Soil erosion is a major problem in India that is caused by both natural factors like heavy rains and winds, as well as human factors such as deforestation, overgrazing, and faulty agricultural practices. It is estimated that over 130 million hectares of land, or 45% of India's total land area, is affected by soil erosion. Various forms of soil erosion include sheet, rill, gully, slip, and streambank erosion from water, as well as wind erosion. The Indian government has implemented various policies and programs to address the issue, including watershed development projects, soil conservation efforts, and programs to control shifting cultivation.

1. SOIL EROSION IN INDIA
VIDYA YADAV
HOD, Department of Geography
SPM College, Udantpuri, Bihar Sharif
Nalanda, Bihar

2. Soil is simply refers to the thin layer on
the earth , comprising minerals particles
formed by breakdown of rocks, decayed
organic materials, living organism ,
water& air.

3. Soil erosion is a process detachment and
transportation of soil by natural agencies
such as water and wind and also by
human factors.

4.  Natural factors.
 Human factors
Natural factors
 Water erosion
 Wind erosion

5. Heavy rains removes a lot of fertile soil and
wash away the top soil.
Forms of water erosion:
Rain erosion

6. SHEET EROSION

7. RILL EROSION

8. GULLY EROSION

9. SLIP EROSION

10. STREAMBANK EROSION

11. COASTAL EROSION

12. Wind erosion involves carrying
away of finer particles of soil
mostly in arid and semi arid
lands .

13. Wind velocity
Amount of vegetative cover.
Moisture content in the soil

14. Deforestation.
Overgrazing
Faulty methods of agricultural practices

17. Faulty methods of agricultural
practices
Lack of crop rotation.
Shifting cultivation.
Ploughing along the slope.

18. EXTENT OF SOIL EROSION
A working group set up by Ministry of Home affairs in
1971 estimated 39.75lakh hectare ravines spread in 18
states. Out of which 27.65lakh hectare are in states of
MP, Rajasthan , UP and Gujarat.
Estimated that more than 15lakh hectare of forest
land cleared for shifting agriculture every year.
130million hectare or 45% of total land area of India
under soil erosion.

19. Source :India comprehensive geography by D.R KHULLAR
-

20. Contour ploughing

21. MULCHING

27. Checking over grazing.
Checking shifting cultivation.
Constructing dams.
Watershed treatment.
Crop rotation.
Construction of dykes.

28. GOVERNMENT POLICIES
 Central soil conservation board
 Flood Monitoring Information System(FMIS)
 Restoration and Reclamation of water logging area.
 Watershed Development Programme.
 Ravine reclamation program launched in 1987-88
 1986-87 scheme of controlling shifting cultivation in 9
states
 In every five year plans measures taken for soil
conservation.

29. LOCATION-25km southwest of Jodhpur in west Rajasthan
PROBLEM-
 low erratic rainfall.
Recurrent drought.
Low crop yield.
Soil erosion.
Lower water table.
Change from mix cropping to single cropping system.

30. Management of natural resources-
 soil, water, vegetation , animal for increase production.
Dry land farming technologies.
Increasing awareness among the people.

31. Land protection using multipurpose shelter.
Reclamation of 120 hectare of waste land through gully
stopping.
Increase acreges<3-4 times > in irrigation.
Improved vegetative cover and biodiversity.
Improved diary production.
Rise in ground water level.
Replication in other areas of Rajasthan,Gujarat,Punjab
and Haryana.

32. REFERENCES
1. Sahai V.N(2004),Delhi-Fundamentals of soil,Kalyani
Publisher,New
2. Siddhartha.K(2001) India the physical aspects .,Kisalaya
Publication pvt.ltd,Delhi-
3. Khullar.D.R(2000) India comprehensive geography.
,Kalyani Publisher,New Delhi–
4. Mohammad Noor(2002) -India physical
environment.,NCERT,New Delhi
5. R.K Gupta & Sanjana Mahendru(2000) Text book of
geography,Avichal Publishing Company,New Delhi-.
6. www.soilindia.com
7. www.google.com
8. www.resconv.co.in