Factors of Rural Infrastructure in Punjab

Factors of Rural Infrastructure in Punjab Author : Dr.harvester combines etc.) mechanization can either be
Ramneet Singh Co – Author : Harpreet Kaurpartial or complete. When machines are used in
1) Rural creditconjunction of with traditional implements on farms,
Agricultural credit has played a significant role usheringmechanization is partial. On the contrary, when all
in Punjab’s growth of agriculture. Farmers needfarm operations are mechanized and animal labour is
funds for short; medium and long period for thecompletely displaced (while human labour requirement
various purposes. We can classified the creditis reduced to minimum). “The Punjab economy
requirements of a farmer into two parts asexperienced rapid changes in transformation of
productive and un-productive. Productive credit isagriculture from traditional to more capital intensive
used for buying fertilizers; seeds; permanentfarm technology since the sixties and at present
improvement in land etc. but un-productive is usedPunjab is the leading state in the country with regard
for family needs of the farmer. Here are twoto farm mechanization” Farm mechanization is the
sources of rural credit :- institutional andmost valuable variable of rural infrastructure. As
non-institutional credit. An institutional credit providersmechanization increases the speed of carrying out
are commercial banks; regional rural banks;operations in less time and intends to increases the
government etc. but non-institutional credit providersagriculture at large extent. It helps to increase the
consists of money lenders; land lords; an individual andlabour productivity and reduced labour cost and
financial institutions etc. An institutional credit plays afacilitated multi cropping and increase efficiency of
positive role for the security of farmers. Thevarious farm operations. The high level Use of
institutional credit accelerated the process of privatemachines on farms increases the income of farmers
capital formation in the state which helped toand has made it possible to quickly harvest one crop
enhance the productive capacity of the agriculturaland complete the preparatory steps for sowing the
sector. It is equally important to analyze the share ofnext one in time. It is often observed that under
small and marginal farms whose income level are low;traditional agriculture based on wooden ploughs,
in the institutional agriculture credit in order to knowbullock and other primitive implements, agriculture is a
whether they have been benefited by the expansionmere subsistence occupation. But an introduction of
of agricultural credit since the provision of credit totractors, harvesters, threshers, pump sets for
weaker sections of the rural areas was one of theirrigation etc, changes the very nature of traditional
main objective of credit policy. 2) Irrigationagriculture and transformed it into commercial
Irrigation has played a vital role in enhancing the farmoccupation for farmers. Punjab is India's leading state
production in Punjab where rainfall is in adequate.in the field of mechanized and modern farming
Irrigation facilities has increased in Punjabtechnology. Intensive agriculture demands the use of
tremendously and more and more area has beendiverse machinery that saves the farmer time and
brought under irrigation. The State is being served bylabour. Farm mechanization means use of various
the excellent net work of irrigation facilities. Canalstypes of machines and other agricultural implements
and tube wells are the main sources of irrigation induring the production, transportation and processing
the State. 96.1 percent of the net area sown andof agricultural products. Farmers in the state have
97.0 percent of gross area sown was irrigated inadopted farm mechanization for fast growth of
2004-05. Irrigation intensity * during this period wasagriculture, leading to increased production. This has
191.But the State is facing a problem of water level.helped to increase cropping intensity, diversification of
Punjab has more than 4 million hectares ofagriculture, better usage of available irrigation facilities,
well-irrigated land, with a cropping intensity of 186%.timely sowing and harvesting and transportation of
3) Consumption of Fertilizersinputs to the fields. This has helped the farmers to
A new concept introduced to farmers to assist inget better prices for their products as they can
general crop conditions & ability to identify pests &easily access the nearest market outlets. One Third
diseases and their cures. Bio-fertilizers play a veryTractors of India are working in the fields of Punjab.
vital role in farming today. Concreted efforts areThere has been a tremendous increase in hectares in
being made to popularize them in the state, and athe state. Adoption of new farm technology in
special Bio fertilizer Unit has been recently set up inPunjab has led to rapid growth if agricultural output.
Ludhiana. Punjab State Consumes 9 percent of totalThe rate of adoption of new farm technology in
Fertilizer Consumption in India Punjab consumes 10 %Punjab is shown in table . Number of tube wells and
of fertilizer consumption of India, one third of all thetractors increased rapidly. In the year 1989-90 the
tractors of India plough fields in Punjab. Highestnumber of tube wells were 4.79 and number of
consumption of fertilizers Punjab has given a lead totractors were 2.68 which has shown increasing trend
the country by commissioning 160 community andof 9.12 inTube wells and 4.66 in tractors. The
Institutional Biogas Plants which supply clean cookingthreshing operations in respect of wheat, paddy and
fuels to over 10,000 families in the State. The use ofmaize have been completely mechanized. Punjab has
fertilizers in Punjab agriculture has received a boostthe highest tractors in the country. 6) POWER
after the initiation of the HYV’s programme inAccording to Dr. Swaminathan “If Punjab made
1966. so with the advent of HYVs programme thestriking advances in crops production after the
consumption of fertilizers increased rapidly. The tablerelease of dwarf varieties of wheat and rice, this is
given below representing the variations inbecause the state already possessed the substantial
consumption of agro chemical fertilizers in variousrequirements essential for new technology to find
years from 1989-90 to 2004-05. Fertilizers, the mostout widespread adoption. Four of the major
important component of new technology, play a verytechnology diffusion need which Punjab possessed in
important role in enhancing the agricultural productionmid sixties were : owner cultivation, land consolidation,
in the State. Since the introduction of high yieldingrural communication and rural electrification.”
varieties, the consumption of chemical fertilizers hasEnergy as infrastructural facility has played the most
been increasing steadily. Total consumption of NPK incrucial role in hastening the pace of economic
Punjab was 12.22 lakh nutrient tonnes in 1990-91development. With the sole aim of making Punjab a
which rose to 15.53 lakh nutrient tonnes in 2004-05.power surplus State in future, the Government has
Consumption of chemical fertilizers (NPK) per hectarebeen making higher allocations for this sector. The
of gross cropped area was 163 Kgs. in 1990-91, whichprospects of total availability of energy also looks
rose to 193 Kgs. per hectare in 2004-05. The use ofbright as it is increased. Rural electrification increases
bio-fertilizer is being made popular among the farmersthe energization of pump sets, which helps to
with the efforts of State Govt. Highest net areaincrease the irrigated area using groundwater, the
irrigated As compared to 73 Kg. per hectare utilizationoutput of crops cultivated under groundwater
of fertilizers at the National level, Punjab is using 167irrigation is always higher than those under canal or
Kg. of fertilizers per hectare. Punjab State consumestank irrigation, because its better reliability and
10 percent of the total Fertilizer Consumption in India.controllability (Brnes and Binswanger, 1986; Dhawan,
4) Marketing and storage facilities1988;Vaidyanath et al., 1994; Shah et al,2006). Energy
Punjab has an efficient marketing system which hasis one of the vital infrastructures for economic
certainly played a great role in growth of agriculture.development of the State. Punjab has attained 100%
The whole of state has covered with regulatedrural electrification. With the object of meeting the
markets and sub yards. Establishment of regulateddemand for electricity in the State, the Government
markets with network of yards and sub yards helpedhas been making higher allocation for this sector
the farmers get better prices for their produce. Thisduring annual plans. During 2005-06 a sum of
also helped the farmers to come out from the gripRs.964.65 crores (27.17 percent) has been approved
of moneylenders and other petty middleman.for energy, out of total plan outlay of Rs. 3550.00
Marketing sub yard facilities are crucial component ofcrores. The installed plant capacity generation was
post harvest technology. As on 31st March, 20054450 MW in the year 2005-06. The total energy
there were 144 regulated markets and 519 sub yardsavailability is expected to be 33487 million KWH during
in Punjab. The average number of villages and area2005-06 as compared to 32197 million KWH during
served per market was 86 and 350 (sq. kms.) in2004-05. PSEB has vast power infrastructure
2004-05. There were 88 regulated markets incomprising of Generation, Transmission & Distribution
1966-67 supported by 154 sub-yards which increasedSystem catering 55.43 lac consumers with connected
to 120 regulated markets having 362 sub-yards inload of 16322 Mw in the State where the per capita
1980-81 and further to 144 regulated markets withenergy consumption is 806 Kwh, which is highest in
519 sub-yards in 1994-95 and the same numberthe country. This brightened the prospects of green
continued now. During the last ten yeas, new marketrevolution. In the year 1989-90 the consumption of
committees have been established in rare cases duerural electrification share was 45.41% which started
to high establishment cost leaving little funds fordecrease after new implementation of new economic
development. 5) Farm Mechanization in agriculturepolicy and industrial policy (1990-91) until 1993-94. But
The meaning of farm mechanization is the use ofit started hike after WTO period (1994-97). Presently
machines for carrying out farm operations instead of(2004-05), 28.91% of the total electrification is
the traditional methods involving human and animalconsumed by farming sector, which is increased from
labour. Thus it entails a transformation from biological28.47% in 2003-04. Refferences : 1) Dr. S. S. Johal 2)
sources of energy (human and animal) to mechanizedDr. Gursharan Singh Kainth 3) Proff. R. N. Ghai
sources of energy (tractors, threshers, Pump sets,` ` ` ` Published by Amazines.