A Monsoon Romance?

• India is banking on 4% agriculture growth for achieving double-digit GDP growth
  
• Public investments in agriculture have risen to Rs 13,200 cr in 2005-06 from Rs 7,000 cr in 2000-01. But its share in planned expenditure has come down to below 2%.
  
• Production has gone up wherever high-yielding crop varieties have been adopted
  
• Not much progress has been made on irrigation infrastructure as most farmers are still dependent on monsoons which can make or mar production
  
• Policy and management fatigue are attributed to farm crisis

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