Irrigation Development: A Pre-Requisite to Boost Agriculture Growth in India

Though agriculture is the main occupation of majority of the people in rural area, it depends on the mercy of rainfall. Irrigation is one of the basic inputs to boost agriculture development in India. Water scarcity refers to water shortage or water crisis due to both natural and human factors. As a matter of fact, water scarcity is mostly created because of human factors such as increasing use of water for agriculture, industry, power generation and domestic purposes. Scarcity of water is a global problem and India is not an exception. It is a result of global warming and global environmental crisis. The situation in India is very grave due to uncertain rainfall, vast arid and semi-arid areas, ever growing population and thereby an increasing demand for water for different purposes. Water scarcity is likely to emerge as the major environmental challenge in India in coming future.

Water scarcity is very complex and complicated problem which include economic, social, geographical, environmental and political issues. There are various measures suggested for conjunctive and judicial use of irrigation water.