The objective of soil conservation may be obtained by preventing the misuse of the soil, by checking the decay and loss of the soil and preserving the fertility of the soil. This could be through the application of following direct methods:

(a) Construction of small dams across tributaries of the major rivers in upper reaches control floods and soil erosion.

(b) Cementing the floor and sides of canals to avoid seepage of canal water and co the problem of water logging and rise in under water table.

(c) Solving the problem of water logging the extension of surface and vertical drainage,

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(d) Formation of wind break and shelter in arid regions.

(e) Reclamation of alkaline soil through enteric methods, i.e. use of gypsum, etc.

(f) Increasing use of organic manures al with chemical fertilizers particularly in vegetal deficient areas.

(g) Popularizing the use of cow dung vegetation for soil maturing.

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(h) Conversion of human waste and city bagel into manures.

(i) Conserving soil fertility through scientism crop rotation and fallowing.

(j) Filling of gullies and forming along the sloppy surface.

(k) Leveling of ravines and planting of binding trees in these areas.

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(1) Converting shifting cultivation into m earn sedentary farming.

(m) Promoting a forestation and curbing cassava grazing in arid and hilly areas.

(n) Adopting new techniques of sustain agriculture.

India is essentially an agricultural country. Indian society is predominantly an agrarian society wherein two-thirds of the country’s population is still dependent on agriculture for its sustenance.

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Although the share of agriculture in the gross na­tional product has declined from 60 per cent in 1951 to 31 per cent in 1991, it still forms the hub of India’s economy. So much so that even the progress and performance of the industrial sector is heavily de­pendent on the supply of agricultural raw material.

Besides meeting the food requirements of India’s huge population agriculture provides the raw mate­rial to agro-based industries, accounts for the largest chunk of employment to the labor force, and earns substantial amount of valuable foreign exchange.