UPSC Mains 2024 GS3 Q13 — Irrigation management
What are the major challenges faced by Indian irrigation system in recent times? State the measures taken by the government for efficient irrigation management. (Answer in 250 words) 15
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What areState
- Scope keywords
- major challengesIndian irrigation systemrecent timesmeasures taken by the governmentefficient irrigation management
- Implicit sub-parts
- The transition from structural/physical challenges to climatic and sustainability challenges (e.g., groundwater depletion).
- Evaluation of the gap between Irrigation Potential Created (IPC) and Irrigation Potential Utilized (IPU).
- Analysis of technology-driven vs. policy-driven government interventions.
- The role of community-led management and micro-irrigation in future-proofing.
- Common pitfalls
- Writing a generic essay on the history of dams instead of focusing on 'recent' challenges like climate change and aquifer exhaustion.
- Listing government schemes (PMKSY) without explaining how they specifically address 'efficiency' (e.g., Per Drop More Crop).
- Ignoring the critical 'Last Mile' connectivity issues and the lack of Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM).
- Failing to mention the regional disparities in irrigation coverage between Green Revolution areas and rain-fed drylands.
- Dimensions required
- Ecological/EnvironmentalTechnologicalInstitutional/GovernanceSocio-economicFinancial/Fiscal
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate roughly 100-110 words to the challenges, ensuring a balance between surface water and groundwater issues. Reserve 110-120 words for government measures, categorizing them into hardware (infrastructure like Har Khet Ko Pani) and software (policy/tech like micro-irrigation and DBT). Use the remaining 20-30 words for a forward-looking conclusion on climate-resilient agriculture.
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