lnformation on soil resource and its management is an important endeavour to all the sections of people, Everyone's livelihood, well being and future prosperity depend directly and indirectly on natural resources. The economy of all the sectors is also based on the soil resource available in the region specified. However, in recent years, the country experiences the rapid deterioration of soil resources. The estimation of it becomes possible through modern tools of remote sensing coupled with field traversing. It became clear that even though we inherited a cleaner and greener earth from our forefathers, we are eroding its value by stealing from future generations what is rightfully their inheritance. It is a matter of great concern to all of us that about 57 per cent of the total geographical area of the country is suffering from various fonns of degradation - water erosion, wind erosion, chemical and physical deterioration. Over 5.3 billion tons of top soil alone is lost every year through erosion resulting in a loss of around 8 M tons of plant nutrients. In addition, about 9.4 M ha land is suffering from waterlogging and soil salinity in varying degrees. Soil resource base is also shrinking at an alarming rate of 0.25 M haJannum due to rapid industrialization and urbanization.
Water is another critical resource whose availability is continuously diminishing for agricultural use due to enhanced demand from other competitive sectors. Declining water tables in high potential - high productivity regions have raised the concerns like hydrological sustainability in intensively irrigated cropping systems areas - a backbone ofIndia' s food grain production. Quality of water resources is being deteriorated due to enhanced disposal of pollutants, sewage and effluents. The soil resource forms the basic sink for these elements. The surface, ground and rain water resources need to be efficiently managed in order to preserve and protect productivity of soil base to enhance and to achieve the sustainable crop productivity .