An Analysis Of Agricultural Development Gaps In Assam With Special Reference To Barak Valley

Abstract

The research paper is aimed at comparing and analyzing agricultural development inequality for districts in Assam from 2014-15 to 2022-23 using Gini Coefficient and Composite Agricultural Index. The analysis indicates the level of inequality exists since the Gini Coefficient ranges from as low as 0.1706 in 2014-2015 to a high of 0.1959 in 2018-2019 and slightly decreases to 0.1262 in 2022-2023 meaning that policies have only partially been effective in reducing inequality. The performance of agriculture in Barak Valley was significantly lower than the rest of Assam till the recent years, although it has shown slightly better score in the last few years (Composite Index = 0.509 in Barak Valley compare to 0.502 in Assam during the year 2020-2021). It shows the appropriateness of investing precisely in these sectors and employing flexible strategies during the new coronavirus disease outbreak. But, since Barak valley remains uneven within a regional frontier, so it is crucial to emphasize the regional development plan to fortify such structural problems like infrastructural modernization and market integration. This study is to incite the formulation of policies that would ensure agricultural inclusiveness across the regions of Assam.