Dynamics of Agricultural Mechanisation and Rural Labour Force

Analysis of cost of cultivation data, NSSO data and poverty data of Planning Commission reveals that during 1996–97 to 2010–11, there is declining share of human labour cost in the total operational cost of paddy and wheat growing states and increase in the machine labour cost. Family labour cost and animal labour cost moves in the same direction. As per NSSO data since the rural male employment increased by 46% (making a shift from self employment and regular employment to casual and regular employment) and female employment by 12% (shifting towards self employment and regular wage employment) during the period, the displacement is absorbed in the nonfarm activities. Further, faster average annual decline in rural poverty during 2004–11 (2.32%) than during 1993–2004 (0.81%) and reduction in the gap of rural urban poverty indicates increase in the standard of living. Effective Government policy on farm mechanization and diversification of rural activities will be a welcome strategy.