The New Agricultural Policy promises Green Revolution, White Revolution (pertaining to milk and dairy products) and Blue Revolution (pertaining to aqua/fish culture). It has, therefore, been described as a policy of promising Rainbow Revolution[1].

1.         Over 4 percent annual growth rate in agriculture

2.   Greater private Sector Participation through contract farming

3.   Price protection for farmers

4.   National Agriculture Insurance Scheme to be launched for all farmers and all crops.

5.   Dismantling of restrictions on movement of agricultural commodities throughout the country.

Problem of food security

During the nineties, the growth rate of agricultural production averaged 2.1 percent and that of good-grains production averaged 1.8 percent per annum, which was just equal to the growth rate of population. We have, therefore, been able to attain food self-sufficiency without ending ‘hunger” in the country. It is equally true that the goal of food security for all still appears to be a distant dream.

There is no doubt that the 4 percent growth of agricultural production is very necessary but the basic question is that but for making certain platitudinous statements, the New Agricultural Policy does not specify in quantitative terms the targets so that the objective can be achieved.

Problem of growth with equity

Secondly, the New Agricultural Policy does talk of growth with equity meaning thereby widespread coverage across regions, but fails to identify the states, which have lagged behind in the utilization of their agricultural potential. It would have been for better had the policy recommended a special package in the form of development in infrastructure in these states so that the process of rapid agricultural growth could be accelerated in them. This appears to be a serious shortcoming of the policy.

Declining public investment

Thirdly, the policy speaks of encouraging private investment in agriculture. There is no doubt that private investment in the form of tube wells, agricultural implements; human resource development etc. does help big farmers to improve their levels of productivity. But the small farmers who constitute the bulk of Indian farming community are unable to undertake private investment effectively to boost their productivity. They have to depend more and more on public investment, which has been declining over the years. Moreover, in backward state where the bulk of the peasantry is poor, public investment alone can provide big push to agriculture. The New Agricultural Policy does not make any serious commitment in this record.

Private sector participation

Fourthly, New Agricultural Policy intends to seek private sector participation through contract farming by land leasing arrangements, it intends to involve the corporate sector in this area. Contract farming is a more sophisticated word to replace capitalist farming. The adoption of contract farming will result in contraction of employment and this is likely to come in conflict with the objective of enlarging employment. Agriculture is the biggest absorber of additions to the labour force finds employment in agriculture. The wisdom of introducing contract farming and corporate sector in a labour surplus economy like India becomes questionable.

Machinery of implementation

Lastly, the Government after making comprehensive recommendations in all areas of agricultural development has not outlined any machinery of implementation. It has to be realized that agriculture in India is a state subject and the role of State Governments, which are the real implementing agencies of the various schemes, projects and programmes, becomes critical. In the absence of a blue print for action and also in the absence of a package for agriculturally backward states, how shall the New Agricultural Policy enthuse the states to implement it, it is another important question. If the Centre intends the states to implement it, it must provide for schemes for sharing programmes between Centre and State Governments. This shall enable the Centre to institute a monitoring mechanism. In case this is not done, the policy will remain a statement of pious intentions.