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Synopsis Agriculture has been one of the most prominent sectors in the Indian economy. It accounted for 18.6 percent of the GDP in 2005 and employed 60 percent of the country s population. About 43 percent of India s geographical area is used for agricultural activity. Of late, there has, however, been a steady decline of its share in the GDP, despite its playing a significant role still in the overall socio-economic development of India. Looking at the reasons for this plummeting trend, the non-availability of timely credit to the needy farmers is ascribed as the prime cause. It leads to agrarian distress manifested in farmers suicides that, of late, wrecked different parts of the country, leading to a sharp drop in agricultural productivity. This book tries to capture these aspects in its two sections. In these sections, the imporatnce of agricultural credit as well as the extent of distress, as is evident in the farmers suicides, along with the remedial measures in vogue are highlighted.