Perspective of Economists and Extension Personnel towards Agricultural Subsidies in Punjab

Abstract

The subsidy is very important for growth of farmers in India. Many persons have presented their views on agriculture subsidies in national and international level through research papers and articles. The small and marginal farmers in India are poor and they depend on government support for cultivation of crops. In India, at present, centre as well as state governments are providing subsidies on fertilizers, irrigation, electricity and other subsidies to farmers and farmers’ cooperative societies in the form of various inputs, crop insurance schemes and price support schemes etc. This study tries to bring forth the voice of agricultural economists and extension personnel who are closely involved with subsidies and matters related to them. The analysis was based on 20 economists and 20 extension personnel involved directly or indirectly with the issue of agricultural subsidies. This analysis can serve for providing a platform to voice the opinions of agricultural economists and extension personnel who are ignored most of the time during the policy framing related to subsidies in farming sector.