Parliament Question: Drought and Irrigation Management

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2942 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10TH MARCH, 2026 DROUGHT AND IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT 2942. SHRI MOHMAD HANEEFA: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी be pleased to state: (a) whether Sodh area of Kargil district, along with other parts of Ladakh, has been facing recurring drought-like conditions due to reduced winter snowfall, erratic precipitation and rising temperatures; (b) whether the Government proposes to send an expert survey team to conduct area- specific assessment of the impact on agriculture and horticulture; (c) whether sustainable water sources and tailored irrigation and water management projects would be identified for Sodh and similarly affected regions; and (d) whether such projects would be supported under suitable Central Sponsored Schemes with necessary flexibility and timely financial assistance to revive agricultural and horticultural productivity in these drought-affected areas of Ladakh? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY) (a) to (d): As per the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP), the primary responsibility of disaster management including damage assessment and providing relief measures on ground level, rests with the State Governments concerned. The Central Government provides requisite logistics and financial support to the efforts of the State Governments. The State Governments provide financial relief to the affected people in the event of 12 notified natural disasters, from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), already placed at its disposal, in accordance with approved items and norms of Government of India (GOI). However, in the event of disaster of a 'severe nature', additional financial assistance is extended from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), as per laid down procedure, which includes an assessment based on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) and a memorandum for assistance under NDRF for drought submitted by State/UT Government. As per information received from UT of Ladakh, the northern part of Kargil District in which Sodh Area falls is traditionally dry, receiving less snowfall. UT of Ladakh promotes sustainable water management practices for horticulture in Ladakh, including Sodh. These include the promotion of such as drip irrigation and water lifting devices for the high-altitude cold desert conditions. Various horticulture development activities, including those related to water management are being implemented under Central Sponsored Schemes such as the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). These schemes provide financial assistance for micro-irrigation, protected cultivation and orchard development, thereby supporting the improvement of horticultural productivity in climate- vulnerable and drought-affected areas of UT of Ladakh.Under Central Sponsored Schemes i.e. Per drop More Crop (PDMC), Micro Irrigations Systems (Drip & Sprinkler Irrigation) with 55% subsidy are promoted to optimized scarce water use. UT of Ladakh is also promoting snow harvesting techniques such as artificial glacier to capture and store winter precipitation for control melting during dry periods. An area of about 8.0 hectares has been brought under Micro Irrigation Project in Sodh area of Kargil District under UT Scheme (SDP). As per the information received from ICAR, The ICAR flagship network project 'National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)' conducted risk and vulnerability assessment of Indian Agriculture to climate change for 573 predominantly agriculture districts in India using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) protocol. Under NICRA project, location specific climate resilient agricultural technologies suitable to Ladakh agro-climatic conditions include vegetable nursery raising using low-cost tunnels, mulching in cabbage to alleviate moisture stress and cold stress, hybrid broccoli for sustainable production during summer, low-cost mushroom unit and alfalfa-poultry model with Vanraja breed for livelihood diversification. KVK, Ladakh is gets financial assistance under NICRA project for conducting technology demonstrations and capacity building programs on climate resilient agricultural technologies to mitigate water scarcity and sustain agricultural and horticultural productivity in the region. ICAR-CAZRI supported broader cold arid water management training, including plasticulture and watershed techniques, applicable to drought-prone Ladakh. ICAR-CAZRI has promoted resource management technologies under TSP project to boost productivity at Leh. *****