Chapter 3 Profile of Western Maharashtra Region 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Ahmednagar District 3.2.1 Introduction 3.2.2 History 3.2.3 Area 3.2.4 Topography 3.2.5 Rainfalls 3.2.6 Soil 3.2.7 Rivers 3.2.8 Population 3.2.8.1 District Decade-wise Growth in the Population 3.2.8.2 Taluka wise Distribution of Population 3.2.9 Agriculture 3.2.9.1 Irrigation 3.2.9.2 Pattern of Land Use 3.2.9.3 District Statistics of Land Usage (land holding) 3.2.9.4 Pattern of Cropping 3.2.9.5 The Area, Output (Production) and Yield (Productivity) of the Chief Crops 3.2.9.6 Area under Cultivation of Wheat and Jowar 3.2.10 Ahmednagar Agriculture Produce Market Committee (AAPMC) 3.3 Pune District 3.3.1 Introduction 3.3.2 History 3.3.3 Area 3.3.4 Topography 3.3.5 Rainfalls 3.3.6 Soil 113 3.3.7 Rivers 3.3.8 Population 3.3.8.1 City Decadal Population Growth 3.3.8.2 District Decadal growth rate 3.3.9 Irrigation 3.3.10 Agriculture 3.3.10.1 Irrigation 3.3.10.2 Pattern of Land Use and Land Possessed 3.3.10.3 District Statistics of Land Usage (land holding) 3.3.10.4 Pattern of Cropping 3.3.10.5 The Area, Output (Production) and Yield (Productivity) of the Chief Crops 3.3.10.6 Area under Cultivation of Wheat and Jowar 3.3.11 Pune Agriculture Produce Market Committee (AAPMC) 3.4 Satara District 3.4.1 Introduction 3.4.2 History 3.4.3 Area 3.4.4 Topography 3.4.5 Rainfalls 3.4.6 Soil 3.4.7 Rivers 3.4.8 Population 3.4.8.1 City Decadal Population Growth 3.4.8.2 District Decade-wise Growth in the Population 3.4.8.3 Taluka wise Growth of Population 3.4.9 Irrigation 3.4.10 Agriculture 3.4.10.1 Pattern of Land Use 3.4.10.2 Land Holding 3.4.10.3 Pattern of Cropping 3.4.10.4 The Area, Output and Yield of the Chief Rabi 114 3.4.10.5 Area under Cultivation of Wheat and Jowar 3.4.11 Satara Agriculture Produce Market Committee (AAPMC) 115 3.1 Introduction The selected districts of western Maharashtra region are Ahmednagar, Pune and Satara. They are large in sized and scale like population, geographical area, market available near to the farmers and traders and transport facility. Ahmednagar is selected because it is a native place of the research student. Pune is selected as the Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board, Maharashtra is located here and the required data can be collected easily. Satara is selected as it is the boundary of Pune district and primary producer of Jowar crop (www.macp.gov.in). These three districts are nearer to the researcher, and convenient for data collection of Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees. 3.2 Ahmednagar District 3.2.1 Introduction From the times of medieval the town Ahmednagar has been famous. “It being the capital of Ahmednagar’s Nizamshahi Kingdom was found by Malik Ahmad in the year 1494. This town was given the name ‘Ahmednagar’ after his very own name that is ‘Ahmed’. The legend goes behind of finding Ahmednagar city of which when Ahmed Shaha while hunting had seen a hunting dog attacked by a fox. Watching this, he sensed a good omen and found a city at the same place and named it after him. The district is named after the town of ‘Ahmednagar’ from medieval times.”1 3.2.2 History “In the year 1818, the Ahmednagar district which is most famously known as ‘Nagar’ has come into existence. The boundaries of Ahmednagar in 1822 had spread between Karmala in Solapur district and Vani Dindory subdivision of Nashik. In the year 1838, Ahmednagar was given the status of independent collectorate, till then from the year 1830 sub collector of Solapur had been inducted for this district. The Nashik sub collectorate of the sub-division of Chandor, Nashik: Pein and Igatpuri tehsil, Sinnar and Dindori had been under the district of Ahmednagar during the 1837- 38. The area had been reverted to the district of Ahmednagar by abolishing the sub- collectorate of Nashik in the year 1856. There were two districts namely Nashik and Solapur declared independent in the year 1869 which led to the present emergence of 116 the district of Ahmednagar. The Ahmednagar district is irregular in shape which resembles like a slanting cross with 200 kilometers length and of 210 kilometer breadth. The district of Ahmednagar is a largest of the Maharashtra state for occupying its area and is in a somewhat a central position in the state of Maharashtra.”2 “After reorganization of Maharashtra state the district had been in corporated into the Bombay State, 1956. But from the year 1961 it constitute a part of the Maharashtra state. In the year 1961 the Ahmednagar district comprised of 1318 villages inhabited and the 5 towns dispersed over the 12 talukas and one mahal. During the 1961-71 decade there was up gradation of the Jamkhed Mahal and there was an increased in the number of tehsils to 13 and during the census of 1971 there had been inhabited villages – 1312, uninhabited – 5 and towns – 6. This was the same condition till the census of 1981. During the decade of 1971-81 there were some changes in district where there was a rise in village numbers which increased to 1503 (2 uninhabited villages were excluded) and the number in towns increased to 8 because of Warwandi and Rahuri were declared as towns. Through the notification of the State Government, the Rahuri town gained a municipal status and since Warwandi being qualified in the specific criteria given by the census to be declared as an urban area was declared as The Census Town. There were 13 tehsils with villages – 1556 and town – 13 during the census of 1991. At present the Ahmednagar district has tehsils – 14, towns – 19 and villages – 1584 (which includes uninhabited villages – 3).”3 3.2.3 Area Agricultural market structure and selling of Wheat and Jowar are core part of the research. Hence, it is necessary to study all the important factors with agriculture produces and APMC’s The area covered by the district of Ahmednagar is 17,048.00 square kilometer as per 2011 census and according to the area this district ranks first in the Maharashtra state. The table given below shows the talukas wise Ahmednagar district area. 117 Table: 3.2.1 Taluka Wise Ahmednagar District Area Serial Number Taluka Area in Square Kilometer 1 Akola 1509.94 2 Sangmner 1714.29 3 Kopargaon 715.63 4 Rahata 608.56 5 Shrirampur 568.55 6 Newasa 1228.48 7 Shevgaon 1029.68 8 Pathardi 1185.18 9 Nagar 1468.52 10 Rahuri 935.32 11 Parner 1932.95 12 Shrigonda 1523.90 13 Karjat 1525.29 14 Jamkhed 879.77 Source: District Census Handbook Ahmednagar 2011. According the area wise the smallest taluka is Shrirampur having an area of 568.55 square kilometers and the largest being the Parner taluka which has an area of 1932.95 square kilometers. 3.2.4 Topography In the district of Ahmednagar different land forms are found which make up its physical set-up. Following are the districts divisions of the physical set-up: 1. The Regions of Northern and Southern plains: This region is made up of Pathardi, Rahuri, Rahata, Newasa, Kopargaon, Shevgaon and Shrirampur tehsils. It also has the Pravara and Godavari basins. In this physical division the southern parts of tehsils like Jamkhed, Shrigonda and Karjat are included. Sina, Bhīma and Ghod rivers are also the parts of this plain. 118 2. The Hilly Region of The West: In Ahmednagar western area, the main Sahyadri range touches the Akola tehsil which forms three main ranges they are – Baleshwar, Harishchandragad and Kalsubai. Sahyadri’s highest peak is Kalsubai that of 1654 meter. The Region of Central Plateau: Tehsils like Karjat, Parner, Shrigonda, Ahmednagar, and Sangmner are parts of this region. 3.2.5 Rainfalls The district of Ahmednagar has its majority of the parts coming under the shadowy zone of the Sahyadri hills. The district average rainfall received is 578.8 millimeters out of which 77 percent being received during the period of the south west monsoon season (June to September) as shown in the table number 3.3.2 The rainfall distribution in the Ahmednagar district is very much uneven in its region to region. There is higher rainfall near to the hill of Kalsubai than any region of the Ahmednagar district. This region is made up of forest and by the mountain. There is lowest rainfall occurring in those areas which cover the district eastern part. Table: 3.2.2 District Average Annual Rainfall Months Rainfall in mm Months Rainfall in mm January 4.28 July 94.45 February 1.24 August 82.02 March 4.16 September 169.83 April 8.6 October 66.74 May 22.54 November 31.88 June 116.07 December 8.48 Source: Indian Metrological Department, Pune 119 From the above table it can be seen that the distribution of monthly rainfall is not equal. In the year the month which is having more rain is September. The monsoon season rainfall starts from the month of June and it goes on declining there on. 3.2.6 Soil “The “Deccan Traps” also known as the basaltic lava flow occupies over the whole district.