In the first phase of the Green Revolution, in the 1960s and 1970s the introduction of new technology seemed to be increasing inequalities in rural society. Green Revolution crops were highly profitable, mainly because they yielded more produce, well-to-do farmers who had access to land, capital, technology, and know-how, and those who could invest in the new seeds and fertilizers, could increase their production and earn more money. However, in many cases it led to the displacement of tenant-cultivators. For landowners began to take back land from their tenants and cultivate it directly because cultivation was becoming more profitable. This made the rich farmers better off, and worsened the condition of the landless and marginal holders. In addition the introduction of machinery such as tillers, tractors, threshers, and harvesters led to the displacement of the service groups who used to carry out these agriculture-related activities. The ultimate outcome of the Green Revolution was a process of 'differentiation', in which the rich grew richer and many of the poor stagnated or grew poorer. Moreover, rising prices and a shift in the mode of payment of agricultural workers from payment in kind (grain) to cash, actually worsened the economic condition of most rural workers. In the second phase of the Green Revolution which began in 1980 there was increasing commercialization and dependence on the market farmers who once grew food for consumption now depend on the market for the incomes. In most of the Green Revolution areas, farmers have switched from a multi-crop system, which allowed them to spread risks, to a mono-crop regime. Which means that there is nothing to fall back on in case of crop failure. Another negative outcome of the Green Revolution strategy was the worsening of regional inequalities.
Which of the following is CORRECT statement.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Mode of payment changed for agricultural workers
Option (1) Mode of payment changed for agricultural workers — Correct. Agricultural workers used to be paid in kind, that is, in grain. The passage speaks of a shift in the mode of payment from payment in kind (grain) to cash, which, along with rising prices, worsened the economic condition of most rural workers.
Option (2) Service caste groups made upward mobility — Incorrect. Machines such as tillers, tractors, threshers and harvesters did the work these groups used to do, and so led to their displacement. They lost their work; they did not rise.
Option (3) Landless farmers and marginal farmers joined hands to make profit — Incorrect. The profits went to the well-to-do farmers who had land, capital and know-how. The condition of the landless and marginal holders worsened, and the passage says nothing of their joining together.
Option (4) There was no change in the relationship between farmers and Zamindars. — Incorrect. The relationship on the land did change. Because cultivation became more profitable, landowners took back land from their tenants and began to cultivate it themselves, which displaced the tenant-cultivators.
NCERT (2025-26): “4.3 The Green Revolution and its Social Consequences … Thus, in the first phase of the Green Revolution, in the 1960s and 1970s, the introduction of new technology seemed to be increasing inequalities in rural society. Green Revolution crops were highly profitable, mainly because they yielded more produce. Well-to-do farmers who had access to land, capital, technology, and know-how, and those who could invest in the new seeds and fertilisers, could increase their production and earn more money. However, in many cases it led to the displacement of tenant-cultivators. For landowners began to take back land from their tenants and cultivate it directly because cultivation was becoming more profitable. This made the rich farmers better off, and worsened the condition of the landless and marginal holders.” “In addition, the introduction of machinery such as tillers, tractors, threshers, and harvesters (in areas such as Punjab and parts of Madhya Pradesh) led to the displacement of the service caste groups who used to carry out these agriculture-related activities. This process of displacement also increased the pace of rural-urban migration.” “The ultimate outcome of the Green Revolution was a process of ‘differentiation’, in which the rich grew richer and many of the poor stagnated or grew poorer. It should be noted that employment and wages for agricultural workers did increase in many areas, because the demand for labour increased. Moreover, rising prices and a shift in the mode of payment of agricultural workers from payment in kind (grain) to cash, actually worsened the economic condition of most rural workers.…” |