UNEMPLOYMENT IN WEST BENGAL l\3 additional labour in the countryside. As such we were to depend on industry for siphoning off surplus labour from agriculture. However, innovation in agricultural practices and introduction of multiple cropping have raised hopes that small farms can be efficient aiidcar^ provide additional employment to labour in the rural areas. Recent experiences in Asian countries with differing social systems have shown that small agricultural farms can be viable provided the farmers are freed from the control of the rich landholders and moneylenders for the supply of their resources and marketing of their products. Extension of small farming system in agriculture calls for effective implementation of land reforms which remains to be completed yet. An upswing in agricultural activity will provide an impetus to a series of non-agricultural activities in the rural areas. With the inciease in the earnings of the peasants one can expect an increase in demand both for goods for personal consumption and tooh and implements for use in production. It may be possible to produce many of these hea^s in adjacent areas with the help of local labour. The success of such aA approach would depend to a large extent on the arrangement for easy credit and marketing facilities for the enterprises. Finally, it would b^ wron^ to conclude that in vestment in the large and he^vy industries can be postponed till the industries in the other sectors pick up their pace and absorb a reasonable volume of the unemployed. The large industries have long gestation periods and unless they are planned-jw^Sciently %b^a4 limits on their capacities may act asr constraints to the growth of the other sectors of the twnonay* A demonstrative example of this may be seen in the power industry, DEB KtJMAk B6SR Jt t- < < , /.^w ^sui'.^liJ "[r^h^ ^ ^