Famines and droughts in Rajasthan | RPSC Preparation: All subjects - RPSC RAS (Rajasthan) PDF Download

Introduction

The state of Rajasthan, particularly its western-most districts encompassing the Thar desert, frequently faces the challenges of famine and droughts, enduring consecutive years marked by scarcity and dry spells.

Types of Droughts

A drought signifies a deficiency in rainfall, leading to moisture stress, which subsequently triggers agricultural losses and various forms of social and economic adversity.
Droughts can be classified into several types:

• Agricultural Drought: Occurs when crops suffer from moisture stress and insufficient rainfall, impacting agricultural output significantly. For instance, prolonged periods of arid conditions can hinder crop growth, leading to poor yields and financial losses for farmers.
• Meteorological Drought: Is defined by a reduction of more than 25% in rainfall compared to the normal levels in a specific region. This type of drought directly affects water supply, agriculture, and overall environmental balance. An example could be a region experiencing below-average rainfall for an extended period, causing water scarcity and crop failures.
• Hydrological Drought: Occurs when recurring meteorological droughts lead to a decline in surface water and groundwater levels. This type of drought impacts water resources, affecting irrigation systems, drinking water supply, and aquatic ecosystems. For instance, consecutive years of low rainfall can deplete reservoirs and rivers, affecting both agricultural and urban water needs.

Causes of droughts in Rajasthan

• Droughts in the Indian subcontinent are primarily caused by inadequate rainfall from the southwest monsoon.
• The main reason for the failure of monsoon rainfall is persistent atmospheric subsidence, which stems from the overall atmospheric circulation.
• Recent research on global circulation interactions and droughts has indicated that the El Niño phase of the Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has the most significant impact on drought conditions in India.

Declaration of drought in Rajasthan

• The Scarcity Manual (formerly called the Famine Code) for Rajasthan outlines the procedures and criteria for declaring a drought.
• Although the manual includes various criteria, the State government predominantly relies on the girdawari report and the associated losses in sowing and production.
• The girdawari report, prepared by the patwari (land records official) of each panchayat, is a land-use report used to assess drought impact.
• To determine losses, current year’s figures are compared with those from "normal" years, defined as the average production over recent years.
• Based on these comparisons, estimates of the affected population are made.
• Other criteria mentioned in the Scarcity Manual include distress migration, increased thefts, and reports of starvation deaths.

Difference between droughts and famine

• Although droughts and famines may seem similar, they are distinct phenomena.
• A famine is a widespread scarcity of food that can result from multiple factors such as war, inflation, crop failure, population imbalance, or government policies.
• Famine typically leads to regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemics, and increased mortality.

Frequency of Droughts in Rajasthan

Rajasthan is highly vulnerable to drought due to low and unpredictable rainfall patterns. Historical data on the frequency of drought occurrences in the state is summarized in the following table.