Q.Describe the impact of Green Revolution on Indian Economy.

The Green Revolution transformed Indian agriculture by introducing high-yielding-variety seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and assured irrigation, raising foodgrain output and making India self-sufficient in food. But its gains were uneven — concentrated in a few regions and crops — and it widened inequalities, raised input costs and harmed the environment. This is an AP Intermediate 2nd-year Economics topic on agricultural development.

The Green Revolution refers to the sharp increase in agricultural, mainly foodgrain, production that began in the mid-1960s with the adoption of a new technology based on high-yielding-variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, assured irrigation and modern implements.

Positive impact:

1. Large rise in foodgrain production, particularly wheat and rice, lifting India from food shortages toward self-sufficiency.
2. Food security and reduced imports, ending the earlier dependence on imported foodgrains and building buffer stocks.
3. Higher farm incomes for farmers who adopted the new technology.
4. Spread of modern inputs and technology, including irrigation, fertilizers, tractors and scientific methods.
5. Growth of agro-based and input industries such as fertilizers, pesticides and farm machinery, and more rural employment in these activities.
6. Commercialisation of agriculture, as farmers produced more for the market.

Negative impact:

1. Regional disparity — benefits were concentrated in well-irrigated regions such as Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, while rain-fed and backward regions lagged behind.
2. Crop disparity — mainly wheat and rice gained, while pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals were neglected. …