
Punjab has been a star performer in agriculture during heydays of Green Revolution. Its agriculture GDP grew at 5.7 per cent per annum during 1971-72 to 1985-86, which was more than double the growth rate of 2.31 per cent, achieved at all-India level during the same period. It was this stellar performance of Punjab, first witnessed in large wheat surpluses and then similar rise in production of rice, which helped India free itself from the PL 480 food aid and its associated political strings. Punjab became a symbol of India’s grain surpluses, giving India the much needed food security. But after 1985-86, green revolution started greying and growth in Punjab agriculture slowed down to 3 percent per annum over the period