(a) whether the investment in agriculture as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
has gone down from 2.1 per cent in 2003 to 1.7 per cent during the recent times;
(b) if so, the reasons behind such a drastic fall to the tune of 20 per cent in just three years;
and
(c) the details regarding the composition of allocations for public investment on agriculture
in the current financial year and the progress till January, 2007?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI SHARAD PAWAR)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 300 DUE FOR REPLY ON 19TH MARCH, 2007.
(a) & (b): According to the latest estimates released by the Central Statistical Organization
(CSO), the total investment in agriculture proper measured in terms of Gross Capital Formation
(GCF) as a proportion of total GDP had gone down in real terms (at 1999-2000 prices) from 2.1
percent in 2002-03 to 1.9 percent during 2003-04 to 2005-06. This decline in investment in
agriculture as a proportion of total GDP follows from relatively faster pace of growth of total
GDP than the growth of investment in agriculture. The public sector investment in agriculture as
a proportion of total GDP increased from 0.4 percent in 2002-03 to 0.5 percent in 2005-06. But
the private sector investment in agriculture as a proportion of total GDP declined from 1.8
percent to 1.5 percent during the same period.
(c): The composition of allocations for public investment in agriculture for 2006-07 is not yet
available. However, as per `Economic Survey (2006-07)`, the public sector investment (at
1999-00 prices) in agriculture for 2005-06 stands at Rs.13,219 crore as compared to Rs.10,267
crore in 2004-05.