- Drought: A prolonged period of deficient rainfall that leads to water scarcity and adversely affects agriculture, ecosystems and human activities.
- Drought is a slow-onset disaster, unlike earthquakes or cyclones.
- Drought-prone regions: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and parts of Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.
- Types of drought:
- Meteorological drought: Rainfall is significantly below the long-term average.
- Agricultural drought: Soil moisture becomes insufficient to meet crop-water requirements.
- Hydrological drought: Reduced water levels in rivers, reservoirs, lakes and groundwater.
- Socio-economic drought: Water scarcity affects the supply of goods and services, livelihoods and economic activities.
Drought Management in India
- Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: Plays an important role in agricultural drought assessment and relief measures.
- Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: Issues the Manual for Drought Management, which guides drought assessment, declaration and response.
- State governments: Have the primary responsibility for assessing and declaring drought in their respective states.
- NDMA: Provides the national framework and guidelines for disaster management, including drought.
- IMD: Provides rainfall observations, forecasts and meteorological drought-related information.
- Central Water Commission (CWC): Monitors water levels and storage in important reservoirs.
- ISRO: Satellite-based remote sensing helps monitor vegetation conditions, agricultural stress and drought impacts.
Drought Assessment and Declaration
- Drought Manual 2020: Provides a scientific framework for drought assessment using rainfall, agricultural conditions, soil moisture and remote-sensing indicators. Revision discussions were initiated in 2025.
- State government: The final authority for declaring a region drought-affected; India does not have one universally applicable legal definition of drought.
- Rainfall deficiency: Seasonal rainfall deficiency of more than 10% from the long-period average is one important indicator, but drought declaration requires assessment of additional indicators.
- Remote sensing: Satellite-based indicators help assess vegetation health and agricultural stress.
- NDMA Guidelines on Management of Drought: Released in September 2010.
Major Schemes and Initiatives
| Scheme / Initiative | Key objective |
| PMKSY — Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana | Expand irrigation coverage and improve water-use efficiency. |
| MGNREGA | Create rural employment through water conservation, ponds and other drought-proofing works. |
| Atal Bhujal Yojana | Community-led sustainable groundwater management in selected areas. |
| Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain | Rainwater harvesting and water conservation. |
| Watershed Development Component of PMKSY (WDC-PMKSY) | Soil and water conservation, rainfed-area development and restoration of degraded land. |
| National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) | Supports planning and coordination for rainfed and dryland agriculture. |
| Drought Mitigation Project | A project launched in March 2026 to support drought mitigation in 12 drought-prone states through resilient landscapes and sustainable natural-resource management. |
UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q.Consider the following statements about drought management in India:
1. NDMA issued national drought-management guidelines in 2010.
2. Drought can occur even in regions receiving high annual rainfall.
3. El Niño invariably causes drought in India.
Which statements are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. El Niño can increase drought risk, but its effect on India’s monsoon is not inevitable.
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