CUET Economics: Indian Economic DevelopmentDevelopment Experience (1947-90). Free, no login required.

India had an independent economy before the advent of the British rule. Though agriculture was the main source of livelihood for most people, yet, the country's economy was characterized by various kinds of manufacturing activities. India was particularly well known for its handicraft industries in the fields of cotton and silk textiles, metal and precious stone works etc. These products enjoyed a worldwide market based on the reputation of the fine quality of material used and the high standards of craftsmanship seen in all exports from India. The economic policies pursued by the colonial government in India were concerned more with the protection and promotion of the economic interests of their home country than with the development of the Indian economy. Such policies brought about a fundamental change in the structure of the Indian economy — transforming the country into a supplier of raw materials and consumer of finished industrial products from Britain. Obviously, the colonial government never made any sincere attempt to estimate India's national and per capita income. Some individual attempts which were made to measure such incomes yielded conflicting and inconsistent results. Among the notable estimators — Dadabhai Naoroji, William Digby, Findlay Shirras, V.K.R.V. Rao and R.C. Desai — it was Rao, whose estimates during the colonial period were considered very significant. However, most studies did find that the country's growth of aggregate real output during the first half of the twentieth century was less than two per cent coupled with a meagre half per cent growth in per capita output per year.

India had an independent economy before the advent of the British rule. Though agriculture was the main source of livelihood for most people, yet, the country's economy was characterized by various kinds of manufacturing activities. India was particularly well known for its handicraft industries in the fields of cotton and silk textiles, metal and precious stone works etc. These products enjoyed a worldwide market based on the reputation of the fine quality of material used and the high standards of craftsmanship seen in all exports from India. The economic policies pursued by the colonial government in India were concerned more with the protection and promotion of the economic interests of their home country than with the development of the Indian economy. Such policies brought about a fundamental change in the structure of the Indian economy — transforming the country into a supplier of raw materials and consumer of finished industrial products from Britain. Obviously, the colonial government never made any sincere attempt to estimate India's national and per capita income. Some individual attempts which were made to measure such incomes yielded conflicting and inconsistent results. Among the notable estimators — Dadabhai Naoroji, William Digby, Findlay Shirras, V.K.R.V. Rao and R.C. Desai — it was Rao, whose estimates during the colonial period were considered very significant. However, most studies did find that the country's growth of aggregate real output during the first half of the twentieth century was less than two per cent coupled with a meagre half per cent growth in per capita output per year.

At the time of Independence, about 75 percent of the India's population was dependent on agriculture. Productivity in the agricultural sector was very low because of the use of old technology and the absence of required infrastructure for the vast majority of farmers. The stagnation in agriculture during the colonial rule was permanently broken by Green Revolution. This refers to the large increase in production of food grains resulting from the use of high yielding variety (HYV) of seeds especially for wheat and rice. The first phase of green revolution (approx. mid 1960s up to mid 1970) was restricted to the more affluent states such as Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The spread of green revolution technology enabled India to achieve self sufficiency in food grains.

At the time of Independence, about 75 percent of the India's population was dependent on agriculture. Productivity in the agricultural sector was very low because of the use of old technology and the absence of required infrastructure for the vast majority of farmers. The stagnation in agriculture during the colonial rule was permanently broken by Green Revolution. This refers to the large increase in production of food grains resulting from the use of high yielding variety (HYV) of seeds especially for wheat and rice. The first phase of green revolution (approx. mid 1960s up to mid 1970) was restricted to the more affluent states such as Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The spread of green revolution technology enabled India to achieve self sufficiency in food grains.

At the time of Independence, about 75 percent of the India's population was dependent on agriculture. Productivity in the agricultural sector was very low because of the use of old technology and the absence of required infrastructure for the vast majority of farmers. The stagnation in agriculture during the colonial rule was permanently broken by Green Revolution. This refers to the large increase in production of food grains resulting from the use of high yielding variety (HYV) of seeds especially for wheat and rice. The first phase of green revolution (approx. mid 1960s up to mid 1970) was restricted to the more affluent states such as Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The spread of green revolution technology enabled India to achieve self sufficiency in food grains.

At the time of Independence, about 75 percent of the India's population was dependent on agriculture. Productivity in the agricultural sector was very low because of the use of old technology and the absence of required infrastructure for the vast majority of farmers. The stagnation in agriculture during the colonial rule was permanently broken by Green Revolution. This refers to the large increase in production of food grains resulting from the use of high yielding variety (HYV) of seeds especially for wheat and rice. The first phase of green revolution (approx. mid 1960s up to mid 1970) was restricted to the more affluent states such as Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The spread of green revolution technology enabled India to achieve self sufficiency in food grains.

At the time of Independence, about 75 percent of the India's population was dependent on agriculture. Productivity in the agricultural sector was very low because of the use of old technology and the absence of required infrastructure for the vast majority of farmers. The stagnation in agriculture during the colonial rule was permanently broken by Green Revolution. This refers to the large increase in production of food grains resulting from the use of high yielding variety (HYV) of seeds especially for wheat and rice. The first phase of green revolution (approx. mid 1960s up to mid 1970) was restricted to the more affluent states such as Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The spread of green revolution technology enabled India to achieve self sufficiency in food grains.