Sustainable groundwater management through energy pricing: Evidences from north gujarat region of Gujarat, India

Agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater and it is projected that by 2030, there will be overall gap of 40% between water supply and demand. The irrigation wells are energised by the electric as well as diesel operated pumps. In India, total electricity consumption to farm sector was 159144 Gwh during 2013–14, which account for about 18.03% of the total electricity consumption in the country and it is growing with a compound growth rate of 6.50% per annum during 2005–06 to 2013–14. Due to unsustainable use of groundwater for irrigated crop production leads many negative consequences including groundwater depletion. Overall objective of the present study was to assess the impact of energy pricing on sustainable use of groundwater without negative impact on farm level farmers’ income. The study was conducted in north Gujarat region of Gujarat State. The study suggests that the under the flat rate electricity pricing regime, farmers were getting lower net economic water productivity i.e. 4.15 m³ as compared to unit pricing of electricity ( 9.06/m³) at farm level. Therefore, government should make possible arrangement to charge electricity tariff on the basis of actual energy consumption at farm sector in water scare regions of the country to sustainable and efficient use of groundwater for irrigation.