WATER CRISIS IN THE

PUNJAB AGRICULTURE
&
OVERVIEW OF
DEPARTMENT WORKS

By
G.S.DHILLON
SOIL CONSERVATION OFFICER
Punjab, India

gurry3@yahoo.com

Water scarcity
Water scarcity is commonly defined as a situation
where water availability in a country or in a region
is below 1000 m3 per person per year. The
threshold of 2000 m3 per person per year is
considered to indicate that a region is water
stressed since under these conditions populations
face very large problems when a drought occurs
or when man-made shortages are created.
Today, 31 countries face water stress or water
scarcity. By 2025 population growth alone is
expected to add another 17 countries to the list.
Water shortages would then affect 2.8 billion
people, or 35% of the world's projected population
compared with 8% today.

Indian share in world resources

Per capita fresh water availability in India

PUNJAB
( The Food Basket of India )

SCENARIO

Comparison of Area
NET AREA SOWN

TOTAL AREA

Punjab 2.99%

Punjab 1.53%
India 98.47%

India 97.01%

State Profile
Total Geographical area

: 5.04 million hectare

Cropped area

: 86%

Area under forests

: 6%

Cropping Intensity

: 189 %

Irrigated area

: 97% of cropped area

No. of Villages

: 12278

Average Rainfall

: 450mm

Total Population

: 245.71 lacs

Main Crops

: Wheat , Paddy, Cotton, Maize,

Sugarcane

Major Rivers

: Sutlej , Beas, Ravi

Agriculture in Punjab
Agriculture in
Punjab

Highly intensive in terms of land, capital energy,

nutrients, agricultural inputs and water etc.

Food grains
contribution
to the Central Pool

Wheat 60-70%
Rice 40-50%

Cultivated Area

84% of the total geographical area under cultivation

Irrigated Area

97% of the total cultivated area.

Fertilizer
Consumption

about 199 Kg per hectares as compared to 88kg per

hectare at National level (10% of total fertilizer
consumption of India

Farm Power
Availability

Highest in the country at 4.03 KW/ha as compared to

1.23 KW/ha at National level

Mechanization

One Third Tractors of India are working in the fields

of Punjab (5 lakh).

Punjab is 1st in average per hectare yield of rice, wheat and cotton.

Cropping pattern in Punjab (%)

Wheat
Paddy
33.7
Maize
2.0
Khariff pulses
Khariff oilseed
Cotton
Sugarcane
Barley
Rabi pulses
Rabi oilseed
Vegetable
Fruits
Fodders
Other
1.5

44.3

0.5
0.2
5.8
1.6
0.3
0.2
0.7
0.5
8.2
0.5

River & Canal Network of Punjab

Status of Available Water

Resource in Punjab
Surface water availability : 1.43 m ha m
Ground Water availability : 1.61 m ha m
Total Water availability

: 3.04 m ha m

IRRIGATION WATER DEMAND,

AVAILABILITY & DEFICIT IN PUNJAB

IRRIGATION WATER DEMAND :4.40 m ha m

TOTAL IIRIGATION WATER
AVAILABILITY

:3.04 m ha m

IRRIGATION WATER DEFICIT

:1.36 m ha m

Status of Water Resources

Area irrigated by surface water
resources

9.99 Lakh ha

Area irrigated by underground water

resources

30.20 Lakh Ha

No. of Tubewells

14 Lakh

Area having brackish underground

water resources

9.60 Lakh ha

Area facing severe water depletion

38.75 Lakh ha (77%)

Area facing deep underground water

14.09 Lakh ha (28%)

GROUNDWATER RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

Assessment

Carried out as per guidelines of Central Ground Water

Board (CGWB) Annual Gross Recharge, Annual Net
Recharge & Annual Net Draft are computed for District /
Block

Technical parameters

Recharge from Rain Fall, Return Flows from Irrigation &

Seepage from Canals etc

Categorization of
Blocks

Dark, Grey or White on the basis of stage of

groundwater development

Sr. No

Category

Stage of Development

Exploitation Status

Dark

More than 85%

Over exploited & No further

exploitation possible

Grey

Between 65% & 85%

Limited exploitation possible

White

Below 65%

Unlimited exploitation possible

Categorization of Blocks
of Punjab State as per
Groundwater
Development
( Total: 141 Blocks)
Dark

Grey

White

87

16

38

Groundwater is under stress

in groundwater worthy area
i.e. Central Punjab

Average Decline in Water Table

(cm/year) over years
2004-05

74

2003-04

69

1997-2K1

42

1992-97

25

1987-92
1982-87

32
18

Net Irrigated Area (000 ha) by Different

Sources in Punjab
Source
Canals
Tube-wells
Other
Sources
Total
%age of Area
Irrigated
Exclusively by
Tube-wells

1970-71

1980-81

1990-91

1292

1430

1669

1051

1002

987

1591

1939

2233

2938

3017

3067

13

12

2888

3382

3909

4001

4021

4057

57.1 %

73.43 %

55 %

57.03 %

1999-2000 2002-2003 2005-2006

75.03 %

75.59 %

Comparison of Net Irrigated Area (`000 ha) by

Different Sources in Punjab

Number of Tube wells in Punjab

At Present ---- over 14 lakh Tube wells

Most Vulnerable Blocks in Punjab

Block

Water table
fall (feet/yr)
2003-04

Water table depth

(feet)
2004

2023

Moga-II

13.9

95

359

Moga-I

5.5

89

193

Nihal Singh
Wala

5.5

71

176

Bagha Purana 4.4

42

126

Water Crisis in Punjab

Drinking water problem villages
1980 - 3712
1990 - 6287
2000 - 8518
2007 - 11849
villages or habitations out of total 12278
in Punjab are facing drinking water
problems

Major Causes of Falling Water Table

Shift in cropping pattern
Early rice transplantation
Land use pattern
(Cultivated area 39 lakh ha in 1960-61 and
43 lakh ha at present)
Cropping intensity
(120% in 1960-61 and 188% at present)
Irrigation
( 54% in 1960-61 and 97% at present)

Impact Due to Depleting Water Resources

Depletion of groundwater resources resulting in
decreasing quantity and quality of irrigation water
Change in the pumping culture from centrifugal to
submersible
Higher energy requirement to run power hungry
submersible pumps
Reduced inflows in reservoirs resulting in availability of
lesser surface water for irrigation and generation of
electricity
Increasing cost of cultivation and decreasing margins
Pollution of groundwater due to excessive use of
agricultural inputs like fertilizers, pesticides and
insecticides etc.
Water logging and groundwater quality problem in SW
Punjab

PUNJAB AGRICULTURE : Challenges

Rising
Population

Declining arable
land area and
Soil health

Decreasing
quantity and
quality of water

Punjab Agriculture

Technology
fatigue

Mounting Pressure
of Globalization

Increasing
Cost of Cultivation
and
Decreasing margins

WORKS
BEING DONE BY
SOIL & WATER
CONSERVATION
DEPARTMENT, PUNJAB

IRRIGATION WATER MANAGEMENT

Promotion of
Underground Water
Pipeline System
(UGPS)
Cuts conveyance
losses, saves upto 30%
water
30% subsidy is
provided to farmers
adopting UGPS
Loans are made
available to farmers on
very easy terms from
NABARD

UGPS

LIFT IRRIGATION PROJECTS

Lift irrigation
system are
constructed
especially in SW
Punjab having
saline water.
25% subsidy is
provided to
farmers for
installing these
systems
Sullage water lift
irrigation projects
are also being
promoted

PROMOTION OF DRIP/SPRINKLER IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

The Micro Irrigation System, which includes Drip Irrigation,
Micro Sprinkler Irrigation and other emitting devices which
discharges irrigation water at a controlled rate and is
applied directly to the root zone of the plants.
System well suitable for irrigation of plants grown in rows
like horticulture & vegetables
Sprinkler Irrigation is best suited for irrigation of
Gardens/Lawns, cereal crops, pulses and vegetables.
It increases the productivity by 30 to 100%
with 50 to 70% saving of water in various crops.
75% Subsidy is provided to farmers opting for these
systems.

DRIP IRRIGATION
SYSTEM

SPRINKLER IRRIGATION
SYSTEM

PROMOTING LASER LEVELLING

Laser land leveling is leveling the field within certain degree of
desired slope using a guided laser beam through out the field.

Purpose of leveling
To achieve uniform seedbed
Reduction in irrigation application losses
To conserve soil moisture
To avoid soil erosion
Efficient use of farm inputs

PRECISION / LASER LAND LEVELING

Benefits
Curtails irrigation application losses (25%)
Reduces labor requirement (35%)
Enhances cultivated area (2%)
(by reduction of ditches and dikes)
Increase crop yield (20%)

Department has 20 laser levelers which it

provides to farmers on subsidized rates

Raised Bed Planting

Normal

Bed planting

Promotes crop diversification.

Obviates waterlogging
stresses, in situ rainwater
conservation.
Less lodging, bolder grain,
larger panicle

30-40% saving in irrigation water

Provide avenues for alternate
sources of productivity growth.

Special Emphasis is also being

laid to promote Zero - Tillage

RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain Water Harvesting Through Trench With
Recharge Well / Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting
Rain Water Harvesting Through Existing Tubewells
Rain Water Harvesting Through Recharge Pit/Trench
Rain Water Harvesting Through Gully Plug/Contour
Bunds
Rain Water Harvesting Through Percolation Tank
Rain Water Harvesting Through Check Dams /
Cement Plugs / Nala Bunds

Roof Top Rain Water

Harvesting with
Recharge Well

Rain Water
Harvesting
Through Existing
Tubewells/
Handpumps

Recharging in Drains
by Recharge
Trenches

Roof top rain

water
harvesting in
Tanks

MANAGEMENT OF DEGRADED SOILS

Extent of soil degradation in Punjab
Soil Problem
Wind erosion
(sandy soils)

Million ha
0.58

Percent area
11.5

Water erosion
0.54
Water logged
0.45
and/or seasonally flooded

10.8
9.0

Salt-affected soils

7.4

0.37

Various Surface & Sub-Surface Drainage Schemes , Lift

Irrigation Projects along with various agronomic practices
are being promoted in Water Logged & Salt effected areas

WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

National watershed Development Project
for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA)
Integrated Watershed Development
Project (IWDP)-Hills
Integrated Wasteland Development
Programme

Implementation of Watershed
Management Programme
WATERSHED TREATMENT
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PEOPLES EMPOWERMENT

Major Activities under Watershed

Programmes
Management Component
Community Organization
Trainings
Development Component
Natural Resource Management
Soil & Moisture Conservation
Agronomic Conservation Practices
Conservation & development of Biomass
Drainage Line Treatment
Farm Production System
Adoption of Proven Technologies
Livelihood Support System
Livestock Management

Institutional Set up under

Watershed Management
Project Implementing Agency (PIA)
District Nodal Agency (DNA)
Watershed Associations (WA)
District Level Watershed Committees (WC)
Watershed Sub-Committees
Watershed Development Teams (WDT)
Self-Help Group (SHG)
User Groups (UG)

Water Harvesting Structure

Earthen silt detention structure/WHS

Water accumulated behind cement masonry drop structure

Stone masonary drop

structure

Stabilized gully bed with crate wire structure

Stone Structures for gully stabilization

Stone crate wire check dam

Dry stone check dam

Drop structure efficiently controlled soil erosion from arable land

Gabion choe trainer

Vegetation came up in stabilized gully

Brushwood check dam

Safe water disposal structure

Structures to Check Soil Erosion

Retaining Walls for protection of project road

Structure to Check Stream Bank Erosion

Drain Line Treatment

Silt Retention Structures

SOP in Kandi Area

SILT CHECK
STRUCTURE

BASE FLOW
STRUCTURE

CONSTRUCTION OF NEW & REHABILITATION OF OLD VILLAGE PONDS

Village Pond under construction

Rehabilitated Village Pond

Farm Ponds

Tapping Hill Seepage- Perennial Flow System Makkowal

Water being used for Different Purposes from Makkowal Tank

For Irrigation

For Livestock & Household

Purposes

Rehabilitated
Bowlies

Renovated
well

Providing Basic Facilities (Entry Point Activities)

Toilet, water tank and

Hand pump in a village school

Hand pump at
village community land

Foot Paths/ Bridle Paths and Culverts

SHARING INFORMATION WITH

VILLAGERS AND
TRANSPARENCY IN WORKS

PROJECT STAFF AND

SHG MEMBERS
INTERACTING WITH
SHG MEMBERS OF
NALAGARH IN HP

NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN STAFF AND COMMUNITY

PARTICIPATORY PLANNING IN VILLAGES

SELF HELP GROUPS

Socks weaving

Spices, Achars etc

Sericulture

Ban Making

THANK
S
dswcpunjab.gov.in