Subject: Indian Geography

The Green Revolution in India, despite its remarkable success in northern regions, showed limited impact in the eastern region, highlighting a stark regional disparity in agricultural modernization despite the region's inherent advantages of fertile alluvial soil and abundant water resources.

Key Factors for Limited Success

1. Institutional Constraints

• Small Land Holdings: The eastern region had significantly smaller average landholdings (4.1 acres in Bihar, 4.7 acres in West Bengal) compared to other regions (exceeding 12 acres), making it difficult to adopt modern farming techniques and achieve economies of scale.
• Land Reforms: Inadequate implementation of land reforms led to continued fragmentation of holdings and insecure tenancy rights.

2. Infrastructure and Investment Gaps

• Poor Irrigation Infrastructure: Despite water abundance, lack of proper irrigation systems hampered agricultural productivity.
• Recent initiatives like AIIB's $145 million loan for West Bengal (2019) for irrigation improvement highlight the historical infrastructure deficit.
• Limited access to institutional credit and agricultural inputs affected farm mechanization.

3. Socio-Economic Factors

• Low Capital Formation: Limited investment in agriculture due to poverty and low savings.
• Risk-Averse Farming: Small farmers' inability to take risks with new technologies and high-yielding varieties.
• Limited Market Access: Poor transportation and storage infrastructure affected market linkages.

4. Policy Implementation Gaps

• Skewed Resource Allocation: Northern states received preferential treatment in terms of agricultural subsidies and infrastructure development.
• Extension Services: Weak agricultural extension services affected the adoption of new technologies.

Way Forward

1. Region-Specific Interventions

• Focus on developing climate-resilient agriculture suited to the eastern region.
• Strengthen institutional support through farmer producer organizations.
• Improve irrigation infrastructure through projects like the World Bank and AIIB initiatives.

The transformation of eastern India's agriculture requires a comprehensive approach focusing on infrastructure development, institutional strengthening, and policy reforms. Success stories like the "Second Green Revolution" initiative specifically targeting eastern states show promising potential for agricultural revival in the region.