PROBLEM AND SOLUTION OF DROUGHT IN RAJASTHAN

Introduction

India’s largest state by land size, Rajasthan, is well known for its rich cultural legacy. But it also faces the serious and enduring problem of drought in rajasthan. Frequent droughts are caused by the region’s arid and semi-arid climate, irregular rainfall patterns, and other factors that negatively impact agriculture, water supply, and the general standard of living for its residents.

types of droughts

In simplest terms, a drought is an inability to produce rain, which causes moisture stress and, ultimately, agricultural losses as well as various types of social and economic suffering. There are numerous ways to describe and categorize drought. The National Commission on Agriculture has established three distinct categories of drought:

• Drought in Agriculture: A situation in which crops are impacted by low rainfall and moisture stress.
• Meteorological Drought: A meteorological drought occurs when precipitation in any area falls by more than 25% (relative to average).
• Hydrological Drought: A reduction in surface and groundwater levels brought on by recurrent meteorological droughts. In accordance with this categorization. Any place is considered drought prone if it experiences a drought in 20% of the years; if it does so more frequently than 40% of the time, the area is considered chronically drought prone.

drought in rajasthan

• Rajasthan has experienced problems with water scarcity, drought, and sporadic famines because it is primarily an arid and semi-arid country. These problems are exacerbated by variables like climate change, excessive groundwater extraction, unpredictable rainfall, and poor water management techniques.
• Droughts can have detrimental effects on cattle, agriculture, and general livelihoods, resulting in food insecurity and financial difficulties.

problem of drought in rajasthan

The problems of drought in rajasthan 2023 are as follows:

Erratic Rainfall:

• This mostly rainfed agricultural region has faced challenges as a result of the peculiar phenomena where the district has seen an increase in average rainfall over time but has also experienced drought practically every year for the past ten years.
• Across the previous few years, the area has seen an increase in rainfall across a shorter time frame. Rather with the four months of rainy monsoon that normally fall on the area, rainfall now occurs for only two months, perhaps even as little as one.

Exploitation of Groundwater:

• The Central Ground Water Department’s 2013 Ground Water Assessment Report identified Barmer as an “over exploited” location, citing an annual overdraft of 123.85 percent.
• Six of the eight total blocks were deemed “over exploited,” while one was deemed “critical.” The district’s Baitu block, which had a 226 percent overdraft, was designated as a “Dark Zone.”
• The district’s groundwater level has been dropping at a pace of five to six meters per ten years.

Fault in Part of Government:

• The density of the population is rising. Because weeds and shrubs are growing out of control, the local flora and fauna are becoming less abundant.
• Prosopis Julifolra strata currently blanket the sand dunes (Vilayati Babool). This has an impact on the distribution of rainfall and sandstorms as natural phenomena.
• Since they are native to the area, traditional plants are familiar with the ecosystem of the desert. The statement that tampering with nature bears punishment adds that traditional plant species have been helping rural Indians for decades by offering a source of additional revenue, while also helping to maintain the climate cycle in the desert region.

Government Initiatives of solution of drought: Rajasthan

The solution of drought in rajasthan are as follows:

• Water Conservation and Management: Resilience to drought management can be increased by putting into practice effective water management techniques including groundwater recharge, watershed development, and rainfall gathering.
• Drought-Resistant Crops: In dry areas, encouraging the growth of drought-resistant crops and implementing creative water-saving farming techniques can improve agricultural sustainability.
• Irrigation Infrastructure: Farmers can lessen their reliance on rainfall and deal with water scarcity by building and enhancing irrigation infrastructure, such as canals, check dams, and drip irrigation systems.
• Crop Insurance: Implementing and encouraging crop insurance schemes can give financial security to farmers in case of crop failure resulting from drought or other natural calamities.
• Government Assistance Programs: During times of famine, the implementation of focused government assistance programs, such as giving impacted communities cash support and food relief, can take care of the urgent requirements.

The impact of drought in rajasthan are extensive, affecting not just public infrastructure but also water quality, public health, the economy, and the environment. Decision-makers and planners for drought can more effectively handle the effects of drought by having a greater understanding of them, which will eventually increase community readiness for drought.

Conclusion

Rajasthan’s drought is a complicated problem that calls for a diversified and coordinated response. The negative consequences of drought can be lessened by integrating traditional knowledge with contemporary technology, encouraging effective water management, diversifying agriculture, and incorporating communities in the decision-making process. In addition to reducing the acute suffering brought on by the drought, sustained and well-coordinated actions can increase long-term resilience against climatic uncertainty in the future. Rajasthan can turn its vulnerability into a paradigm of sustainable development as well as water management by combining efforts at the municipal, state, and federal levels.