Policy Induced Agrarian Distress in Assam

Ever increasing agrarian distress in the state of Assam, India and outstate migration of human resources of the state is a major concern that is adversely influencing the utilization of rich local natural resources and rural social life of the state. Extreme under utilization of inherent potentialities of the state in the agricultural sector is found to have occurred due to erroneous government policy of centralized rice procurement and distribution system for the welfare programs. Instead of increasing the local resources, both natural and human, the policy of the country, in the name of welfare program, eventually pumped more subsidized rice to the state by absolutely destroying the local rice market. In this paper attempts are being made to understand the trend of different seasonal rice production and its self-sufficiency in the state. Appropriate considerations are undertaken to the increasing population and existing supply of rice to the state in the name of Welfare programs.