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economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

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subgroup increased from 40 per cent to 54 per cent. The increase in proporti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

marginal holdings has been far above the nati<strong>on</strong>al level, as it increased from 62<br />

to 72 per cent (NSSO. 1971-72: 1992).<br />

There are also apprehensi<strong>on</strong>s about the problems <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water availability, in<br />

spite <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> massive investment in irrigati<strong>on</strong> infrastructure <strong>development</strong> in the state.<br />

Using a physical infrastructure <strong>development</strong> index (PIDI), Ghosh et aI., (1998),<br />

examine the impact <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> public investment <strong>on</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al ec<strong>on</strong>omic <strong>development</strong> in<br />

the Indian states. It is found that in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> overall physical infrastructure<br />

<strong>development</strong> index. Kerala's positi<strong>on</strong> declined from 4th rank (1971-72) to 10 th<br />

rank (1994-95) in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> individual values <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> physical infrastructure<br />

<strong>development</strong> indicators. With respect to the per capita c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> electricity<br />

(peE) <strong>and</strong> irrigati<strong>on</strong>. the ranks slide down from 11 to 13 <strong>and</strong> 11 to 24<br />

respectively during the abo\C period. t>.loreover, the state has been identified as<br />

lagging behind in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> infrastructure. Similar finding has been<br />

reported by Lall (1999). However. it is wr<strong>on</strong>g to c<strong>on</strong>clude that the state has been<br />

lagging behind in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> infrastructure facilities. Rather, the<br />

per<strong>for</strong>mance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irngati<strong>on</strong> infrastructure has been weak, resulting in various<br />

operati<strong>on</strong>al level problems.<br />

Am<strong>on</strong>g the major problems discussed. the cost escalati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> time lag in<br />

completi<strong>on</strong> arc the most important <strong>on</strong>es. It may be argued that the reas<strong>on</strong>s <strong>for</strong><br />

such e\entualitics could be regi<strong>on</strong> specific as well. The INCOLD study reports a<br />

delay <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ahout 160 per cent in the case <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 15 irrigati<strong>on</strong> projects <strong>and</strong> the highest<br />

lag in compil:tlOn has been 466 per cent in the Malampuzha project in Kerala as<br />

it took almost 17 years <strong>for</strong> completi<strong>on</strong>. The puhlic accounts committee (PAC)<br />

74

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