UPSC Mains 2024 GS1 Q14 — Resource Management
The groundwater potential of the gangetic valley is on a serious decline. How may it affect the food security of India? (Answer in 250 words) 15
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- How may
- Scope keywords
- groundwater potentialgangetic valleyserious declinefood security of India
- Implicit sub-parts
- Geophysical and anthropogenic reasons for the decline in the Indo-Gangetic aquifer system.
- Specific vulnerabilities of the 'Green Revolution' belt (Punjab, Haryana, Western UP) to water depletion.
- Impact on crop yields, cropping patterns, and the sustainability of the Public Distribution System (PDS).
- Economic burden on small/marginal farmers due to deepening water tables and energy costs.
- Potential shift in India's status from a food-surplus to a food-deficit nation if current trends persist.
- Common pitfalls
- Writing too much on general water pollution or the 'Clean Ganga' mission rather than groundwater quantity/availability.
- Failing to link the Gangetic valley's specific output to India's national food procurement (FCI) buffer stocks.
- Ignoring the 'energy-irrigation nexus' where declining water leads to higher electricity subsidies and farmer debt.
- Treating food security only as 'production' while ignoring 'affordability' and 'stability' of food prices.
- Dimensions required
- Geographic (Hydro-geology of the Gangetic basin)Economic (Input costs and agricultural productivity)Societal (Impact on small-scale farmers)Policy (MSP, irrigation schemes like PMKSY, and crop diversification)
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 50-60 words to the current status and reasons for groundwater decline in the Gangetic belt. The core 140-150 words must explicitly analyze the multifaceted impact on food security (availability, access, and stability). Reserve the final 40-50 words for a forward-looking conclusion or policy interventions like 'per drop more crop'.
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