An Economic Efficiency Of Ground Water In Pudukottai District, Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Ground water has made significant contributions to the growth of India’s Economy and has been an important catalyst for its socio economic development. The State has as an area of 1.3 Lakh sq.km with a gross cropped area of around 63 L. Ha.. The Government's policy and objectives have been to ensure stability in agricultural production and to increase the agricultural production in a sustainable manner to meet the food requirement of growing population and also to meet the raw material needs of agro based industries, there by providing employment opportunities to the rural population.  Tamil Nadu has all along been one of the states with a creditable performance in agricultural production with the farmersrelativelymoreresponsiveandreceptivetochangingtechnologies and market forces. Water used for irrigation should be essentially in good quality to grow good quantity crops, for the maintenance of soil productivity and for the protection of the environment. Physical and mechanical properties of soil, soil structure and permeability are very sensitive to the type of exchangeable ions present in irrigation water. Today, groundwater irrigation is becoming the cornerstone of providing water for agriculture, resulting in an overall exploitation rate of over 85%of the total available resources. Declining rates of tank and canal irrigation and overexploitation of groundwater are so critical that the state needs new policy interventions to tackle a pending water crisis. This policy brief recommends some development and investment options for the irrigated sector in Tamil Nadu.