Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the launch year of NWDPRA, a flagship program of the Ministry of Agriculture aimed at enhancing productivity in rain-fed agricultural lands through watershed management.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
• The NWDPRA was launched in 1990-91. It focuses on the holistic development of rain-fed areas, which account for a large portion of India's agricultural land but have historically low productivity compared to irrigated areas.
• The program adopts the watershed as a unit of planning. It integrates various techniques like contour bunding, check dams, agroforestry, and silvipasture to conserve every drop of rainwater and prevent soil erosion.
• By improving moisture availability, the program allows farmers to adopt better crop varieties and even diversify into horticulture and forestry, thus increasing their economic resilience.
• It also emphasizes community participation through "Watershed Committees" to ensure that the assets created (like community ponds or plantations) are maintained locally.
• 1990-91 was a period when India began shifting its agricultural focus from just irrigated "Green Revolution" zones to the vast, neglected rain-fed regions to ensure inclusive growth.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The NWDPRA was launched in 1990-91.