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POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY TN

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2006-07). However, total area under these categories is very small (less than 3 percent<br />

of total area). Area under cultivable waste has come down, (from 5.07 lakh ha in 1970-<br />

71 to 3.54 lakh ha in 2006-07), due to the pressure on land for cultivation of crops. But<br />

the area under current and other fallows is increasing (from 15.37 lakh ha in 1970-71 to<br />

24 lakh ha in 2006-07). These are marginal low productive lands (cultivable but remains<br />

uncultivable for one to 5 years thereafter) and do not have assured irrigation. Table 5.14<br />

shows that the current fallow is inversely proportional to the amount of rainfall. However,<br />

in the case of other fallows, this relationship does not hold. One suitable strategy could<br />

be to increase the area under cultivation through reclamation of cultivable waste and<br />

fallow lands and use of modern irrigation and farm practices to increase farm production<br />

in the present conditions of frequent monsoon failures and water scarcity in the state.<br />

Year<br />

Rain<br />

(mm)<br />

Table 5.14: Impact of Rainfall on Current Fallow<br />

Deviation<br />

from Normal<br />

Current Fallow<br />

(000 ha)<br />

Current Fallows<br />

as Percent of<br />

Total Land<br />

Other<br />

Fallow<br />

Other Fallow as<br />

Percent of<br />

Total Land<br />

2000-01 874 (-) 19.8 1134 8.7 1228 9.4<br />

2001-02 775 (-) 18.4 1026 8.0 1409 10.8<br />

2002-03 748 (-) 20.0 1505 11.5 1491 11.5<br />

2003-04 868 (-) 07.0 954 7.3 1863 14.3<br />

2004-05 1226 (+) 32.0 692 5.3 1704 13.1<br />

2005-06 1305 (+) 36.0 759 5.8 1518 11.7<br />

Source: Government of Tamil Nadu (2007), Eleventh Five Year Plan 2007-2012, State Planning Commission.<br />

Note: mm – millimeters; ha – hectares<br />

The other fallows and cultivable waste can be brought under cultivation by<br />

suitable reclamation practices, involving investments that will yield very low return.<br />

Farmers may not be in a position to make such investments, because most of them are<br />

marginal and small farmers. Thus, availability of cultivable land sets the limits for<br />

extensive farming. In 2005-06 net shown area was less than 52. 4 lakh hectares.<br />

b. Landless Agricultural Labour<br />

According to Census 2001, there are about 13.8 million workers dependent upon<br />

agriculture and allied activities such as horticulture, forestry, live-stock and sericulture<br />

(Table 5.15). Of them only about 8 million are cultivators and about 3 million workers are<br />

in allied activities. The remaining are agricultural labourers who know only farming but<br />

have no land of their own. There is also not much land for redistribution. Therefore, they<br />

have to survive as wage earners in agriculture and seek jobs from cultivators. However,<br />

most of the cultivators are small land holders and use own family labour to the extent<br />

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