Haryana Outpaces Punjab in Agricultural Reforms

Haryana outpaced Punjab in agriculture through reforms, diversification, debt relief, and sustainable policies.

- NEERAJ MOHAN

In the fields of two leading agrarian states of northern India, a quiet transformation is underway. The small state of Haryana is steadily surging ahead with agricultural reforms, while Punjab—once the undisputed leader and epicenter of the Green Revolution—struggles under financial stress and stagnant policies.

A deep dive into the data reveals a striking divergence. From reducing farmer indebtedness and incentivizing crop diversification to robust machinery distribution and direct benefit transfers, Haryana's multi-pronged welfare strategy is visibly outperforming Punjab's traditional model.

In Haryana, approximately 45% of the population is engaged in agriculture, operating on 36.46 lakh hectares of cultivable land. In contrast, 35.5% of Punjab's population is involved in agriculture and related activities over a larger area of 42 lakh hectares.

Comparative data over the years reveals a significant shift in agriculture in both states, with Haryana emerging as a leader despite having smaller landholdings compared to Punjab. The average landholding per farmer in Punjab is 3.62 hectares, while in Haryana it is 2.22 hectares—both above the national average of 1.08 hectares.

According to the National Sample Survey Organisation, in 2005 nearly 65.4% of Punjab's 18.44 lakh farmer households were in debt, compared to 53.1% of Haryana's 19.44 lakh households—both exceeding the national average of 48.6%.

The latest data, as shared by the Union Finance Minister in Parliament, shows that by the end of 2024, Haryana had reduced its percentage of indebted agricultural households to 48%, while Punjab's remained higher at 54.4%. The average outstanding loan per agricultural household in Punjab has risen to Rs 2.03 lakh, surpassing Haryana's Rs 1.82 lakh, and both are significantly above the national average of Rs 74,121.

According to agricultural experts, the key difference lies in policy approach.