ABSTRACT
Scholars in agricultural economics and policymakers alike are rather clueless about the agrarian impasse in the states of West Bengal (WB), Bihar and Orissa, in lieu of the fact that the region encompassing these states has good endowment of natural resources, particularly water, and a crucial input for agricultural growth. A few researchers have argued that groundwater development and cheap well irrigation could trigger agricultural growth and economic prosperity in this groundwater-abundant region. Researchers argued that in eastern parts of India, rural de-electrification is taking place on a large scale and that it has a significant impact on well irrigation. Some have advocated policy interventions like energy subsidies, subsidies for diesel pumps and low flat rates, for promoting equity in groundwater in eastern India. Eastern India has a subtropical-to-tropical climate, and the region also receives high to very high rainfall. The future of farming in the region has to be based on the agro-ecology.
