With reference to the 'Green Revolution', why was the first phase restricted to affluent states?

The correct option is The use of HYV seeds required reliable irrigation and financial resources which these states had.

Explanation

The Green Re, initiated in the mid-1960s, involved the introduction of High-Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds. These seeds were highly input-intensive, fundamentally altering the production function of agriculture by requiring specific combinations of factors of production-primarily assured water and capital (fertilizers, pesticides, and mechanization).

Analysis of the Restriction to Affluent States:

• Requirement of Reliable Irrigation: Unlike traditional seeds, HYV seeds required water at specific intervals. Reliance on monsoon rainfall was insufficient. States like Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh already had well-developed irrigation infrastructure (canals and tubewells), making them suitable for the first phase.
• Financial Resources (Capital): The cultivation of HYV seeds required heavy investment in chemical fertilizers and pesticides to ensure high yields. Farmers in affluent states had the necessary financial resources or access to credit to procure these expensive inputs.
• Refutation of Other Options:
  • Only these states had fertile soil.: While fertile soil is important, other regions like the lower Gangetic plains (Bihar, West Bengal) also possessed fertile alluvial soil but lacked the necessary irrigation infrastructure and capital during the first phase.
  • The central government prohibited the use of HYV seeds in other states.: The central government did not prohibit the use of HYV seeds in other states; rather, the strategy was to focus resources on areas with the highest potential for immediate surplus production.
  • The seeds were only suitable for the climate of these states.: While the initial focus was on wheat (suitable for the climate of the northwest), the primary constraint was the lack of assured irrigation and inputs in other regions, not just climatic suitability.

Key Takeaway:
The first phase of the Green Revolution was restricted to affluent states because the new technology was capital-intensive and dependent on assured irrigation, resources that were not uniformly available across the country.