Rural Poverty - Irrigation Nexus in Tamil Nadu

While analysing the independent relationship between groundwater irrigation and the rural poverty, the results of the study had shown that there is a significant inverse relationship between the incidence of rural poverty and groundwater irrigated area. In most states where today the incidence of poverty is high, irrigation is on the low side, with significant potentiality for its extension. Therefore the development of irrigation not only increases the production and productivity of agricultural commodities but also helps to reduce the level of poverty. A long-term policy should be formulated to utilize the untapped irrigation potential of the state.