Rajasthan Natural Farming Workshop and Water Projects Review
Source:jaipurtribune ↗
Why It Matters
Agriculture and water resource management (inter-state agreements, regional projects like ERCP, and the Dewas project) represent core areas of the Rajasthan Geography and Economy syllabus for the RPSC RAS exam. Questions regarding major irrigation projects, districts benefited, and sustainable farming policies are frequently featured in Prelims.
Summary
At a state-level natural farming workshop in Jaipur, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma advocated for sustainable agriculture by reducing chemical fertilizers (urea, DAP) in favor of organic and natural farming. He highlighted critical rural development achievements, such as daytime agricultural electricity across 26 districts, direct financial top-ups to the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, and fast-tracking pivotal water resource projects, including the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), the Dewas project, and the inter-state Yamuna water agreement.
Key Points
- State-Level Natural Farming Workshop: Held at the Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Indoor Stadium in Jaipur to promote sustainable, chemical-free agricultural practices.
- Shift from Chemical Fertilizers: Advised transitioning away from chemical inputs like urea and DAP towards organic and natural farming to protect soil biodiversity and lower farmers' production costs.
- Key Irrigation & Water Projects: Highlighted the prioritization of the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), the Dewas water diversion project (Udaipur), and the Yamuna water agreement (with Haryana) to secure water resources.
- Power Sector Milestone: Successful rollout of daytime agricultural electricity supply across 26 districts of Rajasthan.
- Farmer Welfare & Support: Underlined the state's additional top-up bonus to the central PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme (with plans to eventually scale up the total benefit to ₹12,000 per year) and extended wheat procurement under MSP.
- Institutional Proponents: Attendance by prominent figures including Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade and Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, a renowned advocate for natural and Vedic farming.
Important Terms
PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi
A Central Sector Scheme launched in 2018 providing an annual income support of ₹6,000 in three equal installments directly to the bank accounts of all landholding farmer families across India.
UPSC context
GS Paper III: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies, agricultural development, and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanisms in farmer welfare.
Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP)
A major water infrastructure project in Rajasthan designed to harvest surplus monsoon water from the Chambal River basin and its tributaries to fulfill the drinking and irrigation needs of 13 eastern districts.
UPSC context
GS Paper I & III: Distribution of key natural resources, water security, inter-linking of rivers, and major irrigation projects in arid regions.
Yamuna water agreement
A historic inter-state agreement signed in 2026 between Rajasthan and Haryana to resolve a three-decade deadlock, allowing Rajasthan to tap its allocated share of Yamuna water via underground pipelines from the Hathnikund Barrage.
UPSC context
GS Paper II & III: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and States, cooperative federalism, inter-state water sharing disputes, and water resource management.
Dewas project
A multi-phase drinking water project in Udaipur, Rajasthan, aimed at transferring water from the Wakal River (Sabarmati basin) through tunnels and dams to restore historical lakes and secure Udaipur's long-term drinking supply.
UPSC context
GS Paper I & III: Geographical features and their location, water conservation, regional irrigation initiatives, and urban water security projects.
Minimum Support Price (MSP)
A guaranteed floor price announced by the Government of India before the sowing season, on recommendations of the CACP, to protect farmers against distress sales and price volatility in agricultural commodities.
UPSC context
GS Paper III: Government budgeting, agricultural pricing policy, food security, cropping patterns, and institutional support systems for agrarian welfare.
Prelims Trap
The Dewas water diversion project in Udaipur harvests surplus runoff from the Chambal river basin.
Dewas Stage III and IV divert water from the Wakal River, which belongs to the west-flowing Sabarmati River basin, not the east-flowing Chambal or Luni basins.
Static Concepts Connected
What are the four pillars of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)?
- Jeevamrutha: A fermented microbial culture of cow dung, urine, and jaggery to enrich soil microbiology.
- Bijamrita: A natural seed-treatment mixture protecting young roots from soil-borne diseases.
- Acchadana: Mulching with organic residue or cover crops to conserve soil moisture.
- Whapasa: Irrigation-reduction technique promoting soil aeration and water vapor absorption.
How does the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) function hydrologically?
- Intra-basin diversion: Harvests surplus monsoon runoff from Chambal tributaries (Kunnu, Parvati, Kalisindh) to divert to deficit areas.
- Inter-state integration: Integrated with the Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) Link under the National River Linking Project.
Cross-Topic Patterns
Bilateral MoUs vs Tribunals
The Yamuna and PKC agreements reflect a trend of resolving long-standing inter-state water disputes via executive MoUs and river-linking partnerships rather than slow-moving judicial tribunals.
DBT as ecological corrective
Coupling top-up cash transfers (CM-Kisan) with natural farming aims to offset input costs while nudging farmers away from ecologically destructive, heavily subsidized chemical fertilizers.
Integration of ERCP into the Modified PKC link and its river-basin geography will likely feature as a core mapping question in 2026.
Linked PYQs · 4
Linked PYQs · 4
- 2021RPSC_PRELIMSGS1
The 'Parwan' multipurpose irrigation project of Rajasthan will provide irrigation facilities to which districts?
- 2013RPSC_PRELIMSGS1
The Rajasthan Agricultural Competitiveness Project was started in the year 2012-13. This project mainly emphasizes
- 2018RPSC_PRELIMSGS1
Match the following: List-I – List-II (Major Irrigation Project) (Districts benefited by irrigation facilities) A. Siddhmukh Project (i) Jalore and Barmer B. Narmada Project (ii) Jalore, Pali and Jodhpur C. Jawai Project (iii) Udaipur and Pratapgarh D. Jakham Project (iv) Hanumangarh and Churu Code:
- 2025RPSC_PRELIMSGS1
Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the code given below: List-I (District) – List -II (River) A. Udaipur i. Sabai and Ruparil B. Bundi ii. Gambhiri and Parwati C. Bharatpur iii. Som and Jakham D. Alwar iv. Kural Code: A, B, C, D
