Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Scholars identify the decline in public investment since 1991 as the major reason for the slow growth of the agriculture sector.
Statement II: After the initiation of reforms, the growth rate of the agriculture sector accelerated during 1991-2012.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Statement I is true but Statement II is false.
Statement I: Scholars identify the decline in public investment since 1991 as the major reason for the slow growth of the agriculture sector. — True. This is the major reason scholars give.
Statement II: After the initiation of reforms, the growth rate of the agriculture sector accelerated during 1991-2012. — False. It decelerated to about 3 per cent a year, lower than before.
NCERT (2026-27): “5.2 What Is Rural Development? … It was observed in an earlier chapter that although the share of agriculture sector’s contribution to GDP was on a decline, the population dependent on this sector did not show any significant decline. Further, after the initiation of reforms, the growth rate of agriculture sector decelerated to about 3 per cent per annum during the 1991-2012, which was lower than the earlier years. In recent years, this sector has become volatile. During 2023-24, the GVA growth rate of agriculture and its allied sectors was about two per cent. Scholars identify decline in public investment since 1991 as the major reason for this. They also argue that inadequate infrastructure, lack of alternate employment opportunities in the industry or service sector, increasing casualisation of employment etc., further impede rural development. …” |