Former agriculture minister Sompal painted a grim picture of growing economic disparities between rural and urban areas and pointed out that if the situation persisted, it would give rise to unmanageable social discontent.
In his exposition on the GN talk, Sompal referred to the fact that at the time of independence, agriculture used to contribute over 60 per cent of the GDP while its shared was now reduced to 18 percent. He said that though the agriculture's share had declined, the sector was the source of sustenance for over 60 per cent of population which is a marginal decline since Independence. In his view, the economic planning has been so much focussed around urban areas that the rural areas have been grossly neglected.
He dismissed the proposition that the declining share of the agriculture in the GDP is an index of the progress of the economy. Drawing his experience as member of the planning commission, Sompal pointed out that unlike the developed nation , India's dependability on agriculture as the biggest employer would pose a serious challenge to the policy planner and future growth.