A programme of the 1960s and 1970s gave farmers in irrigated wheat and rice areas hybrid seeds along with fertilisers and pesticides. Whose major achievement has this programme been considered?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → The government and the scientists who contributed to the effort
Option (1) The international agencies that largely funded the programme — Incorrect. International agencies largely funded the Green Revolution. The credit for the success of the programme went to the government and the scientists.
Option (2) The government and the scientists who contributed to the effort — Correct. The programme is the Green Revolution. It sharply raised farm output and made India self-sufficient in foodgrains, so it is counted as a major achievement of the government and of the scientists who worked on it.
Option (3) The medium and large farmers who gained most from it — Incorrect. Medium and large farmers were the ones who gained most, because the new inputs were costly. That is a point about who benefited. The credit for the success went to the government and the scientists.
Option (4) The social scientists who studied its impact in the villages — Incorrect. Social scientists studied the Green Revolution areas and pointed out its negative social effects. They studied and judged the programme from outside and did not carry it out.
NCERT (2026-27): “4.3 The Green Revolution and its Social Consequences … “Agricultural productivity increased sharply because of the new technology. India was able to become self-sufficient in foodgrain production for the first time in decades. The Green Revolution has been considered a major achievement of the government and of the scientists who contributed to the effort. However, there were certain negative social effects that were pointed out by sociologists who studied the Green Revolution areas, as well as adverse environmental impacts.” |