Agriculture, the Cauvery Delta and Water in Tamil Nadu — TNPSC Group I
Weightage: GS Paper III, Unit III names agriculture, land reforms, the Green Revolution and the Public Distribution System, and Unit I names irrigation projects. Prelims asks about the Cauvery dispute and crops. Allocation figures are those commonly reported for the 2018 verdict; confirm them from a current source.
1. The state of Tamil Nadu agriculture
Agriculture employs a larger share of workers than it contributes to output. Its health depends on the northeast monsoon, the Kaveri and groundwater. Small farms dominate.
2. Crops and seasons
- Paddy is the main crop, grown in the delta and in tank-fed districts. It has three seasons in the delta: kuruvai (short, June to September), samba (the main season, August to January) and thaladi (the late crop).
- Sugarcane, groundnut, cotton, millets and pulses in dry districts.
- Plantation crops: tea and coffee in the Nilgiris, Valparai and the Kodaikanal region, and coconut across the state.
- Horticulture: bananas, flowers and vegetables.
3. Irrigation: tanks, wells and canals
Tamil Nadu depends more on wells and tanks than most states.
- Tanks (eris) collect rain and run-off, and form a traditional network.
- Wells and borewells supply a large share of irrigated area, which is why groundwater depletion is serious.
- Canals include Mettur and Lower Bhavani, and the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) in the west, which draws water by an inter-basin link from Kerala.
The Kallanai (Grand Anicut) of the Sangam age still helps distribute Kaveri water in the delta.
4. The Cauvery dispute in steps
Hold the steps in order:
- 1892 and 1924 agreements between the Madras Presidency and Mysore.
- 1990: the Centre set up the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
- 2007: the tribunal's final award.
- 2018: the Supreme Court modified the award.
- 2018: the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and a regulation committee were formed to implement it.
5. The 2018 verdict
The tribunal had allocated Tamil Nadu 419 TMC, Karnataka 270, Kerala 30 and Puducherry 7. The Supreme Court in February 2018 reduced Tamil Nadu's share by 14.75 TMC (to 404.25) and raised Karnataka's by the same amount (to 284.75), citing groundwater available in Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru's drinking-water needs.
The release that Karnataka owes at the border in a normal year was reported as 177.25 TMC, down from 192. The Court called the Cauvery a national asset and said no state owns the river.
6. Why the dispute persists
In good rainfall years, the schedule works. In deficit years, the upstream state holds back water for its own farms and cities, and the delta lacks water for the kuruvai and samba crops. Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu project (a dam for drinking water and power) is opposed by Tamil Nadu. The solution requires distress-year sharing rules, joint monitoring and efficient use, and not just court orders.
7. Protecting the delta
The delta is called the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu. After protests in 2017 over hydrocarbon and similar projects, the state passed the Protected Special Agricultural Zone Act, 2020, which restricts such projects in the delta districts. A good answer notes the balance between farm protection and energy needs.
8. Other issues
- Fragmented holdings and rising labour costs.
- Crop diversification from paddy to millets and pulses, with price support.
- Farm marketing: the Uzhavar Sandhai (farmers' markets) of 1999, and cooperative societies including Aavin for milk.
- Fisheries: a long coast, conflicts over fishing in the Palk Strait and deep-sea fishing programmes.
9. A Mains answer pattern
For a question on agriculture, use problem, cause, state response and reform. For the Cauvery, give history, verdict, persistent issue and a way forward, which is enough for a 15-mark answer.
Common traps TNPSC sets here
- Giving the tribunal as set up in 2007. It was set up in 1990 and gave its final award in 2007.
- Reversing the 2018 change. Tamil Nadu's share was reduced, Karnataka's was raised.
- Calling the Kallanai a modern dam. It is an ancient structure on the Kaveri.
- Placing PAP in the delta. It is a western-region project.
- Quoting TMC figures without saying "as reported". Use the hedge.
Memory aids
- "1990 set up, 2007 award, 2018 modified": the three dates.
- "Kuruvai, samba, thaladi": the delta seasons.
- "419 to 404.25": Tamil Nadu's share, before and after 2018.
Summary
Tamil Nadu agriculture rests on rain, tanks, wells and the Kaveri. Paddy dominates, with delta seasons of kuruvai, samba and thaladi.
The Cauvery dispute moved from agreements to the 1990 tribunal, the 2007 award, and the 2018 Supreme Court change and implementing authority. The delta has a statutory protection from 2020.
Exam protocol
- Give the three Cauvery dates in order.
- Say "as reported" for allocation numbers.
- Close with a distress-year rule or a diversification step.
