High Growth Trajectory and Structural Changes In Gujarat Agriculture

0.0

The amazing growth in Gujarat agriculture of late has attracted a lot of attention in the national and international agricultural policy related bodies. A near double digit annual real growth rate of agriculture over a span of more than a decade in Gujarat has become a phenomenon most have chosen to call a miracle. The agricultural growth story of Gujarat deserves better description than miraculous, magical, or incredible. The spectacular agricultural growth in Gujarat in recent times has been a result of well thoughtout strategy, meticulously planned and co-ordinated scheme of action, sheer hard work and sincere implementation of programmes, political will to take bold decisions and commitment to economic policy reforms by the state government. As such, there is nothing magical or incredible about this growth story. It is reasonably replicable in other states and regions if firm determination exists. The motivation for the present volume is to document the interesting story of growth and structural changes in agriculture and allied activities in Gujarat, analysing factors responsible for the growth performance of the state in recent times.

0.0

Ravindra H. Dholakia is a Professor of Economics at IIM Ahmedabad. He has about 33 years of experience in teaching Economics to different groups of people like students, executives, policymakers and senior government officers. He has practical experience in high-powered policymaking and evaluation bodies in both state and central governments such as the Sixth Central Pay Commission in India (200608), State Public Finance Reform Committee (19982001), Expert Committee to Restructure Public Sector Units (200407) and Committee to Restructure Public Debt (200305), appointed by the Government of Gujarat. Currently, he is a member of the High Level Expert Committee appointed by the Government of India to suggest measures for efficient management of public expenditure (2010). Samar K. Datta has about 35 years of teaching, research and administrative experience at Calcutta University, University of Southern California, Visva Bharati. He is currently a Senior Professor at the Centre for Management in Agriculture, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.