Question

“There comes a time in the life of every nation when it stands on the crossroads of History and must choose which way to go,” Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Enumerate any four contributions of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, with reference to the path he chose to fulfil his vision of a socialist, democratic and prosperous India.

Answer 1

• Contribution 1 - The Green Revolution and agricultural transformation: To solve India’s food issue, Shastri founded the Green Revolution. He advocated for advanced farming methods, high-yielding seeds, and greater irrigation systems. He founded the Agricultural Prices Commission and Food Corporation of India in 1965 to ensure fair food grain prices and distribution. His post-death policies brought India towards food grain self-sufficiency.
• Contribution 2 - The White Revolution and dairy development: Shastri supported the White Revolution by backing the Amul milk cooperative in Anand, Gujarat. He founded the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1965 to replicate the Amul model nationwide. India became the world’s greatest milk producer due to the institutional framework that empowered millions of small-scale dairy producers and increased milk production.
• Contribution 3 - Leadership during the 1965 war and national security: Shastri led bravely in the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War. He allowed the Indian Army to cross the international border and march on Lahore, the first time India fought in enemy territory, despite Gandhi’s nonviolence. He united the nation with the motto “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” (“Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer”), which recognized national security and food security.
• Contribution 4 - Economic reforms and liberalization: Shastri initiated economic changes, shifting from state control to market-driven approaches. He eased rules in steel and cement sectors, reviewed public sector projects, and decentralized government by moving decision-making authority from the Planning Commission to ministries. His economic team consisted of reform-minded authorities that prioritized economic liberation, modernizing agriculture, and allowing private sector flexibility. These measures anticipated the final liberalization decades later.