Question

5. How did the spread of electricity help farmers in Palampur?

Answer 1

The spread of electricity in Palampur transformed the system of irrigation in the village. Persian wheels gave way to electric-run tube wells, which reduced the dependence of the farmers upon rainfall, and enabled larger areas of land to be irrigated. By mid-1970s, the entire cultivated area of 200 hectares was irrigated. This improvement in irrigation allowed farmers to grow t hree different crops in a year, thereby ensuring that the cultivable land was being used for producing the maximum possible output.