This refers to the Q&A with Ajay Chhibber, “Chidambaram has inherited a huge fiscal mess” (November 12). The assistant secretary general of the United Nations Development Programme has pointed out that, given the past growth in India – compared to China and Indonesia – poverty in India should have declined faster. However, he doesn’t give any reasons. In this context, my research with the former director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute, John Mellor, shows that when the agricultural sector does not grow fast, aggregate growth makes too little a dent on poverty alleviation (Pakistan Development Review, Summer 2006).
The Planning Commission had warned that agriculture should grow at four per cent at least. It is, unfortunately, stuck at a growth rate of less than 3.5 per cent owing to negligible technological changes. The glaring example is the regressive effort on biotechnology with only one crop, Bt Cotton, enjoying an entry visa. Now, with the rejection of Proposition 37 on genetically-modified (GM) food labelling in California earlier this month, those pitted against GM crops should open their minds and support this technological advancement. This is an attractive option to boost India’s agricultural growth. This would also energise the young scientific community to come out with newer innovations.
Chandrashekhar G Ranade Virginia
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