04-01-2010, 06:49 AM
The only reason the countryside is poor is because the government deliberately neglects agriculture. Hopelessness creates a voting bloc on it's own.
Yields are 50% that of China/U.S. per acre. Poor irrigation infrastructure as well. Produce wastage is over 50% due to lack of cold storage. Free-market capitalism is the way to go. India tried socialism and equal distribution of income, it made everyone equally poor. China has far worse income disparity than India, but because they have focused on their countryside and agriculture, rural poverty is much less. Gujarat is doing a great job in that respect and is a role model for the rest of India (such as building check dams etc..)
Yields are 50% that of China/U.S. per acre. Poor irrigation infrastructure as well. Produce wastage is over 50% due to lack of cold storage. Free-market capitalism is the way to go. India tried socialism and equal distribution of income, it made everyone equally poor. China has far worse income disparity than India, but because they have focused on their countryside and agriculture, rural poverty is much less. Gujarat is doing a great job in that respect and is a role model for the rest of India (such as building check dams etc..)