The installation of electricity helped the farmers in Palampur by improving the irrigation system in the community. In the past, farmers used Persian wheels to draw water from wells and irrigate big fields. After the invention of electricity, these Persian wheels were swapped out by electric tube wells. The initial tube well was constructed by the government, but farmers afterward built their private tube wells, enabling the cultivation of the full 200 hectares of irrigated land by the 1970s.
Most residences in Palampur have electricity. Electricity powers every tube well in the fields, as opposed to the previous Persian wheel driven by bullocks, allowing for much more productive irrigation of much larger areas of land. The full 200 hectares of farmland were now irrigated, allowing farmers to cultivate multiple crops without needing to depend on rainfall.
Following are some ways that the farmers in Palampur village have benefited from the availability of electricity:
- When electricity became available to the villagers of Palampur, they change the system of irrigation. They used Persian wheels to irrigate their crops at first, but after the availability of electricity, they switched to electric-run tube wells. These farmers have not depended on rainfall for irrigation. Even by using electric-run tube wells, farmers can cultivate three types of crops in a year and gain maximum output after harvesting.
- After the availability of electricity, farmers opted for electric-run tube wells, which were a convenient, affordable, and pollution-free method of irrigation.
- When electricity became available to the rural people of Palampur village, the people started running small businesses using electricity and earning a wage. For example, they have a sugarcane-crushing machine that is used to make sugarcane juice. They were also producing jaggery on a small scale. This electricity even helped them in dairy farming, as villages can now store the milk in fridges or storage facilities for later sale.
- When electricity was made available to the rural people of Palampur, they now had power in their homes and could use fans, lights, and other electrical appliances.
- Farmers also start using farm machinery after the availability of electricity. For example, farmers started using threshers for threshing crops. The seed drilling machine also drills holes in the ground for seeds.
FAQs on Palampur
Question 1: What is the main production activity of Palampur village?
Answer:
Farming is the main production activity of Palampur village.
Question 2: How did the spread of electricity help the people of Palampur?
Answer:
The spreading of electricity is helpful to the people of Palampur village in the following ways:
- To irrigate their crop easily.
- To run a small business
- To operate electric machines at home
- Helps farmers with different agricultural practices.
Question 3: What is the main occupation of the people of Palampur?
Answer:
Farming is the main activity of Palampur. Whereas, other various small-scale activities like small-scale manufacturing, dairy, transport, etc. are carried out by the people as well.
Question 4: What is done to surplus wheat in Palampur?
Answer:
In the rabi winter season, fields in Palampur are sown with wheat. The wheat produced by farmers is kept for the consumption of the family and sells the surplus wheat in Raiganj.
Question 5: If in Palampur village electricity is not spread out in all places, then on what factor are they dependent for irrigation?
Answer:
If electricity is not available in all areas of Palampur, the people of this village will respond on the:
- Rainfall
- Persian wheels