, wheat, maize and pulses (Sharma Dinesh, 201 1, p. 30). 12th five-year plan is also expected to produce high results and solve a lot of food problems in India. The 11th five-year plan helped substantially to make India a food sufficient country, despite the rapid growth of population. In other words, India is currently food secure due to the 11th five-year plan (IBEF, 2013, p. 9). Conclusion Agriculture in India is both a source of food and livelihood. In addition, the sector is very important to the country’s economy. However, the period between 1997 and 2007 was characterized by low agricultural productivity and high levels of food shortage. This forced the Indian government to spend a large amount of money on food import. On the other hand, the ratio of agricultural imports to the aggregate imports grew by approximately 6.6 percent in the last three decades regardless of the initiated key reforms in the agricultural sector. However, the reform programs were ineffective. This led to the introduction of the 11th five-y ear plan, which was aimed at making India a food-secure country through the production of food grains. The plan significantly helped reverse the situation. As a matter of fact, the 12th five-year plan, which runs up to 2017, is just a continuation of the 11th five-year plan. The 12th five-year plan also aims at increasing the production of food grains, which are staples in India. References Central Statistics Office 2011, Revised Estimates of Annual National Income 2010-11 and Quarterly Estimates of Gross Domestic Product, 2010-11, Central Statistics Office, New Delhi. Government of India 2010, Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2010. Web. Government of India 2013, Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-2017): Economic Sectors, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi. IBEF 2013, The Indian Agriculture Sector: Investments, Growth and Prospects, India Brand Equity Foundation, New Delhi. Sharma, VP Dinesh, J 2011, High Value Agriculture in India: past Trends and Future P rospects. Web. Sharma, VP 2011, India’s Agricultural Development under the New Economic Regime: Policy Perspective and Strategy for the 12th Five Year Plan, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Shiva, V 2013, Agricultural Sector in India. Web. Vaidyanathan, A 2010, Agriculture Growth in India: Role of Technology, Incentives and  Institutions, Oxford University Press, New York. 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Gun Control Essay Essay Example

Gun Control Essay Essay Example Gun Control Essay Essay Gun Control Essay Essay Essay Topic: Gun Control Abstraction Some grounds why colleges should look at the Torahs that they put in topographic point and attempt to alter them. Students should hold the right to hide arms on college campuses. The guns provide the protection that may be necessary in certain state of affairss. Like the Virginia Tech Shooting. many people could hold been saved if merely one individual had a gun. Having a gun gives a sense of safety to many people on the campus. particularly for adult females with a greater hazard of interlopers and rapers. For these adult females. cognizing that they have a manner to support themselves can put their heads to ease. Though some believe that the allowance of guns would increase force on campus. no other college that has allowed concealed pieces has had an issue. Another refering issue would be that holding guns on campus would be easier for pupils to perpetrate self-destruction ; there are merely some things in life that governments can non command. and that is one of them. The right t o hold a concealed arm on campus should be conveyed freely. : Position Paper – Legalize Concealed Weapons on College Campuses Liberty senior. Craig Storrs. says. â€Å"It makes me experience unafraid knowing I would be able to support myself if something does go on. like Virginia Tech or if I get stopped on the street for a mugging or something like that† ( Barry. 2011 ) . The subject of legalising hidden arms on college campuses has been argued for many old ages. Some colleges have legalized concealed arms on campus and have non had jobs. but many will non even think about legalising hidden arms. Transporting a hidden arm at the age of 21 is a right including a college campus. because it offers protection and safety to pupils ( Students for concealed. 2008 ) . Background of Concealed Weapons on College Campuses Since the Virginia Tech hiting. many colleges have changed their on-campus Torahs refering pieces. In eight provinces. the statute law is sing if pupils and staff would be able to transport a hidden arm into college edifices. Many functionaries did non desire to hold another repetition the Virginia Tech hiting. Two old ages before the Virginia Tech shot. the lawgivers of Texas rejected a measure to let hidden arms onto college campuses. Since so. the measure has come back with better statements for the right to hold a concealed arm on college campuses. Corey Zipper. a 21 year-old psychological science major. went to the province capitol to speak to the functionaries to go through the measure. Corey Zipper stated. â€Å"We acquire the mature thing a batch – that college pupils aren’t mature adequate. And the alcohol thing – that we’re all merely boozed up all the time† ( Burnett. 2011 ) . He besides states that the jurisprudence states that â€Å"a individual much be 21 old ages old. hold a clean record and no psychiatric upsets. and take a 10-hour direction class that includes clip at a fire range† ( Burnett. 2011 ) . In 2009 Texas passed the measure to legalise holding a hidden arm on college campus ( Burnett. 2011 ) . It Gives Protection Leting pupils to transport a gun could salvage their lives. Life can be unpredictable. so when something happens people should be prepared. If by being prepared agencies they need to transport a gun. so why would the province privation to take that right from person? A individual has the right to protect his/herself and others. and a responsible piece proprietor would make such. Many lives could be saved by the simple action of leting hidden arms on college campuses ( Concealed Guns. 2011 ) . Background of Virginia Tech Shooting On April 16. 2007. Seung-Hui Cho. pupil at Virginia Tech. began his hiting about 7:15 A. M. in a coeducational residence hall. He foremost killed Emily Hilsher and Ryan Clark. The Virginia Tech Police Chief said. â€Å"We secured the edifice. we secured the offense scene† ( Caruso. n. d. ) . The governments did non set the college on lock down and had categories as schedualed. Seung-Hui Cho did non go forth the campus ; around 9:15 A. M. he started to kill once more. He went into the technology and scientific discipline edifice and chained the doors so no 1 could get away. He so went into schoolroom after schoolroom ; he killed 25 more pupils and five module members. Twenty-nine people were wounded. In the terminal Cho besides took his life ( Caruso. n. d. ) . It was reported that 19 of the 32 victims that were killed were over the age of 21. The age of 21 is the legal age for the right to hide a arm in Virginia. If these pupils would hold been able to transport a piece onto campus. so possibly these lives could hold been saved. Alternatively of 33 lives taken that twenty-four hours. there should hold been one. Innocent people would non hold died ( Students for concealed. 2008 ) . Concealed Weapons Should non Depend on Location It is stated in the Constitution that a individual has the right to bear weaponries at the age of 21. This jurisprudence does non give specific topographic points that are prohibited. Peoples should non hold to set their concealed arm off because of where they are ( The Right to Keep and Bear Arms. 1982 ) . Public Places Peoples can Transport Weapons Though colleges are little. some topographic points that allow concealed arms are smaller. When a individual goes to the films. they are allowed to transport a hidden arm. No 1 would of all time cognize because the arm is concealed. Other topographic points would include a shopping promenade. When people are shopping. the last thing they are believing is that the people next to them might hold a gun on them ( Students for concealed. 2008 ) . Make College Students Feel Safer The right to hide a arm could set some pupils at easiness. Knowing that they have a manner to salvage themselves in unsafe state of affairss may do the pupils more relaxed. If a pupil comes across a unsafe state of affairs. so they are prepared. These pupils do non hold to worry about what to make ( Marin. 2012 ) . College Intruders and Rapers It is easy for interlopers to acquire into residence halls. In New York. two work forces got into a edifice by mousing in behind another cat after he swiped his card. When the college constabulary were called they came and took the work forces without naming the bulls. If this were to go on once more. these work forces would be taken to the governments. Knowing that it is easy for unusual people to acquire into lodging. it non be a good thought to rob pupils the right to hold a concealed arm. This would give some pupils that okay to populate life and other the demand of protection that they might non be able to happen anywhere else ( Rearick. 2011 ) . One in four adult females have the opportunity of being raped in college. Guns could assist support so many different adult females. They could hold gotten out of the state of affairs if they merely had a manner of defence. Sometimes adult females are physically excessively weak to run from state of affairss like that and the allowance of a gun would supply that chance to them ( College Crime Today. n. d. ) . Counterargument: Guns on Campus Would Promote Violence . â€Å"Some professors might be afraid to publish bad classs if they know that pupils could be transporting guns† ( Students for concealed. 2008 ) . Some people believe that leting pupil to transport pieces would force them to be violent. If the pupils are allowed to transport pieces. so they will non be afraid to utilize them. If there was an statement with another pupil. so these pupils would be tempted to utilize the gun to frighten or even harm the other pupil ( Students for concealed. 2008 ) . Logical Response: Guns on Campus Would non Promote Violence There has been over 30 colleges campuses that have allowed concealed arms on their campuses. These campuses have had no issues with gun force. and at that place has non been a gun larceny or accident in all these old ages. This shows that it is a possibility to transport conceal arms and still acquire a great instruction with no distraction with no force. Studies show. â€Å"concealed handgun licence holders are five times less likely than non-license holders to perpetrate violent crimes† ( Students for concealed. 2008 ) . Counterargument: Guns on Campus Would Encourage Suicide Some believe that leting pupils to obtain pieces would increase the likelihood self-destruction. They would hold all the resources they need now that they are able to transport hidden pieces. This would do it easier for these pupils to perpetrate self-destruction without anyone knowing until after the fact. This would so increase the suicide Numberss dramatically. Leting a pupil to transport a piece that could potentially utilize to kill themselves is non the manner to assist ( Students for concealed. 2008 ) . Logical Response: Guns on Campus Would non Encourage Suicide Harmonizing to investigators. â€Å"Studies show that 90 % of self-destructions are committed in the home† ( Students for concealed. 2008 ) . Since the legal age to have a hidden arm is 21. most pupils at this age live off campus. This would non impact the Numberss every bit much as the colleges think it would. If people truly wanted to perpetrate self-destruction. so nil would stand in their manner. Leting them to hide a gun will merely give them an easier manner out ( Students for concealed. 2008 ) . Decision During the Virginia Tech Shooting many lives could hold been saved. Students could besides experience safer cognizing that they have something at that place to protect themselves and others if needed. Though pupils could turn to violence many are really responsible to be transporting this gun in the first topographic point. They merely can non acquire a gun ; they have to travel through the procedure. Another concern would be suicide. but since most of the pupils live off campus anyhow nil would halt that. It would be a lost cause to set a prohibition on hidden arms when there is nil to forestall self-destruction in the first topographic point. Once the right preparation categories are taken. it should non be a job for a individual to be able to transport his/her gun that he/she worked difficult to acquire and paid for. The right to hold a concealed arm on campus should be expressed freely. MentionsBarry. L. ( 2011 ) . Liberty university oks concealed guns on campus. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www2. newsadvance. com/news/2011/nov/16/5/liberty-university-oks-concealed-guns-campus-ar-1463719/ . Burnett. J. ( 2011 ) . Texas Lawmakers purpose for guns on college campuses. Retreieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. npr. org/2011/02/04/133466058/texas-lawmakers-aim-for-guns-on-college-campuses. Caruso. K. ( n. d. ) . What Happened: The Virginia Tech Massacure. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. virginiatechmassacre. com/what-happened-virginia-tech-massacre. hypertext markup language. College Crime Today. ( n. d. ) Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. womens-self-defense-instruction-online. com/college-crime. hypertext markup language. Concealed guns. ( 2011 ) . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //concealedguns. procon. org/ . Frantz. A. ( 2011 ) . Texas sing concealed pistols on campus. Retrieved from hyperte xt transfer protocol: //news. web logs. cnn. com/2011/02/22/texas-weighing-concealed-handguns-on-campus/ . Marin. J. ( 2012 ) . Guns on college campuses. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //schoolsofthought. web logs. cnn. com/2012/01/03/guns-on-college-campuses/ . Rearick. J. ( 2011 ) . Intruders spark safety concerns. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. miscellanynews. com/2. 1576/intruders-spark-safety-concerns-1. 2660011 # . TxkPxJit-fQ. Students for hidden carry on campus. ( 2008 ) . Retrieved