• ISBN13: 9788126940387
• Binding: Hardcover
• Subject: Earth-Science/Environment
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
• Publisher Imprint: Atlantic
• Publication Date: June 18, 2025
• Pages: 442
• Original Price: INR 1495.0
• Language: English
• Edition: N/A
• Item Weight: 500 grams

Groundwater is becoming an increasingly popular resource because of the relative ease and flexibility with which it can be tapped. While developing groundwater resources promises to help alleviate poverty in many areas, the most formidable challenge is its sustainable use and management in regions where it is under threat. The central focus of Groundwater Management in India is the economies that groundwater generates, the socio-economic impact of its intensive use and the physical, institutional and policy options for its management. The book provides a fresh analysis of the socio-ecology of groundwater based on a synthesis of macro and micro-level data on the hydrological, social, economic and institutional parameters. The findings of detailed investigations in north Gujarat and West Bengal are used to draw policy conclusions regarding the tools for managing groundwater in other regions with similar resource and usage characteristics. The authors have used several new criteria, methodologies, analytical procedures and tools to analyse groundwater usage in agriculture, the economic value of groundwater, the water intensity of milk production and the efficient use of groundwater. A must-read for policymakers, academics and research scholars working in the area of water management and non-governmental organisations

M. Dinesh Kumar is the Executive Director of the Institute for Resource Analysis and Policy (IRAP) in Hyderabad - an Indian think tank founded by him in 2008. With a PhD in Water Management, he leads the research on water, agriculture, energy and environment-related issues in India and globally. He has authored nearly 300 publications, including 11 books, 9 edited volumes and several articles in top-ranking international journals. He serves on the editorial boards of four prestigious international journals, viz., Water Policy, International Journal of Water Resources Development, PLOS Water Journal and Frontiers in Water. He has over 33 years of professional experience and has travelled to 23 countries, contributing significantly to the field of water management internationally.

O. P. Singh is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, India. He has over twenty-eight years of experience in research and teaching. Previously, he worked with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), INREM Foundation and Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), Gujarat, India. He has published more than 200 articles in esteemed national and international journals, with a primary focus on water management.

• Preface................................................................................... xiii
• Acknowledgements..................................................................xix
• List of Tables........................................................................ xxiii
• List of Figures.......................................................................xxvii
• List of Map.........................................................................xxviii
• Abbreviations........................................................................xxix
• 1. Introduction........................................................................... 1
• 1.1 The Scope of the Book..................................................... 4
• 2. Groundwater Socio-Ecology of India: A Strategic Analysis................................................................................. 13
• 2.1 Why a Fresh Look at India’s Groundwater Socio-Ecology?................................................................ 14
• 2.2 Purpose........................................................................... 18
• 2.3 Changing Groundwater Socio-ecology in India: An Overview.................................................................. 19
• 2.3.1 Growing Number of Wells: What does it Say?........... 20
• 2.3.2 High Well Density: Does it Mean High Intensity of Groundwater Use?..................................... 26
• 2.3.3 What Influences Well Density?..................................... 28
• 2.3.4 Is Groundwater Really Depleting—If So, Where and How Far?..................................................... 31
• 2.3.5 How Serious is Groundwater Quality Problem in India?............................................................................... 39
• 2.4 Nature of Groundwater Economy............................... 42
• 2.4.1 Who Controls the Informal Groundwater Economy, and How Big is It?........................................ 42
• 2.4.2 How Public Policies Influence the Nature of Groundwater Economy?................................................ 50
• 2.5 Size of Groundwater Economy.................................... 56
• 2.6 Major Findings and Conclusions................................. 63
• 2.7 What it takes to Sustain Groundwater Boom in India?............................................................................... 67
• 3. Groundwater Issues in North Gujarat............................ 81
• 3.1 An Introduction to North Gujarat’s Water Problems......................................................................... 82
• 3.2 North Gujarat’s Water Resource Environment........... 85
• 3.2.1 The Natural Water Resource Systems.......................... 85
• 3.2.2 The Socio-economic Systems Affecting Water Use................................................................................... 91
• 3.2.3 The Precarious Hydrological Balance of North Gujarat Region............................................................... 98
• 3.2.4 The Resource Problems and Socio-economic and Ecological Fallouts......................................................... 99
• 3.3 Summary...................................................................... 113
• 3.4 Conclusions.................................................................. 115
• 4. Assessing the Economic Value of Groundwater: Illustrations from North Gujarat................................... 125
• 4.1 Introduction................................................................. 126
• 4.2 Objectives, Methodology and Scope.......................... 129
• 4.2.1 Objectives..................................................................... 129
• 4.2.2 Methodology and Scope............................................. 129
• 4.2.3 Analytical Procedure................................................... 131
• 4.3 Agricultural System of the Study Area...................... 134
• 4.3.1 Cropping Pattern and Irrigation Pattern................... 134
• 4.3.2 Cattle Size and Composition...................................... 137
• 4.4 Results and Discussion................................................ 138
• 4.4.1 Private Costs and Returns from Groundwater Irrigation....................................................................... 138
• 4.4.2 Net Economic Returns from Crops and Dairying........................................................................ 143
• 4.4.3 Size of Groundwater Economy of the Study Villages.......................................................................... 145
• 4.4.4 Livelihood Impacts of Groundwater Irrigation........ 147
• 4.5 Major Findings............................................................. 149
• 4.6 Summary and Conclusions......................................... 150
• 5. Water Intensity of Milk Production in North Gujarat................................................................................. 155
• 5.1 Introduction................................................................. 156
• 5.2 The Context: Dairy Industry in North Gujarat........ 158
• 5.2.1 Livestock Population and Productivity...................... 158
• 5.2.2 Mehsana Milk Union.................................................. 159
• 5.2.3 Motipura: The Study Village...................................... 160
• 5.3 Objectives and Methodology...................................... 161
• 5.4 Analytical Procedure................................................... 161
• 5.4.1 Water Use for Crop Production................................. 161
• 5.4.2 Water Allocation between Main Product and By-product.................................................................... 162
• 5.4.3 Feed and Fodder Used for Milk Production............. 162
• 5.4.4 Water Used for Milk Production................................ 163
• 5.4.5 Imported Virtual Water............................................... 164
• 5.5 Results and Discussion................................................ 164
• 5.5.1 Average Crop Productivity and Gross Output of Major Crops................................................................. 164
• 5.5.2 Physical Productivity of Water for Major Crops....... 166
• 5.5.3 Feed and Fodder Used for Milk Production............. 168
• 5.5.4 Daily Milk Production................................................ 169
• 5.5.5 Physical Productivity of Water in Milk Production.................................................................... 170
• 5.5.6 Virtual Water Import................................................... 172
• 5.5.7 Gross and Net Water Productivity in Crop and Milk Production................................................... 173
• 5.6 Summary of Findings.................................................. 175
• 5.7 Conclusions.................................................................. 176
• 6. Drip Irrigation for Alfalfa in India............................... 179
• 6.1 Introduction................................................................. 180
• 6.2 Study Objectives, Methods and Materials.................. 183
• 6.3 Results and Discussion................................................ 186
• 6.3.1 Water-saving Impact of Drip Irrigation in Alfalfa............................................................................ 186
• 6.3.2 Yield Impacts of Drip System in Alfalfa.................... 190
• 6.3.3 Overall Impact of Drip System on (Physical) Water Productivity of Alfalfa...................................... 192
• 6.3.4 Economics of Drip Irrigation in Alfalfa.................... 193
• 6.4 Summary of Findings.................................................. 197
• 6.5 Conclusions and Policy Implications......................... 198
• 7. Sustaining Farm Economy............................................... 203
• 7.1 Introduction................................................................. 203
• 7.2 Features of the Study Area.......................................... 205
• 7.3 Objectives, Methodology and Lines of Analysis....... 206
• 7.3.1 Objectives..................................................................... 206
• 7.3.2 Methodology................................................................ 207
• 7.3.3 Estimation Procedure.................................................. 208
• 7.3.4 Linear Programming Model....................................... 211
• 7.4 Results........................................................................... 214
• 7.4.1 Feed and Fodder Requirements and Water Use
• Productivity in Dairying............................................. 214
• 7.4.2 Groundwater Use and Net Farm Income:
• ‘Business as Usual’ Scenario for Vadgam................... 217
• 7.4.3 Groundwater Use and Net Farm Income with Newly Introduced Crops ........................................... 218
• 7.4.4 What Happens to Groundwater Use when Water-saving Technologies are Introduced?............... 222
• 7.4.5 Can We Save the Precious Groundwater without
• Sacrificing Milk Economy?......................................... 226
• 7.5 Major Findings of the Study....................................... 227
• 7.6 Conclusions.................................................................. 229
• 7.7 Practical and Policy Options for Managing Demand for Water in Agriculture.............................. 231
• 8. When Do Farmers Adopt Water-Saving Technologies? Investigations from North Gujarat...... 237
• 8.1 Introduction................................................................. 238
• 8.1.1 Water Management in Agriculture: North Gujarat’s Paradox......................................................... 239
• 8.2 Goal and Objectives of the Study.............................. 240
• 8.3 Methodology................................................................ 241
• 8.3.1 Sample Size.................................................................. 241
• 8.3.2 The Profile of Farmers................................................. 241
• 8.4 Results and Discussion................................................ 243
• 8.4.1 Level of Knowledge and Awareness about Different Irrigation Devices........................................ 243
• 8.4.2 Important Considerations for Adoption or Non-adoption of Modern Irrigation Devices............ 250
• 8.4.3 Who are the Adopters?................................................ 253
• 8.5 Major Findings............................................................. 253
• 8.6 Inferences...................................................................... 255
• 8.7 Some Suggestions for Marketing Agencies of Irrigation Products....................................................... 257
• 9. Second Green Revolution in Eastern India?................ 261
• 9.1 Introduction................................................................. 261
• 9.2 The New Policy of West Bengal Government on Groundwater................................................................ 263
• 9.3 Were there Major Policy Constraints to Agricultural Growth in West Bengal?........................ 264
• 9.4 Tall Claims of Poverty Reduction.............................. 267
• 9.5 Creating Irrigation Infrastructure without Looking at Demand ................................................... 267
• 9.6 Inflating the Benefits using Poor Statistics................ 271
• 9.7 The Drawbacks of the Policy ..................................... 273
• 9.8 The Potential Impacts of the Policy on Wetlands....................................................................... 276
• 9.9 Conclusions and Areas for Future Work................... 277
• 10. Is Power Pricing a Viable Option for Managing Groundwater Demand in India?..................................... 281
• 10.1 Introduction................................................................. 282
• 10.2 Review of Farm Sector Power Pricing Theories....... 288
• 10.3 Objectives of the Study............................................... 292
• 10.4 A Model for Analysing Farmer Behaviour in Response to Different Electricity Pricing and Water Allocation Regimes.......................................... 294
• 10.5 The Study Design and Methodology......................... 296
• 10.6 Results and Discussion................................................ 298
• 10.6.1 Comparison of Irrigation-Gross Return Linkage..... 298
• 10.6.2 Comparison of Water Productivity in Wheat........... 301
• 10.6.3 Comparison of Overall Water Productivity............... 302
• 10.6.4 Linkage between Volumetric Water Allocation and Cropping Pattern.................................................. 306
• 10.7 Findings of the Study.................................................. 308
• 10.8 Conclusions and Policy Implications......................... 308
• 11. Towards Evolving Institutional Arrangements for Managing Groundwater................................................... 317
• 11.1 Introduction................................................................. 317
• 11.2 Legal and Regulatory Approaches to Manage Groundwater................................................................ 318
• 11.3 Institutional Reforms for Groundwater Management................................................................. 322
• 11.3.1 Establishing Tradable Water Use Rights.................... 322
• 11.3.2 Market Instruments for Groundwater Demand Management................................................................. 329
• 11.4 Local Management of Groundwater by User Groups.......................................................................... 332
• 11.4.1 The Negative Externalities in Local Groundwater Management................................................................. 334
• 11.5 General Framework for Design of Groundwater Management Institutions............................................ 336
• 11.5.1 Village-level Institutions (VlIs)................................... 336
• 11.5.2 Watershed Institutions (WI)....................................... 337
• 11.5.3 Management Institutions at Aquifer Level............... 338
• 11.6 Concluding Remarks................................................... 340
• 12. Summary and Conclusions.............................................. 357
• Bibliography.......................................................................... 373
• Index...................................................................................... 403
• About the Authors................................................................. 409