5th_APRIL 1ST_2015

POLITICAL COMMENTARIES
ment in the agricultural sector in the increased to nearly 150 kg in 2009-
state. Improvements in agriculture 2012 from 85 kg in 2000-2003.
have led to corresponding improve- There is no other state that has
ments in trade, manufacture and transformed agriculture so drastiservices,
thus spreading prosperity cally.
all around.
What have been your findings
Could you please share some in the allied sectors of agriculsignificant
data with us?
ture?
The following is the comparison of The horticulture sector is also growdifferent
parameters of agricultural ing in Madhya Pradesh at 10% per
development in the state. The num- annum. At present, the horticulture
bers are triennial averages for the area covers 6% of the total sown
years mentioned:
area. Milk production has gone up
from 5.28 million tonne (2001-02)
to 8.84 million tonne (2012-13).
Fish production has also gone up
from 47,457 tonne (2001-02) to
85,235 tonne (2012-13). It went up
further to 96,257 tonne in the year
In the data above, you see that the
2013-14.
production of several crops has
almost doubled. This is largely due Do you think it is justified to
to the increase in gross irrigated c a l l M a d h y a P r a d e s h a
area. This kind of sharp change in 'BIMARU' state anymore?
agriculture is what forms the basis Madhya Pradesh can't be called a
of prosperity in an agrarian society. BIMARU state anymore. In any case
The increase in gross cropped area that is a very bad acronym and we
means the farmers are doing intense should never have used this term to
agriculture. Instead of one crop, describe the heartland states of
they are now harvesting two crops India. In the case of Madhya
from the same piece of land. And Pradesh, I strongly feel that in this
that's largely because of irrigation. process of improvement of agricul-
The more irrigation you provide the ture, there should not be any slackmore
production of crops you get. ening. If the state keeps the same
Because of the increase in producnext
trend of growth in agriculture for
tion of wheat, per capita annual
10-15 years, Madhya Pradesh
production of wheat in the state has would become one of the more
THE
NATIONALIST 29