India’s economy has undergone a substantial transformation since the country’s independence in 1947. Agriculture now accounts for only one-third of the gross domestic product (GDP), down from 59 percent in 1950, and a wide range of modern industries and support services now exist.  In spite of these changes, agriculture continues to dominate employment, employing two-thirds of all workers. Furthermore, despite advances in the economy, large segments of the population are destitute.  Some estimate that over one-third of the population is living below the poverty line (The World Bank, 1997).