Thursday, 16 June 2016



Chapter-1

The story of village palampur

1. Introduction
2. Farming in palampur
3. Farming activites
   a. Multiple cropping
   b. Modern methods
        I. HYV seeds. Fertilizer, pesticides, farm machinery
       II. Irrigation (dams, cannals, pumps sets)
4. Nonfarm activities in palampur
    a. Dairy (the other common actives)
    b. Small-scale manufacturing in palampur
    c. The shopkeeper
    d. Transport




 


Farming in Palampur




 
1. Land is Fixed
75 % of people depend on farming. Since 1960 there has been no expansion in land area under cultivation. No further scope to increase farm production. Land is fixed for agriculture in the village. Bigha, guintha etc. are the local standard units of measuring land in hectares in the villages of India. One hectare equals the area of a square with one side measuring 100 meters.
 
 
2. Is there a way one can grow more from the same Land
 

Kharif crops like jowar, Bajra are grown in rainy seasons. These plants are grown as cattle feed. It is followed by cultivation of potato between October and December. In the winter season, rabi crops like wheat, sugar cane are grown. Sugar cane is grown in the village on one part of the land and jaggery is produced and sold in Raiganj. The villagers can grow more crops because they are having the facilities of electricity, well developed system of irrigation etc.. All the farmers in the village grow more than one crop. Many grow potato as the third crop in their field.
 
a. Multiple Cropping
To grow more than one crop in the same field is known as multiple cropping. This system gives high yield. . For example: Wheat – bajra – potato.
            
 
b. Dual Cropping
To grow two crops in the same piece of land. Excessive production in agriculture due to modern scientific methods are called green revolution.
 
3. Green Revolution
In late 1960s HYVs are introduced, which were a great boon to agriculture. These are High Yielding Varieties of seeds which guarantees greater qualitative and quantitative production. HYV seeds need plenty of water and also chemical fertilizers and pesticides to produce best results. Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh were the first states to use modern methods of agriculture and made use of HYV seeds, pesticides, chemical fertilizers etc.
 
4. The Land Sustain
Land being a natural resource. Green revolution is associated with the loss of soil fertility.
Continuous use of ground water for tube well irrigation has reduced the water – table below the ground. Chemical fertilizers may destroy the bacteria and other micro organisms in the soil. The consumption of chemical fertilizers in Punjab is highest in the country.
 
 
5. Distribution of Land between the Farmers of Palampur
Land is unevenly distributed among the farmers of the villages. Some farmers have large lands while some have very small and others have no land at all. The divisions may result in poor and unsatisfactory production leading to poor economic status to the country.
 
 
6. Provide Labour
Small farmers along with their families cultivate their own fields. they provide the labour. Landless farmers work in the field of rich farmers for wages. The government fixed salary is 60 rupees per day. But most of the farmers are paid less than 40 rupees.
 
 
7. The Capital needed in Farming
Small farmers have to borrow money from large farmers of the village or money lenders or the traders who supply various inputs for cultivation. Farmers need capitals as they don’t have surplus of their own.
 
 
8. Sale of Surplus Farm Products
Surpluses are the excessive amount of production produced by the farmers. Example: Farmers produce wheat and store a part of it for their consumption and the remaining they sell in the market and gain profit. This profit is called surplus. The farmers use the surplus as capital for the next harvest.
 
 

Non Farming Activities in Palampur


25% of the people working in Palampur are engaged in activities other than agriculture. Farming has reached up to the saturated point so there is little scope for further labourers of getting absorbed in farming activities. Hence, it becomes most important to increase non-farm activities so that some farm labourers can get employment there. Such non-farm activities can be – dairy farming, manufacturing, shop-keeping, transport, poultry farming, tailoring, educational activities etc. In the lean season the farm labourers can supplement their income by taking part in any of these non-farm activities and thus, improve their economical conditions.
   a. Dairy Farming
   b. Small Scale Manufacturing
   c. Shop Keeping
   d. Transport
 
a. Dairy Farming:
Dairy farming is a common activity in Palampur. People feed their buffalos on various kinds of grass and the jowar and bajra that grow during rainy season. Milk is sold in Raiganj. Traders of Shahpur have set up collection cum chilling centers at Raiganj.
 
b. Small Scale Manufacturing:
Very simple production is done in the village. People produce baskets, gur etc. in small scale. Mishrilal of Palampur produce Jaggery and sell in Shahpur. He makes a small profit. He owns a crushing machine as capital.
 
 
c. Shop Keeping:
Some villagers sell rice, wheat, sugar, tea, oil, biscuits, soap, toothpaste, batteries, candles etc. People whose houses are close to the bus stand use a part of the space to open small shops. Some sell eatables like pakoras, samosas etc.
In Palampur Kareem had opened a computer center. Students from shahpur town had joined it. He had appointed two women of his village to work in his center. In this way he is self employed and have given employment to others.
 
d. Transport:
Transport is another major activity of villages. Rickshwas, Tongas, jeeps, tractors, trucks are some of the vehicles found here. Some people are engaged in this line too. Kishora of Palampur village own a buffalo. The buffalo gives milk and also draws cart for him. Every day he goes to ganga river to fetch clay for the potters of the village. Kishora is engaged in multi economic activity.

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