Haryana's farmland shrinks amid urban push

Haryana’s agricultural footprint is steadily shrinking as the small state bordering the National Capital chases a higher growth trajectory under the BJP government’s slogan of “sab ka saath, sab ka vikas.”

Whether due to rapid urbanisation or farming turning into a non-profitable pursuit, the cultivable area in agrarian state continues to fall. A sharp decline of 2.40 lakh acres — from 97.60 lakh acres to 95.20 lakh acres between 2022-23 and 2023-24 — has been recorded in the state.

The data, shared by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ramnath Thakur in response to a question by AA Rahim in the Rajya Sabha, has triggered fresh debate on why thousands of acres of fertile land are being diverted to non-farm uses, especially to feed the pace of urbanisation in the National Capital Region (NCR).

What makes the trend even more striking is that nearly 25% of the total farm area converted to non-agricultural use across India came from Haryana. While some observers find this alarming for a state rooted in agriculture, others argue it signals economic progression — from the primary sector to the secondary and tertiary sectors.

Economist Dilbagh Singh elucidates the shift: “With farming becoming less profitable in the backdrop of agrarian distress, more and more land is shifting to industrial and services sectors. There is nothing to worry about till the agricultural production increases and share of secondary and tertiary sectors increases in the state’s GDP,” he said.

Farm activist Ramandeep Mann of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), however, attributes the crisis to the fragmentation of landholdings. According to him, smaller plots are no longer economically viable for cultivation. “The small land holdings become economically unviable in the backdrop of lower yields, high debt and poor returns, forcing farmers to sell land for non-farm purposes,” Mann asserted.

Growth in the industrial and services sectors has also drawn labour and investment away from agriculture, weakening the viability of farming. In this transition, the loss of agriculture has effectively become a gain for industry and related sectors.

Large-scale infrastructure development — roads, bridges, educational institutions and hospitals — has further accelerated the diversion of agricultural land, as such projects are indispensable for a growing population.

A senior government official acknowledged that despite several “pro-farmer” initiatives, agrarian distress persists due to high input costs and shrinking landholdings. “However, the silver lining in the dismal scenario is the impressive increase in agricultural production in recent years. This, coupled with major corporates choosing Haryana — especially Gurugram — as their industrial hub, should be seen as a welcome sign for the state’s developing economy,” he reasoned.

Be that as it may, a mix of these factors has created a challenging environment for stakeholders who view land diversion through their own lenses. But one thing is beyond doubt: Haryana’s agricultural footprint is shrinking, fuelling renewed debate on the intersection of farming, urbanisation and industrial expansion.