Centre-state relations in agricultural development

Agriculture is a State subject. Nevertheless the course of agricul tural development in India through State initiative and assistance has not been bound by consti tutional demarcations.

The introduction and expansion of the Grow More Food Campaigns, the Community Development Pro gramme, the Intensive Agriculture Development and the High Yielding Varieties Programmes show that the Central initiative has been pronoun ced in precisely those areas where State initiative should have been most articulate. The influence of the Centre has been felt in the shaping of even the minor programmatic details at the local level.

Paradoxically, while "food for all" is the responsibility of the Centre, "self-sufficiency in food production" is the responsibility of the States. The position of "responsibility with out power" has continued to be a source of irritation for the Centre. At the same time, States have often complained about undue encroach ment by the Centre in their field.

In the context of the technological revolution in agriculture, responsi bilities and powers of the Central and the State Governments also need to be redefined and formalised The author examines the problem through an intensive study of the developmental processes, i.e., plan ning, policy-formulation, decision making and implementation, sup ported by a detailed investigation into the various forms of Centre State collaboration