Sustainable development: state of agriculture and natural resources in Punjab

Abstract

Punjab, "the food bowl of India", once the most prosperous state of India, with highest per capita income for more than last one or two decades, is now occupying 3rd or 4th position after Maharasbtra. The economy of Punjab is largely based on agriculture (84% of the total area of 5.03 million ha is under cultivation) and in the last two decades it neither brought much change in agricultural practices nor attracted other industries (such as Information technology in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka) to maintain its strong economy. This argument does not instigate that Punjab should not rely on agriculture to be a prosperous state of India, but this is to insist policy makers and agriculturists to look into the matter urgently, to bring awareness in people of Punjab and most importantly, to strengthen and encourage the scientific community of the state to come forward with new and innovative ideas to keep agriculture as a profitable industry while maintaining a balance between high productivity and sustainability of natural resources.