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economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

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One <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the objectives <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> is to increase crop intensity apart from<br />

bringing additi<strong>on</strong>al an;!a under irrigati<strong>on</strong>. Accordingly. the changes in net <strong>and</strong> gross<br />

area irrigated. as well as source-wise irrigated area <strong>and</strong> cropping ll1tensity' are<br />

examined here. For instance. at the nati<strong>on</strong>al level. as per the l<strong>and</strong> use statistics. the<br />

gross irrigated area rose from ~~.6 milli<strong>on</strong> ha. in 1950-51 to about 28 milli<strong>on</strong> ha. in<br />

1960-61. 38.2 milli<strong>on</strong> ha. in 1970-71. 49.9 milli<strong>on</strong> ha in 1980-81. 63.20 milli<strong>on</strong> ha.<br />

in 1990-91 <strong>and</strong> 73.28 milli<strong>on</strong> ha. in 1996-97. More specifically. the irrigati<strong>on</strong> ratio.<br />

defined as the ratio <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> gross irrigated area to net sown area. rose from 19 per cent in<br />

1950-51 to about 41 per cent in 1987-88 (Dhawan, 1991: 637). The same data<br />

available <strong>for</strong> Kerala shows that in absolute terms. the net sown area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the state has<br />

increased by about 32 per cent from 1.73 milli<strong>on</strong> ha. in 1952 to 2.27 milli<strong>on</strong> ha. in<br />

I q97 <strong>and</strong> the gro\\th in net irrig3ted 3rea in the st3te \\"35 <strong>on</strong>ly 9.87 per cent oyer<br />

tim/'. The cropping intensity h3s increased from 118 per cent to 131 per cent. which<br />

is abo\e the nali<strong>on</strong>al ayerage. Howe\·er. the high cropping intensity as reported from<br />

~ The impact <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> intensity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> cropping <strong>and</strong> other related parameters like input<br />

use efficiency. <strong>farm</strong> output. etc. have been a major source <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> debate in India. For a<br />

comprehensive review <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the debate. sec. Vaidyanathan (1987). Dhawan (1991) <strong>and</strong> Ray<br />

(1992).<br />

• Dhawan (19&8. 1991) cauti<strong>on</strong>s abnut the infirmities in irrigati<strong>on</strong> data as avai lable in the<br />

state. The infirmity arises because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the downward revisi<strong>on</strong> in the <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficial statistics<br />

pertaining to the irrigated area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the statc <strong>and</strong> "this appears to be a unique, not typical. case<br />

in India. Commencing in 1975-76. the net irrigated area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the state nosedives by half (from<br />

4.65 lakh ha. in 1974-75 to 2.28 lakh ha. in 1975-76). <strong>and</strong> thereafter never recovers even its<br />

J.:HI <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 3.36 lakh ha. allaincd bach in 1962-63" (Dhawan, 1988: 2658). As a result, the<br />

"regressi<strong>on</strong> results <strong>for</strong> this state arc <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> little worth .... <strong>and</strong> it is no w<strong>on</strong>der that no relati<strong>on</strong><br />

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