Since last seven years, Bundelkhand is struck by the occurrence of regular scarcity of water which slowed down all the course of development and growth, as agriculture is the main livelihood of the area. Severe droughts have been sweeping the happiness of Bundelkhand region since 2005. It led to severe livelihood crisis, whereas loss of agriculture is a major issue of concern.

The escalating helplessness and marginalization have imbalanced the rural economy. In these conditions, the villager’s rights & entitlements are also denied. Service providers, line departments functionaries, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) members & functionaries, Bank Functionaries are also not properly serving in favour of the poorest community. All these factors further forced villagers to migrate, commit suicide, put their children into work and adopt occupations which led to various hazards.

At present it can be seen that Bundelkhand is competing with Vidarbha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala in the digit of farmers’ suicides. Whereas it is no wonder that the ravine-rich and dacoit-peopled of Bundelkhand, sandwiched between the northern plains and the rocky soil of the Vindhya ranges, unfit for agriculture and industry both, is facing this crisis expect the area of Jalaun district which is partially suitable for water consuming crops. Thus in this geographical location, situation is further worsen by activities like practicing cash crops, mining, deforestation and therefore people of the marginalized community of Bundelkhand are now starving from hunger and are migrating from rural areas. This called the need for special package called Bundelkhand Relief Package- assistance from Government of India as a special package.

Sustainable solution

• Land-resources and land-use management is key to socio-economic sustainability. There is a need to develop a locally relevant policy for sustainable development to be drawn using bottom-up consultations along with expert and research inputs, covering aspects of livelihood, integrated land-water management with agricultural diversification, ecosystem services and sustainability, industrial growth, socio-political uplifting and locally relevant skill-oriented education.
• A network of institutions in Bundelkhand and with input/centres from other Institutions – A Çonsortium for environmental and socially relevant developmental research needs to be promoted. There are universities, ICAR institutes of grassland, fodder and agroforestry, TARA Habitat Academy, medical institutions and NGOs need to join with national institutions on forestry, land & water, disaster management, etc.
• An audit mechanism to evaluate various schemes and programmes of the government on spatial and temporal background needs to be established to examine their social and environmental implications – scale of benefits and sections of beneficiaries distribution. An approach called ‘mitigation analysis’ (coined by NIDM with reference to drought) as a simple approach can be enforced.
• Local level integrated planning leading to districting level planning can prove directly beneficial. Strategy and action plan for water, environment and natural resources must be integrated for smooth and effective implementation.

Sustainable development is a broad and complex subject but has no alternative, especially when we look at challenges and miseries of Bundelkhand. Water management at all levels—household, farm, landscape and ecosystem and as well as village, taluka and district levels—need to be undertaken as a mission for socio-economic uplift and to remove disparities. Finally, there has to be strong political and administrative will—whether mooted by public opinion, awareness or academic movements. Prime goal needs to be one.