Which of the following was a significant problem faced by the agricultural sector in India around 1947?

Correct option is B

Correct Answer: (b) Dependence on monsoons

Explanation:

• Around 1947, India’s agricultural sector suffered from heavy dependence on monsoon rainfall, making crop output highly unstable.
• Lack of irrigation facilities meant droughts or irregular rains caused frequent crop failures.

Information Booster:

• Agriculture in 1947 was largely subsistence-based with very low productivity.
• Only about 17% of agricultural land had assured irrigation at the time of Independence.
• Traditional tools like ploughs, bullocks, and hand implements dominated farming practices.
• Fragmented landholdings and absence of land reforms worsened rural poverty.

Additional Knowledge:

• Surplus production (Option a) is incorrect — India faced food shortages, not surpluses.
• High productivity (Option c) is incorrect — crop yields were extremely low before the Green Revolution.
• Modern farming techniques (Option d) were not in use; HYV seeds, fertilizers, and mechanisation began only after the 1960s.
• Food imports under PL-480 from the US were common due to poor domestic food production.