Drought Prone Areas in India

India receives significant rainfall annually owing to its geographical setting. However, global warming and climatic conditions have reduced the rainfall amount in recent years.

This, in turn, has triggered the groundwater levels to decrease, leading to loss of soil moisture and dry conditions. Moreover, irresponsible practices such as deforestation, pollution, etc., have increased the occurrences of droughts.

Keep reading to learn more about the drought prone areas in India and follow the requisite disaster management steps.

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What Are the Major Drought Prone Regions in India?

Drought-prone districts in India comprise nearly 1/6th of this country in terms of area. These areas receive an annual rainfall of around 60 cm or less.

The Irrigation Commission of 1972 had identified nearly 67 Indian districts that were prone to droughts. These include 326 talukas situated in eight Indian states.

However, the recent data shows that 74% of India’s districts are vulnerable to extreme drought situations. The data shows that 27 out of 35 states and union territories are in the risk zone.

These situations can be attributed to human malpractices such as over-irrigation, deforestation, pollution, urbanisation, etc. The natural causes such as poor rainfall, climatic conditions, high temperature, etc., are also at fault.

Nevertheless, here is a list of the most drought prone areas in India. One can assess the list to identify whether they live in the risk zones and take appropriate measures.

As per the Hydrology and Water Resources Information System for India, the most drought prone areas in this nation are mentioned in the table below.

State	Arid Area (square km)	Semi-arid Area (square km)
Rajasthan	196,150 (57.31)	121,020 (35.396)
Gujarat	62,180 (31.72)	90,520 (46.18)
Maharashtra	1,290 (0.42)	189,580 (61.61)
Madhya Pradesh	-	59,470 (13.41)

Note: Values within brackets denote the % of affected area of that state

Individuals should know that the drought affected states in India are primarily in the arid, semi-arid and sub-humid regions of this nation. These areas receive less than average annual rainfall.

The Western Ghats are highly erratic and receive rainfall lower than 750mm. Since this area is highly populated, the suffering or damage caused by drought is high. The area extending from Ahmedabad to Kanpur and from Kanpur to Jullundur receives less than 750mm or even less than 400 mm rainfall.

Besides these areas, there are many pockets of drought in India. They are:

Coimbatore in Kerala
Kalahandi in Orissa
Palamu region and Mirzapur plateau in Uttar Pradesh
Purulia in West Bengal
Kutch and Saurashtra regions in Gujarat
Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu.

Let’s check the preventive measures to protect yourself and your family from the effect of drought.

Preventive Measures to Take in the Drought Prone Regions in India

These are some solutions to reduce the risk of famine in the major drought prone areas in India.

Proper water management and storage in dams/reservoirs
Managing the watershed and following water rationing
Cattle management
Select the right crop that requires less water in drought-prone areas
Implementing soil-conservation techniques
Afforestation and reduction of firewood usage
Use alternative land models for water preservation
Reducing migration and offering employment
Training people on water conservation
Modifying cropping patterns and selecting drought-resistant crop variants
Employing better grazing patterns
Planting more shrubs and trees
Protecting surface water by introducing drip irrigation system
Use of new technology for animal husbandry activities
Rainwater harvesting
Reuse of domestic water to water plants and vegetation
Production of biodiesel plantations
Artificial groundwater recharge
Construction of traditional structures such as dams, canals or ponds to harvest water

Apart from these preventive measures, individuals should also secure themselves financially to confidently face the calamity.

An intelligent solution can be opting for life insurance or drought-based insurance to safeguard their family's future. Individuals can also insure their expensive assets and get the appropriate return when facing such calamities.

What Are the Insurance Products for People Living in the Drought Prone Areas in India?

These are some insurance policies that individuals residing in areas prone to drought in India can check.

Crop insurance

Individuals can insure their crops from natural famine. This insurance plan covers the financial losses suffered from unforeseen perils like crop failures, less rainfall and drought.

One can find both Government and private insurance schemes that offer substantial coverage against affordable premiums. However, individuals must read the terms thoroughly before purchasing such plans.

Life insurance

Individuals residing in the drought-prone zone must opt for life insurance. It is a contract between an insurer and insured that promises to pay a lump sum amount to the insurance holder’s family after his/her demise. In other words, this policy secures an individual’s life financially.

Individuals can also find drought specific policies offered by several insurance companies. These policies come with several terms which need to be understood by an applicant.

It is beneficial to compare the premiums of the different insurance policies before selecting one.

Now that you know all about drought prone areas in India and the measures one should take to prevent drought, you can stay aware by keeping a tab over the Government alerts and implement these techniques to steer clear of significant losses.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Will implementing prevention methods stop drought completely?

No, drought can be caused by natural causes like low or no rainfall. Hence, prevention cannot stop drought completely.

What is the rainfall percentage indicating meteorological drought?

Ideally, rainfall deficiency above 50% indicates meteorological drought.

Are there any drought-management programmes in India?

Yes, there are several drought-management programmes launched by the Government of India such as National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas, National Food Security Mission, etc.