{"id":24111,"date":"2024-01-29T10:55:46","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T10:55:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/?p=24111"},"modified":"2024-01-29T10:55:49","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T10:55:49","slug":"critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Critically examine the ecological and economic impact of Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area development &#8211; UPSC Geography Optional Mains &#8211; 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc\/upsc-prelims-support-program-with-test-series?type=classroom\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/GS-Foundation-Course-for-UPSC-1280-x-300-px-1-1024x300.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46623\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Indira Gandhi Canal, a colossal irrigation project in northwestern India, has significantly altered the ecological and economic landscape of the regions it traverses. The canal, stretching across the arid terrains of Rajasthan, was designed to bring water from the Sutlej and Beas rivers to transform vast expanses of barren land into fertile agricultural zones. This ambitious endeavor, known as the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area development, has undeniably had profound effects on both the environment and the economy. As we delve into a critical examination of this massive irrigation project, it becomes imperative to assess the ecological ramifications, including changes in biodiversity, soil quality, and water resources, while also scrutinizing the economic impact on local communities, agricultural practices, and overall regional development. This dual perspective is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between ecological sustainability and economic prosperity within the ambit of the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d4e7c495175\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d4e7c495175\"  \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/#Answer\" title=\"Answer\">Answer<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/#Ecological_impact\" title=\"Ecological impact\">Ecological impact<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/#Positive\" title=\"Positive\">Positive<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/#Negatives\" title=\"Negatives\">Negatives<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/#Economy\" title=\"Economy\">Economy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/#Positive-2\" title=\"Positive\">Positive<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/#Negative\" title=\"Negative\">Negative<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/#In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\" title=\"In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;\">In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/critically-examine-the-ecological-and-economic-impact-of-indira-gandhi-canal-command-area-development-upsc-geography-optional-mains-2023\/#Visit_our_YouTube_Channel_%E2%80%93_here\" title=\"Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;here\">Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;here<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer\"><\/span>Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Indira Gandhi canal project is a living example of man\u2019s effort to transform a desert land into a green land of prosperity &amp; plenty, which comes with some ecological &amp; economic impacts.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"311\" height=\"312\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-29-162031.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24114 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-29-162031.png 311w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-29-162031-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-29-162031-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-29-162031-120x120.png 120w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 311px) 100vw, 311px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 311px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 311\/312;\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"408\" height=\"393\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-29-162037.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24115 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 408px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 408\/393;\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ecological_impact\"><\/span>Ecological impact<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Positive\"><\/span>Positive<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Afforestation &amp; pasture development -canal and roadside plantation, dune stabilization, pasture development on culturable wasteland.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"458\" height=\"413\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-29-162152.png\" alt=\"Rajasthan Forest Cover\" class=\"wp-image-24116 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 458px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 458\/413;\" \/><figcaption>Rajasthan Forest Cover<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"2\"><li>Extended range of mesic species Many mesic and water-loving bird species are invading the region from Haryana, Punjab, and Pakistan, Aravalli hills have extended their range into the Thar Desert because of environmental changes brought about by the IG Canal. It reflects a well-balanced supply of moisture throughout the growing season.<\/li><li>Rising groundwater level -groundwater table rose at the rate of 0.8 m\/year, which led to the elimination of drought conditions.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Negatives\"><\/span>Negatives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Desert biodiversity disturbed &#8211; As many as 153 species of plants, and 22 bird species have disappeared from the irrigated region of the Thar Desert. About 21% of the flora has changed in the Sriganganagar District, where irrigation has been practiced for the past seven decades.<\/li><li>Soil salinity -In Stage I, heavy water logging was observed at many places. It is estimated that<br>about 49.6% of the command area monitored will be sensitive to waterlogging by the turn of the century.<\/li><li>Parched water table &#8211; hard pan of calcium carbonate, clay at depth of 5 meters led tp parched water table &#8211; example Nagaur &#8211; Ajmer region.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc\/upsc-essay?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Banner&amp;utm_campaign=Essay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"300\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/10.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42412 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/10.png 1280w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/10-1170x274.png 1170w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/10-585x137.png 585w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1280px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1280\/300;\" \/><\/a><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc\/upsc-essay?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Link&amp;utm_campaign=Essay\">UPSC Essay Course<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Economy\"><\/span>Economy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Positive-2\"><\/span>Positive<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Changed cropping pattern &#8211; crop diversity with a focus on commercial crops. example &#8211; cotton, groundnut, and mustard, occupying nearly 2\/3rd of the gross cropped area.<\/li><li>Increased net sown area -due to irrigation, crops sown multiple times have doubled the cropped area. In Shastri village Jaisalmer the net sown area increased 77%.<\/li><li>Channel of development &#8211; with the availability of civic amenities like drinking water, roads, and markets, population settlement has increased around IGCAD. Improved inter, and community interaction.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Negative\"><\/span>Negative<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Maintenance challenge &#8211; The canal, which was built 63 years ago, is in a dilapidated condition in many places due to which there is always a danger of the canal getting damaged on running water at full capacity.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This project is successful in addressing all financial &amp; social problems to a great extent. simultaneously ecological problems have increased and biodiversity is worst affected , it needs to be addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc\/upsc-essay?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Banner&amp;utm_campaign=Essay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UPSC-Essay-Course-1280\u00d7300-1-3.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42688 lazyload\" width=\"781\" height=\"182\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 781px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 781\/182;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\"><\/span><strong>In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For UPSC Prelims Resources,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc-cse-prelims-resource-centre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Daily Updates and Study Material:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Join our Telegram Channel &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/WithEdukemy4IAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Edukemy for IAS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>1. Learn through Videos &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3vOD8sU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><li>2. Be Exam Ready by Practicing Daily MCQs &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3Q9z2nF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><li>3. Daily Newsletter &#8211; Get all your Current Affairs Covered &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3bE2y5J\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><li>4. Mains Answer Writing Practice &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3mZuVxl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Visit_our_YouTube_Channel_%E2%80%93_here\"><\/span>Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ShabbirsEduKemyforIAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Indira Gandhi Canal, a colossal irrigation project in northwestern India, has significantly altered the ecological and economic landscape of the regions it traverses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":24113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1546],"tags":[143,1551,142,232,145,140],"class_list":["post-24111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-upsc-geography-optional-mains-solved-paper-2023","tag-geography_optional","tag-indira-gandhi-canal","tag-previous_year_questions","tag-upsc","tag-upsc-mains-question-paper","tag-upsc_preparation_strategy"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24111"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24111\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24117,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24111\/revisions\/24117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}