Why many Punjab farmers continue to suffer?
Political Economy of the Punjab: An Insiders Account by Pritam Singh. M.D. Publications, Delhi. Pp. 332. Rs 575. THIS book has not received the wide notice that it deserves. The author has by a conscious choice titled it “Political Economy of the Punjab”, as in his view, pure economics does not help in understanding the tricky situation. Even as Punjab boasts of the highest per capita income in the country, the state has almost gone bankrupt. It has the dubious distinction of being the highest indebted state. It is lagging in the field of health and education. Its road communication system is a shambles. There is widespread unemployment. The eco-system has become very fragile due to over-exploitation of natural resources. The author covers Punjab s development in the political context that preceded its formation as a unilingual state in 1966 and the subsequent course of politics. In the author s opinion, “Punjab was conceived in sin against the secular polity. The state is jinxed since
