Question

Write short notes on the drought-prone area programmes. How does this programme help in the development of dryland agriculture in India?

Answer 1

Drought prone area programme was initiated during the Fourth Five Year Plan with the objectives of providing employment to the people in drought-prone areas and creating productive assets. Initially, this programme laid emphasis on the construction of labour-intensive civil works. But later on, it emphasised irrigation projects, land development programmes, afforestation, grassland development and creation of basic rural infrastructures such as electricity, roads, market, credit and services.

Since growing population pressure is forcing the society to utilise the marginal lands for agriculture, and, thereby causing ecological degradation, there is a need to create alternative employment opportunities in the drought-prone areas. The other strategies of development of these areas include the adoption of an integrated watershed development approach at the micro-level. The restoration of ecological balance between water, soil, plants, and human and animal population should be a basic consideration in the strategy of development of drought-prone areas. Broadly, the drought-prone area in India spread over the semi-arid and arid tracts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Western Madhya Pradesh, Marathwada region of Maharashtra, Rayalseema and Telangana plateaus of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka plateau and highlands and interior parts of Tamil Nadu. The drought-prone areas of Punjab, Haryana and north-Rajasthan are largely protected due to the spread of irrigation in these regions.

Since the focus of the programme is the sustainable development of the entire ecology and provide with irrigational facilities to the regions, therefore dryland agriculture gets a boost. The adoption of integrated watershed management and other programmes also contribute towards common property resources, collective farming etc. which increases the size of the cultivable plots, increasing productivity. With the introduction of drought-prone area programmes, even the areas in the dryland region were able to avail proper agricultural technology and therefore dryland agriculture had prospects of increased productivity.