Groundwater depletion

11 May Groundwater depletion

(GS PAPER-3 INFRASTRUCTURE)

(SOURCE- THE HINDU)

 Context-

Groundwater depletion the cropping intensity  are the amount of land planted in the winter season may decrease up to 20% by 2025 noted by a report

Highlights of the report

• India is the second largest producer of Wheat in the world with over 30 million hectares in the country, dedicated to producing this crop. 
• Some of the important winter crops are wheat, Barley, mustard and peas
• The International team is studied India’s  three main season types on winter cropped areas dug wells, tube wells, canals and also analysed the groundwater data from the central ground water board 
• study finds 13% of the village in which farmers plant winter crop are located in critically water depleted regions
• The villages may Lose 68% of their crop area in future if access to all ground water irrigation is lost
• The results suggest that these losses will largely occur in north west and Central India 

Nature of groundwater depletion in India

• India is the world’s largest user of groundwater groundwater contribute to more than 50% of the country’s irrigation resources
• In India nearly  two third area are rain fed
• Therefore in order to provide farmers with adequate irrigation facilities the government provides power to the agriculture sector at highly subsidised rate this accounts for the over extraction of groundwater
• Over extractions of groundwater is non renewable recharge rates are less than extraction rate and replenishing this resource can take thousands of years

-Khyati Khare

Download Daily Current Affairs of 11th May 2021