<b>Kunal Bose:</b> FM pushes for agriculture sector growth

He said government would have suffered more demonetisation blushes had farm sector not bounced back

A good monsoon, after two years of drought, is expected to increase farm production by 4.1 per cent during 2016-17. These hopes in rains are backed by increases in sowing areas during both kharif and rabi seasons.

In fact, the government would have suffered more demonetisation blushes had the farm sector not bounced back. Recall that the 12th five-year Plan (it formally ends with this March) had set an annual growth target of four per cent for agriculture and allied sectors. However, in only two of these five years, including the current one, has farm sector growth been four-plus per