net irrigated area from only 3.9% in 1950–1951 to
13.2% in 2014–2015.
9.5.3 Issues of Water Resources
Utilization of water resources for different purposes has created certain problems (Sharma
2016). Irrigation has largest share in water utilization. The spatial variation in availability of
irrigation facilities has given birth to conflicts of
interest in several forms. At the same time, several problems such as land degradation, salinization, water logging have crept in the irrigated
areas. The rapid development of groundwaterbased irrigation in most parts of the state has
caused lowering of the water table and depletion
of groundwater resources. To meet the irrigational necessity inter-basin water transfer is proposed and practiced, causing disputes. There has
been emphasis on the construction of big dams.
They have caused large-scale submergence and
displacement of people from their original habitat. Low efficiency of water use and water pollution cost are other serious problems. Some of
these issues are reviewed below.
9.6 Declining Trend of Rainfall
The base of the water resources itself is dwindling in the state. Rathore et al. (2013) have
recently analyzed the trends of average annual
rainfall for the period 1961–2002. Though there
is an inter-annual variability of average monsoon
rainfall in the 41-year period, the rainfall is also
decreasing. Further a study carried out by Goswami et al. (2006), for observations spanning
50 years in the Central Indian region including
Madhya Pradesh, indicates that the extreme
precipitation events which are above 100 mm are
increasing in terms of their intensity and frequency, with low and moderate events becoming
more and more infrequent. On the basis of rainfall data for 1951–2013, Mishra and others
(Mishra et al. 2016) have concluded that most
part of the state of Madhya Pradesh experienced
a significant decline in the monsoon season
precipitation during this period. The monsoon
season precipitation is projected to decline in the
near future (2016–2045). Further, they also
indicated that the frequency of severe, extreme,
and exceptional droughts has increased in the
50 0
150
Kilometers
20
30
50
60
40
Fig. 9.3 .
9 Water Resources of Madhya Pradesh: Contemporary …
115
13.2% in 2014–2015.
9.5.3 Issues of Water Resources
Utilization of water resources for different purposes has created certain problems (Sharma
2016). Irrigation has largest share in water utilization. The spatial variation in availability of
irrigation facilities has given birth to conflicts of
interest in several forms. At the same time, several problems such as land degradation, salinization, water logging have crept in the irrigated
areas. The rapid development of groundwaterbased irrigation in most parts of the state has
caused lowering of the water table and depletion
of groundwater resources. To meet the irrigational necessity inter-basin water transfer is proposed and practiced, causing disputes. There has
been emphasis on the construction of big dams.
They have caused large-scale submergence and
displacement of people from their original habitat. Low efficiency of water use and water pollution cost are other serious problems. Some of
these issues are reviewed below.
9.6 Declining Trend of Rainfall
The base of the water resources itself is dwindling in the state. Rathore et al. (2013) have
recently analyzed the trends of average annual
rainfall for the period 1961–2002. Though there
is an inter-annual variability of average monsoon
rainfall in the 41-year period, the rainfall is also
decreasing. Further a study carried out by Goswami et al. (2006), for observations spanning
50 years in the Central Indian region including
Madhya Pradesh, indicates that the extreme
precipitation events which are above 100 mm are
increasing in terms of their intensity and frequency, with low and moderate events becoming
more and more infrequent. On the basis of rainfall data for 1951–2013, Mishra and others
(Mishra et al. 2016) have concluded that most
part of the state of Madhya Pradesh experienced
a significant decline in the monsoon season
precipitation during this period. The monsoon
season precipitation is projected to decline in the
near future (2016–2045). Further, they also
indicated that the frequency of severe, extreme,
and exceptional droughts has increased in the
50 0
150
Kilometers
20
30
50
60
40
Fig. 9.3 .
9 Water Resources of Madhya Pradesh: Contemporary …
115