Chapter Iii Profile of Ahmednagar District and Newasa Taluka Chapter Iii Profile of Ahmednagar District and Newasa Taluka
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CHAPTER III PROFILE OF AHMEDNAGAR DISTRICT AND NEWASA TALUKA CHAPTER III PROFILE OF AHMEDNAGAR DISTRICT AND NEWASA TALUKA 3.1. PROFILE OF AHMEDNAGAR DISTRICT 3.1.1. Location 3.1.2. Area 3.1.3. Boundaries 3.1.4. Rivers 3.1.5. Climate 3.1.6. Railfall 3.1.7. Soil 3.1.8. Population 3.1.9. Occupational Pattern 3.1.10. Land use Pattern 3.1.11. Land holding 3.1.12. Cropping Pattern 3.1.13. Irrigation 3.1.14. Live stock Population 3.1.15. Co-operative Societies in Ahmednagar District 3.2. PROFILE OF NEWASA TALUKA 3.2.1. Religious traditions 3.2.2. Location 3.2.3. Area 3.2.4. Boundaries 3.2.5. Rivers 3.2.6. Rainfall 3.2.7. Soil 3.2.8. Population 3.2.9. Occupational pattern of Population 3.2.10. Land use pattern 3.2.11. Cropping Pattern in Newasa Taluka 3.2.12. Irrigation 3.2.13. Live stock population 3.2.14. Availability of other amenities 3.2.15. Use of agricultural equipments 3.2.16. Co-operative societies ('r^ "' -1 69 CHAPTER III PROFILE OF AHMEDNAGAR DISTRICT AND NEWASA TALUKA: This chapter has been divided into two parts (I) Profile of Ahmednagar District and (II) Profile o f Newasa Taluka. 3.1. Profile of Ahmednagar District: The first sugar factory in Maharashtra was established at Haregaon (Taluka Shrirampur) in Ahmednagar District. It was registered in 1919 and its first crushing season was held in 1924-25. Similarly the first co-operative sugar factory in Maharashtra was also registered in Ahmednagar District at Pravaranagar (Taluka Rahata) in 1948. Its first crushing season was held in 1950-51. This encouraged establishment of many co-operative sugar factories in Maharashtra. Even today the largest members o f sugar factories are located in Ahmednagar and Kolhapur Districts. In view of this special feature o f Ahmednagar District; it is important to study the geographical, social and economic conditions of Ahmednagar District, which gave it premier position in sugar industry of Maharashtra. 3.1.1. Location: Ahmednagar District is known as the land of the saints. "It is located in the central part of Maharashtra between 18^-2’ to 19^-9 North latitude and 73®- 9’ and 75^-5’ East longitude" ^ "In 1494 M alik Ahmed established his Capital City, which came to be known after his name as Ahmednagar. The Head Quarter of the District, being at Ahmednagar the District was also named as Ahmednagar District." ^ 70 3.1.2. Area: "The area of Ahmednagar District is 17,412 sq. kms and areawise it is the largest district in Maharashtra and occupies 5.66% o f the total geographical area of Maharashtra." ^ For administrative purposes, the district has been divided into 14 talukas. Table No.3.1 gives information about the area o f each taluka and the number o f villages therein. TABLE NO. 3.1 Talukawise Area and villages in Ahmednagar District (2001-02) Sr.No. Taluka Area in Sq. kilometer No.of villages 1 Ahmednagar 1,524.75 112 2 Akole 1,503.79 191 3 Karjat 1,493.07 121 4 Kopergaon 725.16 81 5 Jamkhed 878.62 87 6 Newasa 1,286.55 129 7 Parner 1,933.25 131 8 Pathardi 1,203.49 135 9 Rahata 659.19 60 10 Rahuri 1,020.12 98 11 Sangamner 1,678.82 171 12 Shevgaon 1,031.29 112 13 Shrigonda 1,605.83 115 14 Shrirampur 569.87 56 Source : District socio-economic review of Ahmednagar District, 2001-02, Section - 11, P. 1 & 2. It can be seen from the table that Parner taluka has the largest area of 1933.25 sq. kms in the District and Shrirampur taluka has the smallest area of 569.87 sq. kms. The largest numbers of villages are in Akole Taluka with 191 villages whereas Shrirampur taluka has the smallest number with 56 villages. 3.1.3. Boundaries: "Ahmednagar District is bounded by Nasik District in the North, by Aurangabad District in the North East; by Beed and Osmanabad District in the 71 East, by Solapur District in the South and by Thane and Pune Districts in the East."^ 3.1.4. Rivers: “Godavari and Bhima are the two major rivers passing through Ahmednagar district. Pravara, a tributary o f the Godavari meets the latter at Toka village in Newasa Taluka. M ula river, a tributary o f the Pravara passes through the Northern part of the District. The Bhima river coming from Pune District flows along the southern boundary of the Ahmednagar District. The Seena, Kukadi and Ghod rivers are the tributaries of Bhima and pass through Pamer, Shrigonda and karjat talukas respectively. According to the topography o f the district, the hilly region o f the western side and the plains of the Eastern side are the two parts o f the District. A Sahyadri mountain range passes through Akole taluka o f the district. Sahyadri’s highest peak Kalsubai (1654 meters from sea level) is in this range. The western part o f the district is drained the rivers M ula and Pravara and the Baleshwar range of the Sahyadri occupies a part o f Pamer taluka.” ^ 3.1.5. Climate: The climate of the Ahmednagar district is characterized by a hot summer and general dryness except during the south-west monsoon season. The year can be divided into four seasons. The cold season from December to February is followed by the hot season from March to the first week o f season o f June. The south-west monsoon season is from the second week o f June till the end of September while October and November constitute the post monsoon or retreating monsoon season. 3.1.6. Rainfall: In Maharashtra, Ahmednagar District is known as drought-prone area. The rainfall in this District is uncertain and is unequally distributed. 72 The rainfall in the Eastern talukas of Akole and Sangamner talukas is comparatively highest than other talukas. But it is not regular. The shevgaon, Pathardi, Ahmednagar, Pamer and Jamkhed talukas are considered to be rainfed talukas. The average rainfall o f the district in the year 2001 was 566 m.m. Normally; the district receives rains from June to September. Average annual rainfall o f the district is 450 to 500 m. m. It can be seen that Ahmednagar District falls in the low rainfall zone. 3.1.7. Soil: The soil o f the Ahmednagar District can broadly be classified into three groups viz., black or kali, red or tambat and laterite and the gray o f inferior quality locally known as barad. 3.1.8. Population: The changes in the population of Ahmednagar District are given in Table No. 3.2. TABLE NO. 3.2 Total population and decade changes therein of Ahmednagar District Decade Sr.No. Year Population Rate of variation Variation 1 1921 7,19,137 -- 2 1931 9,69,209 +250072 34.77 3 1941 11,23,040 +153831 15.87 4 1951 14,10,873 +287833 25.62 5 1961 17,75,969 +365096 25.87 6 1971 22,69,117 +493148 27.76 7 1981 27,08,309 +439192 19.35 8 1991 33,72,935 +664626 24.54 9 2001 40,88,077 +715142 21.20 Source : District census hanc book o f Ahmednagar district 1991, p. 7 «fe District socio-economic review of Ahmednagar district, 2001-02, P. 5. The above table shows that the population o f the District has been increasing right from the year 1921. During the decade 1921 to 1931, the 73 increase in population was the highest at 34.77% and during the period 1931- 1941 the increase was the smallest at 15.87%. During the period 1991 to 2001 the population increased by 21.20% and in 2001, it stood at 40,88,077. According to the census of 2001, out o f the total population o f 4088077, 32,84,480 or 80.34% people lived in rural area. The average rural population per village is 2077. This average is the highest for Shrirampur taluka at 3105 and Akole has the least average o f 1881. Rural population is the largest in Shrirampur taluka and the lowest in Jamkhed taluka. O f the total population of the district 8,03,597(19.66%) live in the urban areas. Urban population is the highest in Ahmednagar city and it is the lowest for Nagapur census town. 3.1.9. Occupational Pattern: The classification of the working population in Ahmednagar District is given in Table No. 3.3 TABLE NO. 3.3 Occupational pattern of the working population of Ahmednagar District Sr. No.of workers as Percentage of Type of Workers No. per 1991 census workers 1 Agriculturist 678288 47.35 2 Agricultural Labourers 380918 26.59 3 Allied Agricultural Activities 21187 1.48 4 Cottage and House hold industries 19770 1.38 5 Industries other than house hold 108245 7.56 6 Trade and commerce 72370 5.05 7 Construction 22464 1.57 8 Mining and quarrying 1952 0.14 9 Transport and communication 25980 1.81 10 Other services 101237 7.07 Total workers 1432411 100.00 Source : District socio-economic review oi" Ahmednagar district, 2001-02, P.6 and Ahmednagar district census handbook, P. 43. The above table shows that the number o f workers engaged in various occupations was 14,32,411 and constituted 42.47% o f the population o f the District. 74 The above table also reveals that agriculture is the main occupation o f the people of the District and so 75.42% of the working population is engaged in agriculture as cultivators, agricultural labourers and agriculture-related activities like cattle breeding.