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Q56 (IAS/2014) Economy › Agriculture & Rural Economy › Irrigation and watershed Official Key

What are the benefits of implementing the 'Integrated Watershed Development Programme'? 1. Prevention of soil runoff 2. Linking the country's perennial rivers with seasonal rivers 3. Rainwater harvesting and recharge of groundwater table 4. Regeneration of natural vegetation Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The major outcomes of the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) include prevention of soil runoff, regeneration of natural vegetation, rainwater harvesting, and recharging of the groundwater table.[1] These benefits align with statements 1, 3, and 4 in the question.

However, statement 2 regarding "linking the country's perennial rivers with seasonal rivers" is not a benefit of IWDP. The IWDP has been implemented since 1989-90 for the development of watersheds/degraded lands[2] and focuses on harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and[1] water. The programme deals with watershed-level conservation and management, not interlinking of rivers, which is an entirely different concept.

Therefore, only statements 1, 3, and 4 are correct benefits of IWDP, making option C the correct answer.

Sources
  1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) > p. 54
  2. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Desertification and Desert Development Programme > p. 50
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. What are the benefits of implementing the 'Integrated Watershed Development Programme'? 1. Prevention of soil runoff 2. Linking the cou…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 7.5/10 · 2.5/10

This is a classic 'Definition vs. Scope' question. The examiner tests if you can distinguish between 'in-situ' conservation (Watershed Management) and 'ex-situ' mega-infrastructure (River Interlinking). Standard NCERT Geography definitions are sufficient to solve this without needing current affairs.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is prevention of soil runoff a stated objective or benefit of India's Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP)?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Water Resources > Watershed Management > p. 47
Presence: 5/5
“Watershed management basically refers to efficient management and conservation of surface and groundwater resources. It involves prevention of runoff and storage and recharge of groundwater through various methods like percolation tanks, recharge wells, etc. However, in broad sense watershed management includes conservation, regeneration and judicious use of all resources – natural (like land, water, plants and animals) and human with in a watershed. Watershed management aims at bringing about balance between natural resources on the one hand and society on the other. The success of watershed development largely depends upon community participation. The Central and State Governments have initiated many watershed development and management programmes in the country.”
Why this source?
  • Defines watershed management as involving prevention of runoff and storage/recharge of groundwater.
  • Directly links prevention of runoff to watershed-management objectives and methods (percolation tanks, recharge wells).
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Desertification and Desert Development Programme > p. 50
Presence: 4/5
“The Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) was launched in 1973–74 to tackle the special problems faced by areas constantly affected by severe drought conditions, while the Desert Development Programme (DDP) was launched in 1977–78 to mitigate the adverse effects of desertification, the Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP) has been implemented since 1989–90 for the development of watersheds/degraded lands. The basis of implementation of all the three programmes has been shifted from sectoral to watershed from April 1995.”
Why this source?
  • Identifies IWDP as a programme implemented for development of watersheds/degraded lands since 1989–90.
  • By classifying IWDP as a watershed programme, it associates IWDP with standard watershed objectives (such as runoff prevention).
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > Table 6.7 > p. 27
Presence: 4/5
“Schemes and Projects by the Government to Control Land Degradation and Soil Improvement S.No. | Scheme/Project | Objective | Activities Undertaken • 1. | State Plan Schemes | Soil and water conservation in general areas | To reduce soil erosion hazards, land degradation, conservation of water | Terracing and reclamation, erosion control, water conservation & distribution, afforestation, farm ponds, cash/horticulture crops • Col1: ; Col2: Watershed management programme; Col3: Aims to treat the micro watershed on an integrated approach; Col4: Treatment of arable land, non arable land, drainage lines, afforestation, cash/horticulture crops”
Why this source?
  • Describes watershed management aims to treat micro-watersheds, including treatment of drainage lines and erosion control.
  • Explicitly lists activities aimed at reducing soil erosion and conserving water — measures that prevent soil runoff.
Statement 2
Does India's Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP) include linking the country's perennial rivers with seasonal rivers as an objective or benefit?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 4/5
"IWDP (Integrated Watershed Development Programme) was launched in the year 1989-90 to develop the wastelands on watershed basis, to strengthen the natural resource base and to"
Why this source?
  • Explicitly describes IWDP's launch and primary objectives (develop wastelands on watershed basis; strengthen natural resource base).
  • Passage lists IWDP aims without mentioning interlinking perennial and seasonal rivers as an objective or benefit.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"Large-scale conservation measures like integrated watershed development need to be simplified and propagated widely to mobilize local ownership and promote food and livelihood security."
Why this source?
  • Discusses integrated watershed development as large-scale conservation and promotion of local water-harvesting and conveyance structures.
  • Focus on conservation, local ownership and traditional water-harvesting — no mention of linking perennial with seasonal rivers as an IWDP objective.
Web source
Presence: 2/5
"Apart from monsoon rains, India uses perennial rivers"
Why this source?
  • Mentions India uses perennial rivers alongside monsoon rains, describing water-resource context.
  • The passage discusses impacts on water resources but does not state that IWDP includes linking perennial and seasonal rivers.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > Table 6.7 > p. 28
Strength: 5/5
“• S.No.: 2.; Col2: Centrally Sponsored Schemes; Scheme/Project: Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP) ( funded by Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development) Government of India; Col4: ; Objective: Intends to involve the village communities in the implementation of this programme adopted the guidelines of watershed development programme 1995 which were revised in 2001, and in 2003 (Hariyali); Activities Undertaken: 112 projects have been sanctioned to treat 439 micro watershed covering an area of 2,21,225 hectares with a cost of lakhs • S.No.: ; Col2: ; Scheme/Project: Integrated Wasteland Management Programme (IWMP); Col4: 2009– 10; Objective: Approval treatment of 30,000 hectares of land in 18 watershed projects of the state was made; Activities Undertaken: i) to dissipate the soil , water erosion and surface water run off ii) Harvesting of surface run off and rainwater iii) To enhance the • S.No.: ; Col2: ; Scheme/Project: ; Col4: 2010– 11; Objective: 52000 hectares of land; Activities Undertaken: water holding capacity of the soil iv) To promote the sub surface flow, base flow and • S.No.: ; Col2: ; Scheme/Project: ; Col4: 2011– 12; Objective: 37,500 hectares of land; Activities Undertaken: groundwater recharge v) To improve soil texture and its 13 | 38,870 hectares of land | productivity vi) To promote generation of employment opportunities • 3. | Other Schemes of the Government | 1.”
Why relevant

Lists IWDP/IWMP activities and objectives focused on soil and water conservation, groundwater recharge, promoting subsurface/base flow and harvesting surface runoff — watershed-level measures rather than inter-basin river links.

How to extend

A student could contrast these local watershed objectives with the concept of inter-basin river linking to judge whether IWDP's stated activities plausibly include linking perennial and seasonal rivers.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Water Resource Potential > p. 29
Strength: 4/5
“watersheds. In India, there are 35 river basins, 112 catchments, 500 sub-catchments, and 3200 watersheds. For the purpose of planning and development, the 3200 watersheds have been divided on the basis of area into the following three categories: Sub-watersheds (10,000 to 50,000 hectares) • 1. Milli-Watershed (1000 to 10,000 hectares);• 2. Micro-watershed (100 to 1000 hectares); and• 3. Mini-watershed (1 to 100 hectares). The watershed management is a comprehensive programme to utilise the available water and other resources in such a way that the productivity of agriculture is enhanced; to protect and enhance water resources, moderate floods and reduce sitting up of tanks and conserve rainwater for crops and thus mitigate droughts; and to utilise the natural local resources for improving cottage and small industries to improve socio-economic conditions of the local people.”
Why relevant

Defines watershed management goals: utilise available water, moderate floods, conserve rainwater and mitigate droughts through local resource use and catchment-based planning.

How to extend

Using this, a student can infer IWDP emphasis is on within-watershed interventions, so check if river-linking (an inter-basin activity) aligns with that emphasis.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > NATIONAL WATER GRID > p. 41
Strength: 5/5
“The government expects to spend a massive `5,60,000 crore on various river interlinking. But there are interstate water disputes and ecological problems which may come in the way of interlinking of rivers (The Hindu August 9, 2016 p. 13). The National River Linking Project (NRLP) aims at linking the Indian rivers through a network of reservoirs and canals. It aims at reducing persistent floods in the eastern India and the water shortages in the southern and the western India. It aims to link 37 rivers and will have 30 links and 3000 storage dams. The NRLP has two components namely Himalayan component and Peninsular component.”
Why relevant

Describes the National River Linking Project (NRLP) as a separate, large-scale programme explicitly aimed at linking rivers across basins to address floods and water shortages.

How to extend

A student could use this to hypothesize that river linking is handled by NRLP (not watershed programmes) and then verify whether IWDP documentation excludes such inter-basin linking.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > Te following steps can reduce the impact of drought conditions: > p. 70
Strength: 4/5
“• 6. Efective implementation of Drought-Prone Area Programmes (DPAP).• 7. Construction of water-reservoirs and drilling of wells and tube-wells.• 8. Diversifcation of agriculture.• 9. Restructuring of cropping patterns and crop combinations.• 10. Livestock and dairy development programmes.• 11. Development of alternate sources of energy.• 12. Interlinking of rivers: Te distribution of rainfall is not uniform in India. During the rainy season, some of the rivers are in spate, while some regions may be in the grip of severe droughts. Te problem of droughts and foods can be largely solved through an inter-basin linkage or through national water grid by connecting the diferent rivers of the country.”
Why relevant

States interlinking of rivers is proposed as a national-level solution to uneven rainfall and simultaneous floods/droughts, treating it as a different policy instrument.

How to extend

A student can use this example to reason that river interlinking is a national/inter-basin policy option distinct from local watershed measures, so check IWDP scope for similar national-scale aims.

INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > EXTENT OF USABILITY OF RIVER WATER > p. 24
Strength: 3/5
“The rivers of India carry huge volumes of water per year but it is unevenly distributed both in time and space. There are perennial rivers carrying water throughout the year while the non-perennial rivers have very little water during the dry season. During the rainy season, much of the water is wasted in floods and flows down to the sea. Similarly, when there is a flood in one part of the country, the other area suffers from drought. Why does this happen? Is it the problem of availability of water resource or that of its management? Can you suggest some measures to mitigate the problems of floods and droughts simultaneously occuring in different parts of the country? (See Chapter 6 of the book).”
Why relevant

Explains the distinction between perennial and non-perennial rivers and highlights uneven temporal/spatial distribution of river water — the underlying problem that river linking seeks to address.

How to extend

A student could combine this fact with the programmes' objectives to assess whether IWDP's watershed-focused measures are targeted at this problem or whether inter-basin linking is required.

Statement 3
Does India's Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP) promote rainwater harvesting and recharge of the groundwater table as an objective or benefit?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > Table 6.7 > p. 28
Presence: 5/5
“• S.No.: 2.; Col2: Centrally Sponsored Schemes; Scheme/Project: Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP) ( funded by Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development) Government of India; Col4: ; Objective: Intends to involve the village communities in the implementation of this programme adopted the guidelines of watershed development programme 1995 which were revised in 2001, and in 2003 (Hariyali); Activities Undertaken: 112 projects have been sanctioned to treat 439 micro watershed covering an area of 2,21,225 hectares with a cost of lakhs • S.No.: ; Col2: ; Scheme/Project: Integrated Wasteland Management Programme (IWMP); Col4: 2009– 10; Objective: Approval treatment of 30,000 hectares of land in 18 watershed projects of the state was made; Activities Undertaken: i) to dissipate the soil , water erosion and surface water run off ii) Harvesting of surface run off and rainwater iii) To enhance the • S.No.: ; Col2: ; Scheme/Project: ; Col4: 2010– 11; Objective: 52000 hectares of land; Activities Undertaken: water holding capacity of the soil iv) To promote the sub surface flow, base flow and • S.No.: ; Col2: ; Scheme/Project: ; Col4: 2011– 12; Objective: 37,500 hectares of land; Activities Undertaken: groundwater recharge v) To improve soil texture and its 13 | 38,870 hectares of land | productivity vi) To promote generation of employment opportunities • 3. | Other Schemes of the Government | 1.”
Why this source?
  • Snippet records the Integrated Wasteland/Watershed programme activities including 'Harvesting of surface run off and rainwater'.
  • Same snippet explicitly lists 'groundwater recharge' among activities/benefits of the programme.
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) > p. 54
Presence: 5/5
“by harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and water. It intends to cover 55 million hectares of rain fed land by 2027. It is the world's second largest programme after China. The major outcomes of IWMP are: • (i) Prevention of soil run off• (ii) Regeneration of natural vegetation• (iii) Rain water harvesting• (iv) Recharging of the ground water table.”
Why this source?
  • Lists major outcomes of the Integrated Watershed Management Programme, explicitly naming 'Rain water harvesting'.
  • Same list explicitly includes 'Recharging of the ground water table' as an outcome.
INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Water Resources > Watershed Management > p. 47
Presence: 4/5
“Watershed management basically refers to efficient management and conservation of surface and groundwater resources. It involves prevention of runoff and storage and recharge of groundwater through various methods like percolation tanks, recharge wells, etc. However, in broad sense watershed management includes conservation, regeneration and judicious use of all resources – natural (like land, water, plants and animals) and human with in a watershed. Watershed management aims at bringing about balance between natural resources on the one hand and society on the other. The success of watershed development largely depends upon community participation. The Central and State Governments have initiated many watershed development and management programmes in the country.”
Why this source?
  • Explains watershed management aims at storage and recharge of groundwater through methods like percolation tanks and recharge wells.
  • Supports the mechanism by which watershed programmes (like IWDP/IWMP) achieve groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting.
Statement 4
Does India's Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP) aim at regeneration of natural vegetation as an objective or benefit?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) > p. 54
Presence: 5/5
“by harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and water. It intends to cover 55 million hectares of rain fed land by 2027. It is the world's second largest programme after China. The major outcomes of IWMP are: • (i) Prevention of soil run off• (ii) Regeneration of natural vegetation• (iii) Rain water harvesting• (iv) Recharging of the ground water table.”
Why this source?
  • Snippet 6 lists major outcomes of the Integrated Watershed Management Programme and explicitly includes 'Regeneration of natural vegetation' as item (ii).
  • Direct statement tying watershed programme outcomes to vegetation regeneration supports that regeneration is an intended benefit/objective.
INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Water Resources > Watershed Management > p. 47
Presence: 4/5
“Watershed management basically refers to efficient management and conservation of surface and groundwater resources. It involves prevention of runoff and storage and recharge of groundwater through various methods like percolation tanks, recharge wells, etc. However, in broad sense watershed management includes conservation, regeneration and judicious use of all resources – natural (like land, water, plants and animals) and human with in a watershed. Watershed management aims at bringing about balance between natural resources on the one hand and society on the other. The success of watershed development largely depends upon community participation. The Central and State Governments have initiated many watershed development and management programmes in the country.”
Why this source?
  • Snippet 10 defines watershed management broadly to include 'conservation, regeneration and judicious use of all resources' (natural including plants).
  • This frames regeneration of vegetation as a core component of watershed management objectives.
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > Table 6.7 > p. 27
Presence: 3/5
“Schemes and Projects by the Government to Control Land Degradation and Soil Improvement S.No. | Scheme/Project | Objective | Activities Undertaken • 1. | State Plan Schemes | Soil and water conservation in general areas | To reduce soil erosion hazards, land degradation, conservation of water | Terracing and reclamation, erosion control, water conservation & distribution, afforestation, farm ponds, cash/horticulture crops • Col1: ; Col2: Watershed management programme; Col3: Aims to treat the micro watershed on an integrated approach; Col4: Treatment of arable land, non arable land, drainage lines, afforestation, cash/horticulture crops”
Why this source?
  • Snippet 9 lists watershed treatment activities including 'afforestation', showing implementation measures that lead to vegetative regeneration.
  • Afforestation as a listed activity corroborates regeneration of natural vegetation as a programmatic aim/benefit.
Pattern takeaway: UPSC frequently swaps the objectives of 'Micro' interventions (local conservation) with 'Macro' projects (infrastructure) to create trap options. If a scheme sounds 'community-based', it won't involve massive inter-state river transfers.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Directly solvable from NCERT Class XII (India People and Economy) Chapter 4 or Majid Husain Chapter 15.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Water Resources & Land Management > Watershed Management vs. River Interlinking.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the hierarchy of watersheds (Macro > Sub > Milli > Micro > Mini); specific state schemes (Neeru-Meeru in AP, Arvary Pani Sansad in Rajasthan, Hariyali); and the nodal ministry for IWMP (Dept of Land Resources, MoRD).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Always categorize water schemes by 'Scale of Intervention'. Is it village-level (check dams, afforestation) or national-level (canals, dams)? Statement 2 (River Linking) is a national engineering project, not a watershed development activity.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Watershed management objectives (prevention of runoff & soil conservation)
💡 The insight

The core definition of watershed management in the references explicitly lists prevention of runoff and soil conservation as objectives tied to watershed programmes like IWDP.

High-yield for UPSC geography/environment questions: connects programme aims to on-ground interventions (percolation tanks, drainage treatment). Helps answer questions on objectives/benefits of watershed schemes and distinguishes watershed approaches from sectoral programmes. Master by linking textbook definitions (NCERT/standard texts) with scheme descriptions.

📚 Reading List :
  • INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Water Resources > Watershed Management > p. 47
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > Table 6.7 > p. 27
🔗 Anchor: "Is prevention of soil runoff a stated objective or benefit of India's Integrated..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 IWDP as a watershed-based programme
💡 The insight

References identify IWDP specifically as a programme for development of watersheds/degraded lands, situating it within the broader category of watershed management.

Important for scheme-based questions in prelims/mains: knowing which programmes are watershed-based (IWDP, IWMP, NNWP links) helps in comparing objectives, target areas and consolidation of schemes. Prepare by mapping scheme names, timelines and core objectives from standard syllabus sources.

📚 Reading List :
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Desertification and Desert Development Programme > p. 50
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > Table 6.7 > p. 28
🔗 Anchor: "Is prevention of soil runoff a stated objective or benefit of India's Integrated..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Rainwater harvesting & groundwater recharge in watershed projects
💡 The insight

Evidence shows watershed projects emphasise harvesting surface runoff and recharge (percolation tanks, recharge wells), a key method for preventing runoff-related loss.

Frequently tested in environment and water-resource topics: links technical measures to policy aims (e.g., watershed schemes improving groundwater availability). Study by pairing technical measures with programme objectives and case studies.

📚 Reading List :
  • INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Water Resources > Watershed Management > p. 47
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > CONSEQUENCES OF SOIL EROSION > p. 23
🔗 Anchor: "Is prevention of soil runoff a stated objective or benefit of India's Integrated..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Core objectives of watershed/Integrated Watershed Development Programmes
💡 The insight

IWDP/IWMP references describe watershed actions such as rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, promoting subsurface/base flow and reducing erosion — these are the programme-level goals relevant when assessing whether river-interlinking is part of IWDP.

High-yield for UPSC: questions often ask about the aims and components of national watershed/wasteland programmes and their role in drought/flood mitigation. Connects to topics on rural development, water conservation, and agricultural productivity. Learn by comparing listed programme activities (harvesting, recharge, soil conservation) across official scheme descriptions and NCERT/standard texts.

📚 Reading List :
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > Table 6.7 > p. 28
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Water Resource Potential > p. 29
🔗 Anchor: "Does India's Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP) include linking t..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 River interlinking / National River Linking Project (NRLP) as a separate national measure
💡 The insight

Interlinking of rivers and NRLP are explicitly treated as distinct large-scale interventions to address spatial/temporal water imbalances — relevant to distinguish from watershed-level programmes like IWDP.

Important to distinguish policy instruments: watershed management (local/sub-watershed measures) versus river interlinking (inter-basin, infrastructural). UPSC frequently asks differences, environmental/social implications, and governance challenges; prepare by studying objectives, scale, and critiques of NRLP and comparing with watershed schemes.

📚 Reading List :
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > NATIONAL WATER GRID > p. 41
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > Te following steps can reduce the impact of drought conditions: > p. 70
🔗 Anchor: "Does India's Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP) include linking t..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Perennial vs non-perennial (seasonal) rivers and uneven spatio-temporal water distribution
💡 The insight

Understanding the difference between perennial and seasonal rivers and uneven rainfall is central to evaluating whether a given programme (like IWDP) would include inter-basin linking as an objective.

Concept frequently appears in geography and water-resources questions — helps analyse policy responses (local recharge vs inter-basin transfer) and frame answers on suitability/scale of interventions. Revise definitions, implications for water management, and how different schemes address temporal vs spatial scarcity.

📚 Reading List :
  • INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > EXTENT OF USABILITY OF RIVER WATER > p. 24
🔗 Anchor: "Does India's Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP) include linking t..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 Watershed programme outcomes: rainwater harvesting & groundwater recharge
💡 The insight

The key outcomes listed for IWDP/IWMP in the references explicitly include rainwater harvesting and recharging the groundwater table.

High-yield for UPSC geography and environment questions: many questions ask about objectives/outcomes of national watershed programmes. Mastering this helps answer policy, scheme, and resource-management questions and links to topics on water security and rural development. Learn by mapping each programme to its stated outcomes in source documents.

📚 Reading List :
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) > p. 54
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > Table 6.7 > p. 28
🔗 Anchor: "Does India's Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP) promote rainwater..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The 'Logical Sibling' often found on the same NCERT page is the classification of watersheds by area: Mini-watershed (1-100 hectares), Micro-watershed (100-1000 ha), and Milli-watershed (1000-10,000 ha). UPSC loves asking these size limits.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Apply the 'Scale Mismatch' Logic. 'Integrated Watershed Development' implies local, catchment-area specific work (soil, vegetation, small tanks). 'Linking perennial rivers' is a massive, continental-scale civil engineering project (Inter-Linking of Rivers - ILR). A rural development programme cannot encompass a national river grid project. Eliminate Statement 2.

🔗 Mains Connection

Link this to GS-3 Agriculture (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana - Watershed Development Component) and GS-3 Environment (Combating Desertification/UNCCD targets). Watershed management is the primary tool for rainfed agriculture resilience.

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