Case Studies – Indira Gandhi Canal and Bharmaur Tribal Region
Geography › Settlements, Human Development and Planning · Topic 18.7
The Indira Gandhi Canal is one of the largest canal systems in India, taking Himalayan river water from Harike in Punjab into the Thar desert of Rajasthan. It has greened the desert but also caused waterlogging and salinity. The Bharmaur region of Himachal Pradesh is a notified tribal area, home of the Gaddi people, where an Integrated Tribal Development Project has improved literacy, health and infrastructure.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Settlements, Human Development and Planning
At a Glance
- Canal source Harike barrage, Punjab
- Planned length About 9,060 km including distributaries
- Command area About 19.6 lakh hectares
- Stages Stage I (Ganganagar) and Stage II (Thar)
- Bharmaur Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh; Gaddi tribe
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Settlements, Human Development and Planning
Where Does It Fit?
This is the last topic of the macro on settlements, human development and planning. The previous topic explained target area planning and sustainable development, and this one shows two examples in practice. The next macro begins the study of transport, communication and trade. Previous topic: Target Area Planning and Sustainable Development. Next topic: Land Transport and Pipelines.
What Is the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area?
In short: the canal brought river water to the sands of the Thar and changed its farming, ecology and society, with gains and costs.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Origin | Conceived by the engineer Kanwar Sain in 1948; construction began on 31 March 1958; previously the Rajasthan Canal; renamed in honour of Indira Gandhi |
| Source and route | Takes water of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej from the Harike barrage, near the meeting of the Beas and Sutlej, and runs parallel to the border with Pakistan, at about 40 km in the Thar, as in Indus River System |
| Size | Planned system length of about 9,060 km, including the main canal, feeder and distributaries, serving a culturable command area of 19.63 lakh hectares, of which about 70 per cent is irrigated by flow and the rest by lift canals |
| Stage I | Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and north Bikaner; gently undulating land; 5.53 lakh hectares; irrigation from the early 1960s |
| Stage II | Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur and Churu; shifting sand dunes and summer temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius; 14.1 lakh hectares; irrigation from the mid-1980s |
| Lift canals | Water is lifted to flow against the slope; all lift canals start from the left bank of the main canal and all flow channels from the right bank |
Irrigation transformed the area. Soil moisture, plantations and pasture development under the command area programme greened the land, reduced wind erosion and the silting of canals, and traditional crops of gram, bajra and jowar were largely replaced by wheat, cotton, groundnut and rice, which raised the output of farms and livestock.
What Went Wrong, and What Is Sustainable Development Here?
- Waterlogging and salinity: intensive irrigation, seepage from unlined channels and the choice of water-demanding crops raised the water table and brought salts to the surface, damaging soil, as in Major Soil Groups of India.
- Social issues: land allottees from poorer backgrounds lacked capital and support to cultivate the land; settlers from other regions arrived in an area with a different culture.
- Fragile ecology in Stage II: the sandy desert with low rainfall cannot support intensive irrigation, so the aim there is protective irrigation and pasture.
Seven measures are proposed for sustainable development: strict water management, with protective irrigation in Stage I and extensive irrigation for crops and pasture in Stage II; a cropping pattern without water-intensive crops, encouraging citrus fruits and other plantation crops; lining of watercourses and levelling of land to reduce loss; reclamation of waterlogged and saline land; afforestation, shelterbelts and pasture development; financial and institutional support for poor allottees; and diversification of the economy through the development of service centres and markets, as in Target Area Planning and Sustainable Development.
What Is the Bharmaur Integrated Tribal Development Project?
- Area and people: Bharmaur and Holi tehsils of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh form the notified tribal area, in the valleys of the Ravi and its tributaries at high altitude. The Gaddis, a Scheduled Tribe of shepherds, form the main community; they practise transhumance, moving with their flocks of sheep and goats to the high pastures in summer and to the lower valleys of Kangra and the plains in winter, as in Rural Settlements in India.
- Backwardness: difficult terrain, isolation, snow-bound roads in winter, few schools and health centres, dependence on small farms and herding, and very low female literacy.
- The project: the Integrated Tribal Development Project began in 1974 in the Fifth Plan, as part of the Tribal Sub-Plan strategy, with roads, schools, health services, electricity, drinking water, and the development of agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry.
- Results: literacy, especially among women, rose sharply, the sex ratio improved, the area has better connectivity and health facilities, and more families have shifted from pure herding to farming, fruit growing and jobs; the movement of the Gaddi flocks continues but is less important. Pressure on pastures and the loss of traditional skills are concerns.
As an analytical point, the two cases show two kinds of area planning. In the canal command, a massive technical intervention changed the ecology, and the lesson is that water supply without drainage, crop discipline and ecological care leads to degradation. In Bharmaur, a social investment in education, health and roads in a remote tribal area changed human development, and the lesson is that the plan must fit the culture and economy of the people. Both support the idea that sustainable development depends on the local conditions, as in Human Development – Concept and Pillars.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Case studies Examples for Mains answers
- Concept Sustainability applied
- Facts Canal and tribe details
What Came Next?
The next macro begins the study of transport, communication and international trade with land transport and pipelines. Next topic: Land Transport and Pipelines.
Key People and Terms
- Command area Area irrigated by a canal
- Lift irrigation Water raised against slope
- Waterlogging Rise of the water table into the root zone
- Transhumance Seasonal movement of herds
- Gaddi Pastoral tribe of Himachal
- Tribal Sub-Plan Funds for tribal development
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- The canal starts at Harike.
- Planned length is about 9,060 km.
- Stage II lies in the desert.
- The Bharmaur people are the Gaddis.
- The tribal project started in 1974.
Do Not Confuse With
- Stage I and Stage II Ganganagar plains versus the Thar sands
- Flow and lift canals Gravity versus pumped water
- Transhumance and nomadism Seasonal return versus continuous movement
Memory Hook
Harike to the Thar: green but salty; Bharmaur’s Gaddis: schools, roads, and still the flocks.
Mains Angle
Questions ask for examples of planning with a balanced assessment. These points add depth.
- Canal Greening versus salinity
- Tribal area Social investment gains
- Lesson Fit the plan to the place
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Evaluate the Indira Gandhi Canal project from the point of view of sustainable development and compare it with the integrated tribal development in Bharmaur.”
How to Answer
- Canal Facts and stages.
- Impact Gains and problems.
- Bharmaur Tribal development.
- Lessons Ecology and community.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Indira Gandhi Canal?
The Indira Gandhi Canal, earlier called the Rajasthan Canal, is one of the largest canal systems in India. It brings water from the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej at Harike in Punjab to the Thar desert of Rajasthan, with a planned length of about 9,060 kilometres and a command area of about 19.6 lakh hectares.
What are the two stages of the Indira Gandhi Canal?
Stage I covers the Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and north Bikaner area, a gently undulating plain of 5.53 lakh hectares irrigated from the early 1960s. Stage II covers the dune-covered Thar districts of Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur and Churu, of 14.1 lakh hectares irrigated since the mid-1980s.
What environmental problems has the canal caused?
Intensive irrigation, seepage from unlined canals and the cultivation of water-demanding crops such as rice and cotton have caused waterlogging and soil salinity in the command area. The sandy desert of Stage II is also ecologically fragile, so planners suggest protective irrigation, plantation crops, afforestation and pasture development.
Who are the Gaddis of Bharmaur?
The Gaddis are a Scheduled Tribe living mainly in the Bharmaur and Holi tehsils of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh. They are traditionally shepherds who practise transhumance, moving their sheep and goats to high pastures in summer and to the lower valleys in winter, and many now also farm and work in other jobs.
What was the Integrated Tribal Development Project in Bharmaur?
The Integrated Tribal Development Project, started in 1974 under the Tribal Sub-Plan, aimed to improve the economic and social condition of the Bharmaur tribal area through roads, schools, health services, electricity, water supply and the development of agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry. It raised literacy, especially among women, and improved connectivity.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Indira Gandhi Canal originates at the Harike barrage.
It runs in the Thar desert.
2 Waterlogging and salinity are problems of the canal command area.
Caused by intensive irrigation.
3 Bharmaur is a tribal area in Uttarakhand.
It is in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.
4 The Gaddis practise transhumance.
They move flocks seasonally.
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