The Dhar Commission was a commission set up by the Government of India in 1961 to investigate the causes of the food crisis in India. The commission was headed by Justice P.B. Gajendragadkar and submitted its report in 1964.
The commission found that the food crisis was caused by a number of factors, including:
- A decline in agricultural production
- An increase in population
- A decline in foreign exchange reserves
- A war with China
The commission made a number of recommendations to address the food crisis, including:
- Increasing agricultural production
- Reducing population growth
- Increasing foreign exchange reserves
- Improving food distribution
The government of India accepted most of the commission’s recommendations and implemented them. As a result, the food crisis was averted.
Introduction
The Dhar Commission was a commission set up by the Government of India in 1961 to investigate the causes of the food crisis in India. The commission was headed by Justice P.B. Gajendragadkar and submitted its report in 1964.
The commission found that the food crisis was caused by a number of factors, including:
- A decline in agricultural production
- An increase in population
- A decline in foreign exchange reserves
- A war with China
The commission made a number of recommendations to address the food crisis, including:
- Increasing agricultural production
- Reducing population growth
- Increasing foreign exchange reserves
- Improving food distribution
The government of India accepted most of the commission’s recommendations and implemented them. As a result, the food crisis was averted.
Causes of the food crisis
The Dhar Commission found that the food crisis was caused by a number of factors, including:
- A decline in agricultural production: Agricultural production in India declined from 1956 to 1960. This was due to a number of factors, including drought, pests, and diseases.
- An increase in population: The population of India increased from 361 million in 1951 to 439 million in 1961. This increase in population put a strain on the country’s food resources.
- A decline in foreign exchange reserves: India’s foreign exchange reserves declined from $1.1 billion in 1956 to $0.8 billion in 1960. This decline in foreign exchange reserves made it difficult for India to import food.
- A war with China: India fought a war with China in 1962. This war caused a diversion of resources away from agriculture and towards the military.
Recommendations of the Dhar Commission
The Dhar Commission made a number of recommendations to address the food crisis, including:
- Increasing agricultural production: The commission recommended that the government of India take a number of measures to increase agricultural production, including:
- Increasing the use of fertilizers and pesticides
- Providing irrigation facilities
- Providing credit to farmers
- Promoting agricultural research
- Reducing population growth: The commission recommended that the government of India take a number of measures to reduce population growth, including:
- Promoting family planning
- Providing education and employment opportunities for women
- Raising the age of marriage
- Increasing foreign exchange reserves: The commission recommended that the government of India take a number of measures to increase foreign exchange reserves, including:
- Exporting more goods and services
- Borrowing money from foreign countries
- Attracting foreign investment
- Improving food distribution: The commission recommended that the government of India take a number of measures to improve food distribution, including:
- Building more warehouses
- Improving transportation facilities
- Providing food subsidies to the poor
Implementation of the Dhar Commission’s recommendations
The government of India accepted most of the Dhar Commission’s recommendations and implemented them. As a result, the food crisis was averted.
The government of India increased the use of fertilizers and pesticides, provided irrigation facilities, provided credit to farmers, and promoted agricultural research. The government of India also promoted family planning, provided education and employment opportunities for women, raised the age of marriage, exported more goods and services, borrowed money from foreign countries, attracted foreign investment, built more warehouses, improved transportation facilities, and provided food subsidies to the poor.
As a result of these measures, agricultural production increased, population growth declined, foreign exchange reserves increased, and food distribution improved. The food crisis was averted.
Conclusion
The Dhar Commission was a successful commission that helped to avert a food crisis in India. The commission made a number of recommendations that were implemented by the government of India. As a result of these measures, agricultural production increased, population growth declined, foreign exchange reserves increased, and food distribution improved. The food crisis was averted.