Target Area Planning

• The planning process has to take special care of those areas which have remained economically backward.
• Sometimes resource-rich region also remain backward. The economic development also requires technology as well as investment besides the resource.
• In order to arrest the accentuation of regional and social disparities, the Planning Commission introduced the target area’ and target group approaches to planning.
• Some of the examples of programmes directed towards the development of target areas are Command Area Development Programme, Drought Prone Area Development Programme, Desert Development Programme, Hill Area Development Programme.
• The Small Farmers Development Agency (SFDA) and Marginal Farmers Development Agency (MFDA) which are the examples of target group programme.
• In the 8th Five year Plan special area programmes were designed to develop infrastructure in hill areas, north-eastern states, tribal areas and backward areas.

Hill Area Development Programme

• Initiated during Fifth Five Year Plan covering 15 districts comprising all the hilly districts of Uttar Pradesh (present Uttarakhand), Mikir Hill and North Cachar hills of Assam, Darjiling district of West Bengal and Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu
• The National Committee on the Development of Backward Area in 1981 recommended that all the hill areas in the country having height above 600 m and not covered under tribal sub-plan be treated as backward hill areas.
• Plan is based on topographical, ecological, social and economic conditions.
• These programmes aimed at harnessing the indigenous resources of the hill areas through development of horticulture, plantation agriculture, animal husbandry, poultry, forestry and small-scale and village industry.

Drought Prone Area Programme

• 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 labor-intensive civil works.
• But later on, it emphasized on irrigation projects, land development programmes, afforestation, grassland development and creation of basic rural infrastructure such as electricity, roads, market, credit and services.
• The other strategies of development of these areas include adoption of 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.
• Irrigation Commission (1972) introduced the criterion of 30 per cent irrigated area and demarcated the drought prone areas

Sustainable Development

• The notion of sustainable development emerged in the wake of general rise in the awareness of environmental issues in the late 1960s in Western World.
• United Nations established a World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) headed by the Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland.
• The Commission gave its report (also known as Brundtland Report) entitled „Our Common Future? in 1987.
• The report defines sustainable development as a “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
• Sustainable development takes care of ecological, social and economic aspects of development during the present times and pleads for conservation of resources to enable the future generations to use these resources.

Indira Gandhi Canal (Nahar) Command Area

• Indira Gandhi Canal, previously known as the Rajasthan Canal, is one of the largest canal systems in India.
• Conceived by Kanwar Sain in 1948, the canal project was launched on 31 March, 1958.
• The canal originates at Harike barrage in Punjab and runs parallel to Pakistan border at an average distance of 40 km in Thar Desert (Marusthali) of Rajasthan.
• Out of the total command area, about 70 per cent was envisaged to be irrigated by flow system and the rest by lift system.
• The construction work of the canal system has been carried out through two stages.
• The command area of Stage-I lies in Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and northern part of Bikaner districts
• The command area of Stage-II is spread over Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur and Churu districts covering culturable command area of 14.10 lakh ha.
• It comprises desert land dotted with shifting sand dunes and temperature soaring to 50ºC in summers.
• In the lift canal, the water is lifted up to make it to flow against the slope of the land. All the lift canals of Indira Gandhi Canal system originate at the left bank of main canal while all the canals on the right bank of main canal are flow channels.
• The introduction of canal irrigation in this dry land has transformed its ecology, economy and society.
• It has influenced the environmental conditions of the region both positively as well as negatively. The availability of soil moisture for a longer period of time and various afforestation and pastured development programmes under CAD have resulted in greening the land. This has also helped in reducing wind erosion and siltation of canal systems.
• But the intensive irrigation and excessive use of water has led to the emergence of twin environmental problems of water logging and soil salinity. Introduction of canal irrigation has brought about a perceptible transformation in the agricultural economy of the region.
• Soil moisture has been a limiting factor in successful growing of crops in this area. Spread of canal irrigation has led to increase in cultivated area and intensity of cropping.
• The traditional crops sown in the area, gram, bajra and jowar have been replaced by wheat, cotton, groundnut and rice. This is the result of intensive irrigation.
• This intensive irrigation, no doubt, initially has led to tremendous increase in agricultural and livestock productivity. This has also caused water logging and soil salinity, and thus, in the long run, it hampers the sustainability of agriculture.

Measures for Promotion of Sustainable Development

• • The ecological sustainability of Indira Gandhi Canal Project has been questioned by various scholars. Their point of view has also largely been validated by the course of development this region has taken during the last four decades, which has resulted in degradation of physical environment.
  • It is a hard fact that attaining sustainable development in the command area requires major thrust upon the measures to achieve ecological sustainability.
• Hence, five of the seven measures proposed to promote sustainable development in the command area are meant to restore ecological balance.

• The first requirement is strict implementation of water management policy. The canal project envisages k8protective irrigation in Stage-I and extensive irrigation of crops and pasture development in Stage-II.
• In general, the cropping pattern shall not include water intensive crops. It shall be adhered to and people shall be encouraged to grow plantation crops such as citrus fruits.
• The CAD programmes such as lining of water courses, land development and levelling and warabandi system (equal distribution of canal water in the command area of outlet) shall be effectively implemented to reduce the conveyance loss of water.
• The areas affected by water logging and soil salinity shall be reclaimed.
• The eco-development through afforestation, shelterbelt plantation and pasture development is necessary particularly in the fragile environment of Stage-II.
• The social sustainability in the region can be achieved only if the land allot tees having poor economic background are provided adequate financial and institutional support for cultivation of land.
• The economic sustainability in the region cannot be attained only through development of agriculture and animal husbandry. The agricultural and allied activities have to develop along with other sectors of economy. This shall lead to diversification of economic base and establishment of functional linkages between basic villages, agro-service centres and market centres

Highlights of India’s National Water Policy, 2002

• The National Water Policy 2002 stipulates water allocation priorities broadly in the following order: drinking water; irrigation, hydro-power, navigation, industrial and other uses. The policy stipulates progressive new approaches to water management. Key features include:
• Irrigation and multi-purpose projects should invariably include drinking water component, wherever there is no alternative source of drinking water.
• Providing drinking water to all human beings and animals should be the first priority.
• Measures should be taken to limit and regulate the exploitation of groundwater.
• Both surface and groundwater should be regularly monitored for quality. A phased programme should be undertaken for improving water quality.
• The efficiency of utilization in all the diverse uses of water should be improved.
• Awareness of water as a scarce resource should be fostered.
• Conservation consciousness should be promoted through education, regulation, incentives and disincentives.

Prevention of Water Pollution

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with State Pollution Control Boards has been monitoring water quality of national aquatic resources at 507 stations.
• The data obtained from these stations show that organic and bacterial contamination continues to be the main source of pollution in rivers. The Yamuna River is the most polluted river in the country between Delhi and Etawah.
• Groundwater pollution has occurred due to high concentrations of heavy/toxic metals, fluoride and nitrates at different parts of the country.
• The legislative provisions such as the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974, and Environment Protection Act 1986 have not been implemented effectively.
• The Water Cess Act, 1977, meant to reduce pollution has also made marginal impacts.
• There is a strong need to generate public awareness about importance of water and impacts of water pollution.