Understanding energy and groundwater irrigation nexus for sustainability over a highly irrigated ecosystem of north western India

Abstract

This paper examines various features of energy and groundwater irrigation nexus in a highly irrigated ecosystem of north western India. The study is based both on primary and secondary sources of data. Electric tube-wells account for about 72 percent of the total tube-wells population and consume about 40 percent of the total electricity consumption. Power subsidies account approximately 46 percent of the total subsidies disbursed which stimulate the groundwater development. The area irrigated by means of tube-wells has enlarged from 22 to 58 percent. Rice and sugarcane crops are the key consumers of energy both in terms of average energy consumption as well as per hectare of cultivated land. The average use factor of tube-wells is about 7.5 times high during kharif than in rabi season. Farmers have yielded high economic productivity under all crops with the exception of rice than other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat.