Rural transformation in a developing economy

The study is based on an Indian Council of Social Science Research sponsored research project titled "Dynamics of Rural Transformation" under which State level studies on the distri butional impact of agricultural growth were undertaken. The first of these studies was by Prof. C.T. Kurien for Tamil Nadu. The Rajasthan study concludes that the distributional impact of agricultural growth including impact of the new technology has not been adverse. Regional disparities within Rajasthan are large but they have not increased in the period 1953-1979. They are caused by the relative resource endowments of the different regions and not by technology per se.

Consumption data is also analysed and the puzzle of the relatively low poverty ratio in the State with a low per capita production level is explored. The favourable land-man ratio and the traditional livestock sector provide possible explana tions to the paradox. With a change in both of these factors brought about by a high rate of population growth and the impact of changes in the livestock sector, the situation is changing fast. Rajasthan may not be able to sustain these positive features for long. The most recent trends already show this. The views expressed are those of the authors and the ICSSR bears no responsibility for the same.