Mains Practice Questions

Introduction :

The Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), spanning Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, form India’s agricultural heartland, producing nearly 50% of the country’s food grains. Home to over 40% of India’s population, the region is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as rising temperatures, erratic monsoons, groundwater depletion, and frequent floods. These challenges threaten agriculture, migration dynamics, and resource utilization, posing risks to food and livelihood security.

Body:

Impact on Agriculture

• Rising Temperatures: According to ICAR, a 1°C rise in temperature reduces wheat yield by 4–5 million tonnes, with Punjab and Haryana being the worst-hit.
• Erratic Monsoons: Bihar and Eastern UP witness recurrent floods, while Western UP suffers droughts, disrupting rice-wheat cycles.
• Groundwater Crisis: NITI Aayog (2023) notes that Punjab and Haryana are extracting groundwater at twice the recharge rate, worsening water stress.
• Soil Degradation: Floods and overuse of fertilizers degrade soil health, reducing long-term productivity.
• Pest Outbreaks: Warmer winters promote pests like brown planthopper in rice, affecting yields.

Impact on Migration

• Seasonal Distress Migration: Flood-prone districts of North Bihar send lakhs of migrants annually to Delhi, Punjab, and Gujarat for unskilled labor.
• Urban Stress: Migrants often end up in informal jobs, creating pressure on housing, sanitation, and infrastructure in cities.
• Labor Market Shifts: Ironically, Punjab’s agriculture, hit by rural distress, depends heavily on migrant workers from UP and Bihar, creating a cycle of vulnerability.

Impact on Resource Utilisation

• Water Resources: Overdependence on tube wells has pushed many districts of Punjab and Haryana into the “dark zone” of groundwater scarcity (CGWB, 2022).
• Energy Demand: Increased irrigation needs escalate electricity and diesel consumption, raising carbon emissions.
• Biodiversity Loss: Shrinking wetlands in Bihar and Bengal have reduced fisheries and migratory bird habitats.
• Conflict Potential: Increasing scarcity could spark interstate water disputes over Ganga, Yamuna, and Sutlej rivers.

Way Forward

• Promote climate-resilient agriculture through crop diversification (millets, pulses).
• Expand micro-irrigation and groundwater recharge structures.
• Provide social security portability and skill development for climate migrants.
• Enhance data-driven policies and integrate with SDGs 2, 6, and 13.

Conclusion:

The Indo-Gangetic Plains face a triple crisis of agricultural decline, forced migration, and resource depletion under climate change. Urgent adaptation through sustainable farming, efficient resource use, and migration-sensitive policies is essential to safeguard India’s food bowl and secure livelihoods for millions.