A Geographical Perspective on Land Use Pattern in Solapur District of Maharashtra

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1 A Geographical Perspective on Land Use Pattern in Solapur District of Maharashtra Dr. P. P. Ubale Associate Professor,UG & PG, Department Of Geography, K.B.Patil Mahavidyalaya, Pandharpur, Dist. Solapur ABSTRACT : Population and land resources are the basic resources as far concern to human development and support the nation building. The quality of population is directly affecting on the utilization of land resources.. Land is the most as a natural resource. It is gifted by the nature to human. Land use is the human use of land. There are considerable regional variations in the general land use of area because landforms diversities and rainfall in the study region, where agriculture is the only means of livelihood for majority of the people. In this research paper an attempt has been made to study he land use pattern in solapur district of Maharashtra State. This study is based on primary and secondary data. Such types of studies are useful for future planning. Keywords: Agriculture, Fallow land, Land use pattern, Net sown area, Resource. I. Introduction: Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy play a vital role in the overall development where above 70 percent population depends on the agricultural sector is directly or indirectly.land use is a geographical concept since it involves specific areas. The study land use forms a significant part of agriculture geography and has assumed a place of pride in the field of applied geography. The natural resource plays vital role in the economic development of the country. Without minimum natural resources there is not much hope for economic development. Land, mineral, water, forest and climate etc. are the important natural resources. Out of them land is a free gift from nature and its quantity is also fixed by nature. It is the basic element of the life support system on our planet since the dawn of civilization. The best use of land is very important for our well being and survival.the study of land use is vital in order to search ways for scientific cultivation of land to increase food production. It is not only important in the agriculturally dominated, over populated developing regions but throughout the world because of is relationship with different human phenomena. The land utilization is needs to have general frame work of strategic and effective management and analysis of their characteristics and also used for development planning in the study area. II. Objectives of the Study: The main objectives of the present research paper are as fallows. Page 36

2 1. To study the general land use pattern in the Solapur district. 2. To study the factors affecting on the land use pattern in Solapur district. III.Database and Methodology: The present work is based on the primary and secondary data. The primary data is collected by visiting of some places in Solapur district. The secondary data will be collected through the tahsil office, district gazetteer of Solapur district, socio- economic review of Solapur district, statistical abstract of Solapur district, reference books, journals, periodicals and internet etc. the collected information is finally classified, tabulated and by applying various cartographic and statistical IV. Study Area : Solapur District is selected as a study region for the present investigation. Solapur District is one of the most important district of Maharashtra states both in terms and area and Population. It is extended from N to North latitude and E to East longitudes. The district is situated on the south east fringe of Maharashtra state and lies entirely in the Bhima and Sina basins and its tributaries. The total geographical area of the district is sq. km. of Southern Maharashtra. Fig Page 37

3 Administratively it consists of 11 Tahsils (Fig. 1). The district has 1142 villages and 10 urban centers. The Solapur district has populations and density of population is 290 persons per km2 as per 2011 census.( male and female) It consist 932 females for per 1000 male population. The literacy ratio is in Solapur district. The major source of income for people in his district is from agriculture. The sugar industry (28) is also contributed to the district economy. Water supply for agriculture purpose is available from (Ujani Dam) Ujani canal and Nira canal. Economy of the region has agricultural base. V.Results and Discussion: 1. POPULATION GROWTH: The population of any country is multidimensional resource. Considering this view in mind the researcher has studied the population growth of study region. The growth of population reveals the socio-economic condition of area, pressure of population on different resources and development of area etc. The table 1 and fig.2 have presenting the clear picture of solapur district in the respect of population growth. Table 1- Solapur District: Population Growth Year P o p u l a t i o n P o p u l a t i o n G r o w t h ( % ) Source: Based on District Census Handbook, Solapur District, F i g. 2 Page 38

4 The population growth of study region shows increasing trend. The last two decades particularly 2001 and 2011 have reported very slight increase in population which is percent and percent respectively. The population growth is nearly one third than the population growth of 2001, due to family planning awareness, importance of small family, medical facility, development in education etc. 2. LANDUSE PATTERN: Land use is necessary to ascertain the extent to which land, now lying waste can become available for cultivation (Vaidya, 1997); therefore land utilization is necessary agricultural development. The study of the land use pattern of Solapur district covers the proportion of area under different land use categories at a point of time (Table 2 and Fig. 3). A. Total Geographical Area: The total geographical area of the study region is 14, 87,843 hectares. The net sown area is 10, 48,596 hectares that comes to per cent to total geographical area of the region. However, the rest of land, about per cent of total area, is used for different purposes. Malshiras is biggest tahsil and North Solapur is smallest tahsil in the study region so, far their geographical area is concern (Table 2) B. Area under forest: Forest includes all lands classed as forest under any legal enactment dealing with forest or administered as forests. The area under study has about 2.15 per cent lands under forest. It is very less as compared to other land use categories. However, the tahsil wise analysis reveals that, the Pandharpur, Mangalwedha, North Solapur and Karmala tahsils more than 2.15 per cent of forest land. S o l a p u r D i s t r i c t : L a n d U s e P a t t e r n, % 5.32% 2.26% 19.79% Area under forest Land under non agriculture use Total other uncultivated land Total fallow land 70.48% Net area sown F i g. 3 Page 39

5 C. Land under non agriculture use: The category includes all lands occupied by buildings, roads, railways and other lands put to use other than agricultural. In other words they includes the land which cannot be brought under cultivation unless at a very high cost. About per cent area is not available for cultivation in the study region. However, at tahsil level there is variation in this category. i.e., Karmala (7. 0 %), Pandharpur (5.68 %), Sangola (11.26 %) and Mohol (8.53 %). These tahsils are having proportion above the regional level. D. Other uncultivated land: The share of other uncultivated land was 2.26 per cent to the total geographical area of the region. It is observed that, the tahsils of Sangola, Pandharpur and Malshiras have higher percentage than the regional average of this category. E. Fallow land: The term fallow is applied to the lands not under cultivation at the time reporting but has been sown in the past (More Patil, 1995). The fallow land includes current fallow and permanent fallow. The regional average of this category to total geographical area is per cent. The tahsils like Akkalkot (27.93 %), Sangola (38.72 %), Malshiras (22.92 %) and Mangalwedha (27.11 %) have proportion above regional average. It is significantly observed that cattle activity significantly observed where fallow land is more. F. Net Sown Area: The percentage of net sown area for the entire region was per cent in The tahsils in western zone have less percentage of cultivable land as compared to regional average (70.48 %). The northern and eastern zone has higher percentage than the regional average as a result of suitable and favorable conditions. The highest percentage of net sown area is confined to Pandharpur tahsil (82.05 %) and its lowest percentage confined to Sangola tahsil (44.29 %). Table 2- Solapur District: Land Use Pattern Total Geographical Area Area Under Forest Land Under Non Agriculture Use Other Uncultivated Land Fallow land Net So wn Ar ea Sr. No T a h s i l I n H e c t a r e I n % 1. K a r m a l a M a d h a B a r s h i North Solapur M o h o l Pandharpur Page 40

6 7. M a l s h i r a s S a n g o l a Mangal-wedha South Solapur A k k a l k o t Solapur District Source:Based on Socio- economic Review and District Stastical Abstract, Solapur District, 2014 VI. Conclusion: In the study region land use pattern is various due to the physiographic, climatic, economic features and population. The population growth rate is decreasing from last four decades. Sex ratio slightly increased and the literacy rate also experiences regular increase. High population density observed in North Solapur, Pandhaprur, Barshi tahsils whereas tahsils like Karmala, Sangola and South Solapur have low density. There is also variation in the proportion of land use in various categories. The highest area is found under net sown area category that is percent and 5.32 percent under area not available for cultivation. Most of the area of the study region used for agriculture but fallow land has per cent to the total geographical area of the study region. Less proportion observed in the area under forests and 2.26 percent under uncultivable land. There is need for better management of land utilization in the Solapur district of Maharashtra. References : [1] Bansali, P. C. (1975): Agricultural Problems of India, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., Bombay. [2] Census of India ( ): District Census Handbook, Solapur District, Series 14, Maharashtra, Part XII A and B. [3] Chandana, R. C. (2008): Introduction to Population Geography, Kalyani Publishers, New-Delhi, 02. [4] Deshpande, C. D. (1971): Geography of Maharashtra, National Book Trust, New. Delhi, p.14 [5] Economic and Statistic Directorate, Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai, District, Social and Economic Review, District Solapur. [6] Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency (1997): Sholapur District, Vol. XX, pp and pp Page 41

7 [7] http// india.net [8] http// [9] More, K. S. (1995): Studies in Agricultural Land use, Himalaya Publishing House, Bombay, pp [10] Sharma K. K. (2004): Intellectual s Sandarbh Maharashtra, State and District at A Glance Set in 2 Vol. 1, pp [11] Vaidya, B. C. (1997): Agricultural Land use in India A Study in Yashoda Basin, Manak Publications, Private Ltd., New Delhi. Page 42