THE STORY OF PALAMPUR, AN IMAGINARY VILLAGE, IS TO INTRODUCE SOME BASIC CONCEPTS RELATING TO THE PRODUCTION AND OTHER MAIN ACTIVITIES. THE AIM OF PRODUCTION.

THE STORY OF PALAMPUR, AN IMAGINARY VILLAGE, IS TO INTRODUCE SOME BASICCONCEPTS RELATING TO THE PRODUCTION AND OTHER MAIN ACTIVITIES.THE AIM OF PRODUCTION IS TO PRODUCE THE GOODS AND SERVICES THAT WE WANT.

THERE ARE FOUR FACTORS OF PRODUCTION:LAND, LABOUR, CAPITAL AND ORGANISATION.

LAND :THE FIRST REQUIREMENT IS LAND AND OTHER NATURAL RESOURSES ARE WATER, FORESTS, MINERALS etc.

LABOUR:LABOUR IS THE WORKING FORCE. THEY ARE OF 2 TYPES. SKILLED WORKERS AND MANUAL LABOURERS.

PHYSICAL CAPITAL: TOOLS, MACHINES,BUILDINGS etc ARE CONSIDERED AS

FIXED CAPITALFIXED CAPITAL. RAW MATERIALS AND MONEY

IN HAND ARE THE WORKING CAPITAL.WORKING CAPITAL.

THE FORTH REQUIREMENT IS THE HUMAN HUMAN CAPITALCAPITAL. EVERY PRODUCTION IS ORGANISED BY COMBINING LAND, LABOUR, PHYSICAL CAPITALAND HUMAN CAPITAL WHICH ARE KNOWN AS FACTORS OF PRODUCTION.

1. LAND AREA UNDER CULTIVATION IS FIXED: FARMING IS THE THE MAIN ACTIVITY.

75 % OF THE PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN THAT ACTIVITY.

AFTER 1960, THER WAS NO EXPANSION OF LAND .NO FURTHER SCOPE TO INCREASE

THE FARM PRODUCTION.

WHEAT

CAN WE GROW MORE FROM THE SAME LAND?

NO LAND IS LEFT IDLE IN PALAMPUR. ALL LAND IS BROUGHT UNDER CULTIVATION. .DURING THE RAINY SEASON FARMERS GROW JOWAR AND BAJRA. DURING OCTOBER AND DECEMBER THEY CULTIVATE POTATO.

IN THE WINTER SEASON WHEAT IS THE MAIN CROP. THE SURPLUS WHEAT PRODUCED WILL BE SOLD IN THE MARKET – RAIGANJ. SUGARCANE IS ALSO CULTIVATED ONCE IN A YEAR.

THE WELL DEVELOPED SYSTEM OF IRRIGATION ( ELECTRIC –RUN –TUBE WELLS) IS HELPING THEM TO GROW THREE CROPS IN A YEAR.

ONE WAY OF INCREASING PRODUCTION FROM THE SAME LAND IS MULTIPLE CROPPING. THE OTHER WAY S TO USE MODERN FARMING METHODS. TRADITIONAL YIELDS REQUIRES LESS IRRIGATION. THE USE OF HYV’S ENSURE BETTER PRODUCTION AND REQUIRE SMORE AMOUNT OF WATER AND CHEMICAL FERTILISERS.

FARMERS ARE USING TUBE WELLS FOR IRRIGATION , FARM MECHINERIES LIKE TRACTORS, THRESHERS ETC.

YIELD OF WHEAT (EARLIER)

1300 KGS PER HECTRE.

NOW 3200 KG.PER HECTRE.

WHEAT FIELDS

1. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENMULTIPLE CROPPING AND MODREN

FARMING METHODS?2. WHAT KIND OF FARMING METHODS

DO THE FARMERS FOLLOW IN YOUR REGION?

WILL THE LAND SUSTAIN?THE OVER USE OF SOIL LEADS TO LESS SOIL FERTILITY.MORE USE OF GROUND WATER HAS REDUCING THE WATER- TABLE. ONCE DESTROYED , IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO RESTORE THEM. PRODUCTION OF PULSES AND WHEAT.

year Production of pulses Production of wheat

1965-66 10 10

1970-71 12 24

1980-81 11 36

1990-91 14 55

2000-01 11 70

HOW IS LAND DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE FARMERS OF PALAMPUR.

IN PALAMPUR ONE THIRD OF THE 450 FAMILIES ARE LAND LESS.( 150). OF THE REMAINING FAMILIES WHO OWN LAND, 240 FAMILIES CULTIVATE SMALL PLOTS.( LESS THAN 2 ACRES). LARGE NUMBER OF SMALL PLOTS ARE SCATTERED AROUND THE VILLAGE . THESE ARE CULTIVATED BY SMALL FARMERS. 60 FAMILIES ARE OF MEDIUM AND LARGE FARMERS CULTIVATE MORE THAN 2 ACRES. A FEW LARGE FARMERS HAVE OVER 10 HECTRES OR MORE.

LET’S DISCUSS: WHY FARMERS CULTIVATE SMALL PICE OF LAND?

LET’S DISCUSS: WOULD YOU AGREE THAT THE DISTRIBUTION OF CULTIVATED

LAND IS UNEQUAL IN PALAMPUR?

WHO WILL PROVIDE THE LABOUR?

LABOUR IS VERY NECESSARY IN PRODUCTION. FARMING REQUIRES BIG DEAL OF HARD WORK. SMALL FARMERS WORK ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES. MEDIUM AND LARGE FARMERS HIRE FARM LABOURERS TO WORK ON DAILY BASIS. LABOURERS DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT OVER THE CROPS GROWN. THEY ARE PAID WAGES IN CASH OR IN KIND. WAGES VARY WIDELY TO REGIONS. DURATION OF EMPLYMENT IS ALSO VARIES.

6. THE CAPITAL NEEDED IN FARMING.

ALL FARMING METHODS REQUIRE AGREAT DEAL OF CAPITAL. SO THE FARMER NEEDS MORE MONEY. THEY WILL BORROW MONEY FROM MONEY LENDERS. LATER THEY ARE PUT TO GREAT DISTRESS TO REPAY THE LOAN.

THE MEDIUM ANL LARGE FARMERS HAVE THEIR OWN SAVINGS FROM FARMING. THEY ARE ABLE TO ARRANGE THEIR CAPITAL.

7. SALE OF SURPLUS FARM PRODUCTS.

Small farmers have little surplus wheat becauseTheir total production is small. So the large and medium producers supply wheat to the market and gets good earnings. This savings is used for lending to small farmers as working capital for Farming. Thus they will be buying new tractors or other required things with the surplus money.

ONLY 25 % OF THE PEOPLE OF PALAMPUR ARE WORKING IN ACTIVITIES OTHER THAN

AGRICULTURE.1. DAIRY _ FARMING: IS A COMMON ACTIVITY

OF MANY FAMILIES. THE SURPLUS MILK IS SOLD IN THE NEARBY MARKET OF RAIGANJ.

2. SAMLL SCALE MANUFACTURING: LESS THAN FIFTY PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. THEY FOLLOW VERY SIMPLE PRODUCTION METHODS AND CARRIED OUT MOSTLY AT HOME WITH THE HELP OF FAMILY MEMBERS. RARELY ARE LABOURERS HIRED.

3. SHOP KEEPERS :

VERY LITTE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN EXCHANGE OF GOODS IN PLAMPUR. THE TRADERS ARE SHOP KEEPERS WHO BUY GOODS FROM ELSE WHERE.THEY SELL A VIDE RANGE OF ITEMS.

4. TRANSPORT: A FAST DEVELOPING SECTOR :

THERE ARE VARIETY OF VEHICLES ON THE ROAD CONNECTING PALAMPUR TO RAIGANJ. RICKSAWS, TONGAS, JEEP, TRACTOR, TRUCK ETC ARE USED BY THE VILLAGERS. THEY FERRY PEPLE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.

•FARMING IS MAIN PRODUCTION ACTIVITY.•MANY CHANGES IN FARMING ARE PRACTICED.•THIS HELPED THEM TO PRODUCE MORE CROPS.•THE LAND IS FIXED, BUT BUT THE PRESSURE IS MORE•NEW FARMING NEED LESS LAND, BUT MORE CAPITAL.•80% OF THEM ARE SMALL FARMERS.•THEY HAVE NO CAPITAL & LESS PRODUCTION.•THEY HAVETO DO ADDITIONAL WORKS TO FEED THEMSELVES. •LABOUR IS ABUNDANT. BUT NOT FOLLOWING NEW METHODS OF FARMING.SO MIGRATING.•NON FARM SECTOR IS NOT LARGE.•THE CAPITAL FOR THAT IS NOT AVAIALABLE.

NON FARM SECTOR IS NOT VERY LARGE.24 /100 ARE ONLY ENGAGED IN THAT.

LACK OF CAPITAL IS THE PROBLEM.

THEY ARE DEPENDING UPON MONEY LENDERS.

LACK OF MARKET IS ANOTHER LIMITATION FOR NON FARMING ACTIITIES.

THEY ARE DEPENDING ON OTHER PLACES FOR MANY ITEMS.

IF THE VILLAGE CAN BE CONNECTED TO TOWNSWITH GOOD ROADS, TRANSPORT, TELEPHONE, IT I SPOSSIBLE THAT THE PRODUCTON OF EVERY VILLAGE CAN BE INCREASED.

Wheat fields