Irrigation induced cropping intensity and shift in cropping pattern in Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area, Rajasthan

Page: 417-421

Sunil Kumar (Department of Geography, University College, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana)

Artificial water supply to the crops to meet the soil moisture deficit is a key factor to increase the cropping intensity and to transform the existing cropping pattern. In fact, irrigation not only accelerates the number of crops in a field but also replaces the rain fed subsistence crops to water intensive commercial crops. Double cropping or cultivation of same piece of land e than once in an agricultural year was almost impossible before the introduction of canal irrigation in arid and semi-arid tracts of IGC Command Area. Principal rainfed crops like bajra, guar and gram are largely replaced by cotton, wheat and groundnut.