Question

The percentage of irrigated land in India is about ____________.
(A) 66%
(B) 35%
(C) 71%
(D) 22%

Answer 1

Hint:
1. The analysis of existing cropping patterns in India revealed that rice and wheat occupy the largest share of total cropland area.
2. The most important method of irrigation in India is canal irrigation. It is less costly. During 2008-09, about half of the 165,97 lakh hectares of land was irrigated by canals, half of which was concentrated in the Northern Plain.

Complete answer:
Irrigation in India
1. Irrigation in India involves a network of major and minor canals from Indian rivers, groundwater well based networks, tanks, and other rainwater harvesting projects for agricultural activities. Of this groundwater system is the largest.
2. Just about 36.7% of India's total agricultural land was reliably irrigated in 2013-14, and the remaining 2/3rd of India's cultivated land is dependent on monsoons. 65 percent of the irrigation in India is from groundwater.
3. Currently about 51 percent of the agricultural region cultivating food grains is provided by irrigation.
4. The rest of the region is reliant on rainfall which is most of the time unreliable and unpredictable.

The main source of irrigation in India –
1. Canals, tanks, tube wells and other wells, with tube wells and canals together accounting for about 70 % of total irrigation, are various sources of irrigation in India. Using basic gravity flow across the land to wet it and penetrate the soil.
2. Even today, agriculture in India relies heavily on weather since the percentage of irrigated land in India is 34, the Economic Survey of 2018 reports. 5%, as per the report.

Hence, Option B.35% is the correct answer.

Note:
1. Punjab, with 98.8 percent of its crop land under irrigation, leads the states and UTs of the country in terms of land under irrigation.
2. In the region, sugarcane and banana are among the main crops that are grown in mostly irrigated areas.
3. Irrigated agriculture accounts for 20 % of the total cultivated land, but accounts for 40 % of the world 's total grown food.