Chapter 7 Problems of Agriculture and Agro

CHAPTER 7 PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRO-BASED INDUSTRIES 7.1 Introduction The previous chapter gives details of agro-based industries existed in the Ahmednagar district during the decade 1981-90. Chapter 4 gives d e ta ils of agro-produce of the d is t r ic t . I t is found that, both ag ric u ltu re as well as agro-based industries had no speedy progress in the district during the decade. This chapter emphasises some of the problems of a g ric u ltu re and agro-based industries in Ahmed nagar d is t r ic t . 7.2 TalukaMise irrigation sources and imbalance in net irrigated area in the district There are 13 talukas in the Ahmednagar district, some of them were irrig a te d , whereas some were dry. Ir r ig a tio n was unequal in the d is t r ic t during the decade 1981-90. This imbalance in irrigation created imbalance in agricultural development. Water is also the basic need for industrialisa tion, but there was scarcity of water even for drinking in Pathardi, Shevgaon, Jamkhed, Parner and Karjat talukas. Agro-industrialisation was very slow in these talukas due to non availability of water supply. Inadequate water supply affects the production of agro-based industries, for exam ple, paper mill of Sangamner sugar factory was facing a 241 severe problem of water supply during the year 1986-87, which affected the production of th is m ill.^ There are two types of irrigation. One is well irriga tion and the other is surface irrigation. Table No. 7.1 gives talukaswise analysis of irrigation sources. This table focuses on percentage of net area ir ri gated of the net area sown in that taluka. Table No. 7.2 gives district position regarding above points for over the decade 1981-90. Table No. 7.3 gives irrigation position of each taluka in the overall district position, as well as, ranking of talukas according to their net area irrigated to that in the Ahmednagar district. Table No. 7.4 gives regionwise analysis of the net area irrigated by different sources, i.e. in southern and north ern parts of the district. 7.2,1 Talukawise analysis of irrigation (1) Ahmednagar : Table No. 7.1 shows that only 14.98 per cent of the net sown area of the Ahmednagar taluka was irrigated during the decade. Of which, 88.67 per cent was irrigat ed by wells and remaining 11.33 per cent by surface irrigation. It proves that wells were the main source of irrigation in this taluka during the decade 1981-90. 242 TABLE No. 7.1 Talukawise sources of water-supply and area irrigated (For over the decade 1980-81 to 1989-90) % of net area % of area irrigated of irrigated of the net area irrigated No. Taluka the net area sown by wells by surface i rrigation (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) 1. Ahmednagar 14.98 88.67 11.33 2. Rahuri 52.84 54.68 45.32 3. Shrirampur 52.44 56.69 43.31 4. Newasa 32.74 60.35 39.65 5. Shevgaon 12.67 74.97 25.03 6. Pathardi 9.23 90.91 9.09 7. Jamkhed 11 .46 96.91 3.09 8. Karjat 14.17 81 .68 18.32 9. Shrigonda 20.22 60.83 39.17 10. Parner 7.65 100.00 11. Akola 3.63 90.04 9.96 12. Sangamner 15.21 82.95 17.05 13. Kopargaon 45.21 34.93 65.07 Source : Directorate of Economics and Statistics : Socio-Econom- i..Q Review and District Statistical Abstract of Ahmedna gar District 1980-81 to 1989-90. Government of Maha rashtra, Bombay. Note : (1) Percentages are for over the decade 1981-90; calculated by the researcher. (2) Column No. 3 in d ic a te s percentage of net area irrigated of the net area sown of that particular ta lu k a . (3) Column No. 4 and 5 indicates percentage of the net area irrigated of that particular taluka which was irrigated by wells and surface irrigation. 243 *\2) Rahuri : The net area irrigated was 52.84 per cent of the net area sown in the Rahuri ta lu k a during the decade. Since more than half of the net sown area of the taluka was irrigated, it can be said that the taluka was well irrigated as compared to other talukas of the district. Out of this net area irri gated in the Rahuri taluka, 54.68 per cent was irrigated by wells and remaining 45.32 per cent by surface irrigation. Surface irrigation was also significant in this taluka as compared to other talukas. (3) Shrirampur : It is observed that, Shrirampur was also well irrigated taluka as Rahuri taluka. Percentage of net area irrigated of the net sown area in Shrirampur taluka was nearly equal to that of Rahuri taluka, i.e. 52.44 per cent. Out of this, 56.69 per cent was irrigated by wells and remaining 43.31 per cent by surface irrigation. Both sources of irrigation were equally important in Shrirampur taluka as also in Rahuri taluka. (4) Newasa : 32.74 per cent of net sown area was irrigated in Newasa taluka over the decade. Out of this, 60.35 per cent area was irrigat ed by wells and remaining 39.65 per cent by surface irrigation. 244 (5) ShBvgaon : Only 12.67 per cent of the net sown area of Shevgaon taluka was irrig a te d during the decade 1981-90. I t is found that, wells were the p rin c i pal source of irrigation in this taluka. Out of total net area irrigated 74.97 per cent was irrigated by wells and remaining 25.03 per cent by surface irrigation. (6) Pathardi : The net area irrigated of the net sown area was only 9.23 per cent in Pathardi taluka over the decade. I t is found that, wells were the major source of irrigation in Pathardi taluka. 90.91 per cent of the total net irrigated area of the taluka was irrigated by wells and remaining 9.09 per cent by surface irriga tion . (7) Jamkhed : Irrigation position of Jamkhed taluka was nearly the same to Pathardi talu ka. Only 11.46 per cent of the net sown area was irrig a te d . Of which 96.91 per cent area was irrigated by wells and remaining 3.09 per cent by surface irrigation. (8) K arjat : I t is found that 14.17 per cent of the net sown area of the Karjat taluka was irrig a te d . Of which 81.68 per cent was i r r i gated by wells and remaining 18.32 per cent by surface irrigation. 245 (9) Shrigonda : Table No. 7.1 shows better posi tion of irrigation in Shrigonda than Karjat taluka. Next to Newasa in the southern part of the Ahmednagar district, Shrigonda was getting good benefits of irrigation during the decade 1981-90. 20.22 per cent of net sown area of Shrigonda taluka was irrigated. Of which 60.83 per cent was irrigated by wells and remaining 39.17 per cent by surface irriga tion. (10) Parner : Table NO. 7.1 shows the worst posi tion of irrigation in Parner taluka, only 7.65 per cent of the net sown area of the taluka was irrigated over the decade. Wells were the only source of irrigation in Parner taluka. Government record shows that area irrigated by surface irrigation was nil in Parner taluka during the decade 1981-90. In fact some minor irrigation projects were completed in Parner taluka, but they were not directly useful for irrigation. At the same time it is important to note th a t th ere is one medium s iz e i r r i g a t i o n project (Mandohol) in the Parner taluka with a capacity to irrigate 2226 hectares. But government record shows nil position of 246 surface irrigation in this taluka. (11) Akola : Table No. 7.1 shows almost worst position of irrigation of Akola taluka in the district. Only 3.63 per cent of the net sown area of the taluka was irrigated over the decade. It was very negligible as compared to o ther ta lu k a s of the d i s t r i c t . Even w e ll known major irrigation project 'Bhandardara Dam’ is situated in this taluka, only 9.96 per cent of total net irrigated area of the taluka was under surface ir r ig a tio n . Whereas remaining 90.04 per cent area was irrigated by w ells. (12) Sangamner : In Sangamner taluka, 15.21 per cent of the total net sown area was irrigat ed. Of which, 82.95 per cent was irrigated by wells and remaining 17.05 per cent by surface irrigation. (13) Kopargaon : Table No. 7.1 shows that 45.21 per cent of the net sown area of the Koparg aon taluka was irrigated during the decade. Of which, 34.93 per cent was irrigated by wells and 65.07 per cent by surface irriga tion . It is found that, Kopargaon taluka enjoyed the highest surface irrigation in Ahmednagar d is t r ic t over a decade. 247 TABLE No. 7 .2 Sources of watei—supply and area irrig a te d in Ahmednagar d is t r ic t (In hectare) Year Area irrig a te d Net area % of % of area iri— net igated of net surface well irrig- sown area area irrigated irriga- irrig- ated i rr ig - tion ation gated by by s u rf- of net wells ace i r r - area gation sown (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) 1980-81 69480 174292 243772 1195700 20.38 71.49 28.50 1981-82 107785 148587 256372 1177000 21.78 57.95 42.04 1982-83 109181 150216 259397 1175000 22.07 57.90 42.09 1983-84 69166 156845 226011 1163700 19.42 69.39 30.60 1984-85 54218 157026 211244 1136100 18.59 74.33 25.66 1985-86 89229 138878 228107 1186100 19.23 60.88 39.

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