Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP)

The inception of this program occurred during the Fourth Five-Year Plan, aiming to generate employment in drought-prone regions and develop productive assets. Initially, the focus was on labor-intensive civil projects but later shifted towards irrigation schemes, land development initiatives, afforestation, grassland improvement, and the establishment of rural infrastructure like electricity, roads, markets, credit facilities, and services.

A review by the National Committee on Development of Backward Areas highlighted the program’s concentration on agricultural and allied sectors, particularly in restoring ecological equilibrium. However, due to population growth pressuring marginal lands for agriculture and leading to ecological degradation, there’s a need for alternative employment opportunities in drought-prone regions. Additionally, strategies for these areas should include integrated watershed development approaches at the micro-level, prioritizing the restoration of ecological balance among water, soil, vegetation, and human and animal populations.

Identified by the Planning Commission of India in 1967 and further delineated by the Irrigation Commission in 1972 using criteria like 30% irrigated area, drought-prone areas in India primarily span semi-arid and arid regions. These include parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, western Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, Andhra Pradesh’s Rayalseema and Telangana plateaus, Karnataka plateau, and interior Tamil Nadu. The irrigation spread has largely shielded drought-prone regions in Punjab, Haryana, and northern Rajasthan from severe impacts.

The development process in the tribal area of Bharmaur commenced in the 1970s when the Gaddis were officially recognized as ‘scheduled tribes’. As part of the Fifth Five Year Plan, the tribal sub-plan was introduced in 1974, designating Bharmaur as one of the five Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDP) in Himachal Pradesh. The objective of this area development plan was to enhance the quality of life of the Gaddis and bridge the development gap between Bharmaur and other regions of Himachal Pradesh.

Located between latitudes 32° 11’ N and 32°41’ N and longitudes 76° 22’ E and 76° 53’E, Bharmaur spans an area of approximately 1,818 sq km, with elevations ranging from 1,500 m to 3,700 m above sea level. Surrounded by towering mountains such as Pir Panjal in the north and Dhaula Dhar in the south, the region is divided by the river Ravi and its tributaries—Budhil and Tundahen—into four physiographic divisions: Holi, Khani, Kugti, and Tundah areas. Bharmaur experiences freezing temperatures and snowfall during winter, with mean monthly temperatures of 4°C in January and 26°C in July.

The tribal sub-plan in Bharmaur has focused on developing infrastructure, including schools, healthcare facilities, water supply, roads, telecommunications, and electricity, with priority given to villages along the river Ravi in Holi and Khani areas. However, infrastructure in remote villages in Tundah and Kugti areas remains inadequate.

Socially, the ITDP has led to a significant increase in literacy rates, improvement in sex ratios, and a reduction in child marriages. Female literacy rates have notably risen from 1.88 per cent in 1971 to 65 per cent in 2011, contributing to a decline in gender inequality. Traditionally reliant on subsistence agriculture and pastoralism, the Gaddis have seen an increase in the cultivation of pulses and cash crops in the past three decades, albeit using traditional farming methods. While pastoralism’s economic significance has diminished, a considerable number of Gaddis still migrate to Kangra and nearby areas during winter for wage labor.

The Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) was conceived during the Fourth Five Year Plan in India to mitigate the impacts of drought by providing employment opportunities and fostering the development of productive assets in regions susceptible to drought.

Initially focusing on labor-intensive civil works, the program later diversified its objectives to include various initiatives such as irrigation projects, land development programs, afforestation, and rural infrastructure development.