Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
rates, whereas Kolkata showed a slow decadal growth rate with only four
percent growth rate. The growth rate of population declined signifi cant-
ly during 2001-11 over the last decade. Decadal growth rate of the state
reached to 13.9 percent from 17.8 percent, a decline of four percent, dur-
ing last two decadal periods. In this period (2001-11) most of the districts
show moderate decadal growth rate (10-20 percent), whereas Kolkata ex-
periences a negative (-2 percent) decadal growth pattern.
The signifi cant reduction in the population growth rate in recent de-
cade is mainly due to the signifi cant decline in the natural increase of
population and strict control over the immigrations. Illegal migration from
neighbouring country has been a major problem for Bengal since indepen-
dence. After 1971 large numbers of Bangladeshi nationals have crossed
over to Bengal in search of livelihood. Bangladeshi migrants have sig-
nifi cant infl uence in the population growth of West Bengal. The rate of
population growth in the nine Bengal districts that share their borders with
Bangladesh has come down in the last decade.
The reduced growth rate of population in the districts such as Jalpaig-
uri, North and South Dinazpur, Nadia and North 24 Pargonas is the high
light of this recent census. This clearly indicates that illegal migration has
been checked substantially by fencing more border area and steeping up
vigil on illegal migration. Besides the administrative cheek, demographic
change and socio economic development of Bangladesh are also signifi -
cant to reduce the infl ux form Bangladesh. Demographers said that reduc-
tion of natural increase of population in Bangladesh was also a reason for
the reduction of in-migration.
12.3.3 FOOD GRAIN PRODUCTION IN WEST BENGAL
West Bengal is situated in the most fertile land of lower Gangetic Plain and
hence agriculture plays a pivotal role in the state's economy and nearly three
out of every four persons is directly or indirectly involved in agriculture. In
spite of an agriculture-dependent state, West Bengal was still dependent on
the central government for meeting the domestic food demands till 1980s.
However, there has been a signifi cant spurt in the food grain production
and now the state has a surplus of food grain. The total food production in
the State in 2007- 2008 was 16,060 thousand tonnes (table 3).
