Composition | Hydroelectric Power: It’s Need in India
When India became independent, it focused on developing hydroelectric power as the solution to its economic problems. It started large projects in river valleys and invested millions of rupees to complete them as soon as possible. This is the right approach because hydroelectric power can completely change the way people live in villages, which has remained the same for a very long time. Without this transformation, there can't be real progress in the country. The traditional village economy based on crafts will be replaced by a modern urban economy. The villages will become more like cities.
In today's world of machines, it is crucial to have as much electric power as possible at the lowest cost. Producing this power from water is efficient and economical, especially when we use fast-flowing streams in the hills to generate it. The electricity generated can be distributed over a large area and used in fields, factories, and homes. This is a necessary step towards large-scale industrialization.
Developing hydroelectric power not only leads to cheap and abundant electricity. While that is its main benefit, it also has other important impacts. First, by storing excess water during the rainy season in well-planned lakes, it can effectively control the periodic floods that have caused great damage to our country. Second, by managing the flow of river water through a network of canals, it will greatly improve irrigation for agriculture. This is incredibly important for an agricultural country like ours. Instead of alternating between flood and drought years, we can store water during the rainy season to provide relief during droughts. Third, it will prevent soil erosion, which is a serious threat to our agricultural economy. It will stop floodwater from washing away the top layer of soil and adding silt to rivers. Fourth, a well-planned hydroelectric scheme will promote the scientific planting of forests. Planting more trees is vital for conserving soil and regulating rainfall, as seen in the success of afforestation in Soviet Russia. Therefore, these projects are called "multi-purpose" because they benefit the country in various ways.
A successful multi-purpose scheme based on hydroelectric power can only be carried out by the government. The initial cost is high, and the benefits are long-term, so private investors are not interested in it since they want quick profits. Moreover, such a large scheme involves interference with the lives and economies of vast areas, which no individual can handle. The approach to these schemes should be different from profit-seeking motives. The goal of the scheme is not just to increase individual profits but to enhance national wealth. Only the government can produce power not solely for profit but for the welfare of the nation. The government can provide the necessary finances and coordinate available resources on a large scale.
As we mentioned, these schemes have multiple purposes. This was demonstrated by Russia when it undertook the Dnieper Dam Scheme in 1928, which transformed the economic life of Ukraine. The same has been achieved on a larger scale with the Tennessee Valley Scheme in America. By controlling fast-moving water, these projects produce cheap electricity on a massive scale, which can be used to power machines, provide light and heat, reduce human labor, and manufacture goods inexpensively and efficiently across a wide area. It will also help villages become vibrant centers of national life, buzzing with activity and overflowing with creativity. It will promote the development of scientific agriculture and small-scale industries, which are crucial for a dynamic economy. Instead of the haphazard and stagnant economic life in our villages, we will make every effort to maximize the utilization of all available resources.