Q2(c). Write briefly on the following: Cloud Burst; Hill Area Development Programme; Red Corridor; Drought-Prone Regions in India

I. Cloud Burst

A cloud burst is an extreme weather event where rainfall of more than 100 mm/hour occurs over a small area, usually due to intense convective activity. It is common in the Himalayas Uttarakhand, Himachal, Ladakh because warm moist monsoon winds meet cold mountain air. Cloud bursts cause flash floods, landslides and infrastructure damage, as seen in the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and recent events in Himachal Pradesh. Climate change is increasing their frequency and intensity.

II. Hill Area Development Programme

Launched in 1974–75, HADP aimed at balanced development of ecologically fragile hill regions. It focused on soil conservation, afforestation, horticulture, watershed management, rural roads and livelihood diversification. States like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu and the North-East benefited. The programme strengthened environmental protection while improving incomes through horticulture and eco-tourism. It was later merged under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and area-based development strategies.

III. Red Corridor

The Red Corridor refers to regions affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) spanning states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra and parts of Andhra Pradesh. Causes include poverty, land alienation, tribal displacement and governance deficits. The government launched the Aspirational Districts Programme, security operations (SAMADHAN doctrine) and development schemes like road connectivity, Eklavya schools and forest rights implementation to reduce extremism. LWE incidents have dropped by over 70% since 2010.

IV. Drought-Prone Regions in India

Drought-prone areas include Western Rajasthan, Kutch–Saurashtra, Marathwada, Rayalaseema, Vidarbha, Bundelkhand and parts of Haryana (Mahendragarh, Bhiwani). These regions face low rainfall, high evapotranspiration and groundwater depletion. Government interventions include the Drought-Prone Area Programme (DPAP), watershed development, micro-irrigation (PMKSY), and drought-resistant crop varieties. Haryana promotes millets and water-saving crop diversification to reduce vulnerability.