Drought and Development

P R Dubhashi If drought is accepted as a recurrent and normal phenomenon, it should be taken care of through a 'compensatory development plan' built into the development plan with a provision for augmenting it when required. Such a strategy would not only be an antidote to wasteful expenditure on schemes hurriedly introduced under pressure of crisis caused by drought, it would also provide the perspective for seeing drought in relation to development and set the course of development in such a direction that the nation and the people (specially the vulnerable sections) would be able to deal with drought ami absorb its consequences with greater resilience, order, preparedness and self-assurance.