Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Charge farmers for water, remove sops on water-guzzling crops: report -Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Charge farmers for water, remove sops on water-guzzling crops: report -Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Jun 16, 2018   modified Modified on Jun 16, 2018
-Business Standard

Nabard-Icrier study calls for moving high-water reliant crops like sugarcane in Maharashtra, rice in Punjab to other areas; Gadkari says not possible.

With India staring at a looming water crisis, a new study on ‘water productivity mapping of major crops’ has called for putting a price on water used for irrigation to at least recover operating and maintenance costs of structures like canals. It has also called for an end to free power, which has been used indiscriminately to exploit groundwater resources.

The study, conducted jointly by Nabard and Icrier, has also advocated disincentivising cultivation of water-intensive crops like sugarcane in Maharashtra and rice in Punjab and moving them to eastern Indian states through better procurement policies.

Rice, wheat and sugarcane, which together account for 43 per cent of the total cropped area in the country, consume almost 80 per cent of available freshwater.

Transport and Water Resources Minister, Nitin Gadkari, who was the chief guest at the launch along with top agriculture ministry officials, seemed to disagree with some of the findings of the study. He wondered what would happen to India's food security if wheat and rice aren't grown in states like Punjab and Haryana.

Also, stopping sugarcane cultivation in water-scarce regions of Maharashtra overnight won’t be possible. Therefore efforts should be made to towards more judicious use of water in such areas, using measures such as through drip and sprinkler irrigation.

“Please don’t ask Vidharbha farmers to stop growing sugarcane, as that is the only crop which is fetching some returns. Also, while we look at shifting cultivation of water-guzzling crops, we should look at solutions through which wastage of millions of gallons of water is stopped,” Gadkari said.

He added that India doesn’t have any shortage of water, but lacks proper methods to stop wastage.

On the controversy over the use of surplus food for fuel, Gadkari said there was opposition from within the government. He said he had a tough time convincing all that farmers would be benefitted in the long run as there won’t be any shortage of sugarcane, sugar beet, and rice straws, which have been included in the new alternative fuel policy announced by the government.

Please click here to read more.

Business Standard, 14 June, 2018, https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/charge-farmers-for-water-remove-sops-on-water-guzzling-crops-report-118061401155_1.html


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close