Published Paper Details:

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of India's economy, sustaining over half of rural households and contributing major part of the national GDP. Despite significant post-independence efforts to enhance productivity through high-yielding varieties, irrigation, fertilizers, and modern machinery, small and marginal farmers often face financial constraints in accessing these inputs. Agricultural input subsidies have been implemented to reduce costs, encourage adoption of modern technologies, enhance farm incomes, and stimulate economic growth. Subsidies have been shown by numerous studies to positively influence productivity and reduce input costs; however, their impact on the alleviation of loan dependency has been found to be limited, with significant gaps in awareness being reported among resource-constrained farmers. Consequently, a need has been emphasized for targeted policy interventions, the establishment of efficient subsidy delivery mechanisms, and the implementation of comprehensive awareness programs, through which inclusive growth, sustainable agricultural development, and the enhancement of rural livelihoods may be achieved.