Growth and Potential of Agricultural Sector in Maharashtra

It is a well-known fact that India lives in the villages. Majority of the population (around 60%) resides in rural areas with agriculture as the only occupation for about 58.5 per cent of the Indians. Agriculture is not only a source of livelihood but also a way of life. In the years of planning, the policy makers had attempted to give a due focus to the primary sector. The development of agriculture became a basic objective of the first five year plan launched in 1951. Even after the six decades of planning the conditions in the rural societies have not changed much. There is only a marginal shift of population to the industrial and services sector. In fact a review of the recent statistics reveals that the problems of the agriculture sector have become more serious compared to the early days of planning. The agricultural output in our national income has declined compared to the industries and services. With a very marginal shift of population, the pressure on agriculture has increased in the country