Land Use pattern and Prospects of Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal

Transcription

1 Land Use pattern and Prospects of Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal Asit Kumar Jana Govt. Approved Part-Time Teacher Department of Geography Garhbeta College, West Bengal and Madhumita Jana Pal, M.A. (Geography), B.Ed. ABSTRACT: Paschim Medinipur is the largest agricultural based district in West Bengal. The land use pattern and purpose in Paschim Medinipur are mainly agriculture-based. Different physioclimatic condition is suitable for Agricultural activity. The flood plains with very little undulation in the vast plains of Paschim Medinipur are famous for agricultural activity. In this time we see the growth of a small industrial agglomeration in Paschim Medinipur, like film industry. Settlement density of this district is moderate to low. But in some town areas settlement density is high. Then the road density of this district at present is highly developed in town areas. At last from the point of view of land use for medical purpose in this district, some area is very high like Medinipur, Ghatal, Khagragpur etc. At present in this district the land is used for different purposes. INTRODUCTION: Paschim Medinipur is one of the largest districts of West Bengal. In this district at least 7 % of the net sown area is under regular agricultural activity. Agriculture is the main economic activity of Paschim Medinipur. Physiographic conditions like temperature, soil moisture condition, physiographic and soil character and land availability in this district are favorable for agriculture.. Paschim Medinipur district is mainly agriculture-based but in this time there are urges for education, medical facility and other facility (like road, railway). In town areas population density is very high. The transport system is highly developed in town area. The total 8% of land of this district is used for agricultural purpose and other 2% net sown area is used for different industries, plantation, dairy farming and others purposes. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 33

2 AREA UNDER STUDY: Paschim Medinipur district is situated in the state of west Bengal. The study area of Paschim Medinipur lies between 21 o to 22 o 57 north latitude and 86 o 33 to 88 o 11 east longitude. The area is situated in the lower Gangetic plain which has originated from Chhotonagpur plateau. The study area has tropical monsoon climate. The mean annual rainfall ranges between 25 mm to 3 mm, which is concentrated in the month of June to mid September. The geographical area of this district is 9345 km. sq. (36859 sq. meters). LOCATION MAP OF THE STUDY AREA Fig: 1Showing the location map of the study area Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 34

3 PRESENT LAND USE SITUATION: At present Paschim Medinipur is one of the fastest agricultural production producing districts of West Bengal. This time the government has announced the different ways of land use pattern, produced different business plans, created the opportunity to exchange ideas with neighbors by attending the different educational programmes, workshops and different conferences to understand the perfect use of land. AGRICULTURE PURPOSE: RICE: Agriculture is the primary economic activity. At present the total 7 % of land in Paschim Medinipur is used for different agricultural products. The main agricultural production is rice. Rice is the most important food grain product in West Bengal. Cultivation of rice in Paschim Medinipur is mostly concentrated in the western region. In this district at least 65 % of the net sown area is under regular rice cultivation. Aus and Amon are the most important followed by Boro. Table: 1Land use area for Rice Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur years Land use area for Rice Cultivation (Thousand Hectares) Total Rice Cultivation Area Aus(Thousand Hectares) Amon(Thousand Hectares) Boro(Thousand Hectares) (Thousand Hectares) Source: 1.Diectorate of Agriculture, Govt. of W.B. 2. B.A.E. & S., Govt. of W.B. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 35

4 Land use area for Rice Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Aus(Thousand Hectares) Amon(Thousand Hectares) Boro(Thousand Hectares) Fig:2 Bar graph showing the Land use area for Rice Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur. LAND USE FOR RICE CULTIVATION OF THE STUDY AREA Fig:3 showing the land use for Rice cultivation of the study area. POTATO: Paschim Medinipur is the first-rank holder potato producing district. Cultivation of potato in this district is most of blocks. It produces at least 6 % of the potato product in West Bengal. Potato is generally sown in the sandy marshy lands. Table: 2Land use area for Potato Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Year Total Potato Cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 36

5 Source: 1.Diectorate of Agriculture, Govt. of W.B. 2. B.A.E. & S., Govt. of W.B. Land use area for Potato Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Potato cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Fig:4 Bar graph showing the land use area for Potato cultivation of the study area. LAND USE FOR POTATO CULTIVATION OF THE STUDY AREA Fig:5 Showing the land use for Potato cultivation of the study area. JUTE: Cultivation of jute in Paschim Medinipur is held in some small village areas. Jute is known as the Golden fiber. Jute is the most important cash product in India for its value and multiplicity of use. In respect of the production of raw jute, Paschim Medinipur s case is as follows: Table: 3Land use area for Jute Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Year Total Jute Cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Source: 1.Diectorate of Agriculture, Govt. of W.B. 2. B.A.E. & S., Govt. of W.B. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 37

6 Land use area for Jute Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Jute cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Fig:6 Bar graph showing the land use area for Jute cultivation of the study area. LAND USE FOR JUTE CULTIVATION AND PROCESSING OF THE STUDY AREA Fig:7 Showing the land use for Jute cultivation and processing of the study area. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 38

7 VEGETABLES: Cultivation of vegetation in Paschim Medinipur is held in almost all areas. Total 6 % of vegetable producing district out of West Bengal is Paschim Medinipur. Types of vegetables are Onion, Garlic, Ladiesfinger, Tomato Cabbage, Cauliflower etc. Table: 4Land use area for Vegetable Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Year Total Vegetable Cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Source: 1.Diectorate of Agriculture, Govt. of W.B. 2. B.A.E. & S., Govt. of W.B. Land use area for Vegetable Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur vegetable cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Fig:8 Bar graph showing the land use area for Vegetable cultivation of the study area. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 39

8 LAND USE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEGETABLE CULTIVATION OF THE STUDY AREA Onion Tomato Brinjal Cabbage Country bean French bean Fig: 9 Showing the land use for different types of vegetable cultivation of the study area. PULSES AND OIL SEEDS: Some land areas of Paschim Medinipur are used for grown verieties of pulses and oil seeds. The varieties of Pulses are Musur, Mug, Arhar Kalai, Mator etc. Table: 5Land use area for Pulses Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Year Total Pulses Cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Source: 1.Diectorate of Agriculture, Govt. of W.B. 2. B.A.E. & S., Govt. of W.B. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 4

9 Land use area for Pulses Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Pulses cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Fig:1 Bar graph showing the land use area for Pulses cultivation of the study area. LAND USE FOR PULSES CULTIVATION OF THE STUDY AREA Musur Mator Fig:11 Showing the land use for Pulses cultivation of the study area. Table: 6 Land use area for Oil- seeds Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Year Oil-seeds cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Source: 1.Diectorate of Agriculture, Govt. of W.B. 2. B.A.E. & S., Govt. of W.B. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 41

10 Land use area for Oil-Seeds Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Oil-seeds cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Fig:12 Bar graph showing the land use area for Oil-seeds cultivation of the study area. LAND USE FOR MUSTERED CULTIVATION OF THE STUDY AREA Fig:13 Showing the land use for Mustered cultivation of the study area. WHEAT: Wheat is an important food grain. The cultivation of wheat in this district is very low. At present all the blocks of this district cultivate wheat. Table: 7 Land use area for Wheat Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Year Total Wheat Cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Source: 1.Diectorate of Agriculture, Govt. of W.B. 2. B.A.E. & S., Govt. of W.B. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 42

11 Land use area for Wheat Cultivation in the district of Paschim Medinipur Wheat Cultivation Area (Thousand Hectares) Fig:14 Bar graph showing the land use area for Wheat cultivation of the study area. LAND USE FOR WHEAT CULTIVATION OF THE STUDY AREA Fig:15 Showing the land use for Wheat cultivation of the study area. WATER BODIES: Paschim Medinipur is an agricultural based district of West Bengal. So the water bodies are very important. The main source of water is mainly the rivers. The main rivers are Kongsabati, Subarnarekha, Silabati, Darkeswar etc. The rivers are making flood in rainy seasons. Water of the rivers is use for mainly agricultural purpose. And the canals are very important source of water bodies. The Hijle canal and Medinipur canal are main cannel of in this district. And other local ponds are also available in this district. The water bodies are being used in the approximate areas. PLANTATION: Plantation is the most important matter of environmental balance. The total area of land used for plantation purpose approximates hectors (28). At present this district has one protected forest. This forest is situated in the block of Chandrakona-I. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 43

12 SETTLEMENT: Some areas of in this district use of different types of settlements, like linear pattern, compact pattern, square pattern, semi-compact pattern and dispreads settlement. In this district the linear settlement is available in river and road side areas. And compact, semi-compact and square settlements are available in the town or villages. Dispersed settlement is situated on the forest side areas. Population density in this district is medium to low in rural areas. But in town areas population density is very high like Kharagapur, Medinipur, Ghatal etc. year TRANSPORT: At present some areas of Paschim Medinipur is used for transport purpose. In this district the system of transport in rural side is very poor but in the town sides transport system is very highly developed. Table: 8 Classification of land utilization statistics in the district of Paschim Medinipur Reporting Area Forest Area Area under nonagricultur al use Barren &unculturab le land Permanent pastures & other grazing land Land under mise. Tree groves not included in Net area sown Culturable waste land Fallow land other than current fallow Current fallow Net area sown Source: 1.Diectorate of Agriculture, Govt. of W.B. 2. B.A.E. & S., Govt. of W.B. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 44

13 Land use for Forest Area in the district of Paschim Medinipur Forest Area 5 Fig:16 Bar graph showing the land use for Forest area of the study area. Land use for non-agricultural purpose in the district of Paschim Medinipur Area under non-agricultural use Fig:17 Bar graph showing the land use for non agricultural land of the study area. Land use for Barren &uncultivable purpose in the district of Paschim Medinipur Barren & unculturable land Fig:18 Bar graph showing the Barren & uncultivable area of the study area. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 45

14 Land use for Permanent pastures & other garaging land purpose in the district of Paschim Medinipur Permanent pastures & other grazing land Fig:19 Bar graph showing the Permanent pastures & other garaging land of the study area. Land use for current fallow purpose in the district of Paschim Medinipur Current fallow Fig:2 Bar graph showing the current fallow purpose of the study area. Land use for cultural waste land purpose in the district of Paschim Medinipur Culturable waste land Fig:21 Bar graph showing the cultural waste land purpose of the study area. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 46

15 EDUCATION: In this district land use for educational purpose is very high. Land for educational purpose has been utilized for a university, a law college and two homeopathic degree colleges, 7 general degree colleges, 467 primary schools, 34 Madhayamik Schools, 22 higher Secondary schools, 16 Madrashas and one IIT (28). MEDICAL: Some areas of this district are used for medical purpose. The land for medical purpose is used for three sub-divisional hospitals, 9th governmental hospitals, one T.B. hospital, one police hospital, and some private nursing homes and hospitals. EFFECTS ON SOCIETY: i. Farmers and other people understand the proper use of land. ii. Land use concept and land use formula are also known to the general people. iii. The knowledge is necessary to improve total land use, infrastructure, agricultural and other purposes. v. Proper land use makes a social structure very strong. vi. Proper land use makes the standard of human life very high. FUTURE PLANNING: i. Proper land use increases production of different crops. ii. Proper land is used to solve the food grain problem. iii. Clear land use concept helps to control flood situation. CONCLUSION: Land use is a matter of planning. Proper land use makes a society very strong because proper land use helps to control the problem of food supplies, improve the agricultural production, develop total infrastructure, and create very strong economic condition. It is also useful in controlling flood situation in some parts of the district. REFERENCES: 1. Ali, Mohammad, 1978, Studies in Agricultural Geography, Rajesh publication, New Delhi. 2. Athawale, A.G., 1966 some New Methods of crop combination, Geographical Review of India, calcutta. 3. Banerjee, B. 1969, Essays on Agricultural Geography, Nabhakti press (Ed.) Calcutta. 4. Chand Ramesh (212). Development Policies and Agricultural Markets, Economic and Political Weekly, Review of Rural Affairs, V.47 (52): Dahl, A, Leith, R & Gray, EM 213, Productivity in the broadacre and dairy industries, in Agricultural commodities: March quarter 213, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, Canberra, pp Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 47

16 6. Dikhit, K.R.1973, Agricultural Regions of Maharashtra, Geographical Review of India, Calcutta, 35/4. 7. Hogan, L & Morris, P 21, Agricultural and food policy choices in Australia, paper presented to Sustainable Agriculture and Food Policy in the 21st Century: Challenges and Solutions, Brussels, Belgium, October Hussan, M. (1999) systematic Agricultural Geography. Rawat publication. 9. Karmarkar, P. R., 1981, Agricultural land use of the western Districts of Upland Maharashtra, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Pune. 1. Kumar, P., Joshi, P.K. and Birthal P.S. 29. Demand Projections for Food grains in India. Agricultural Economics Research Review 22: Mullen, JD & Cox, TL 1995, The returns from research in Australian broadacre agriculture, Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics, vol. 39, no. 2, pp Patnaik, G. (211). Status of Agricultural Marketing Reforms: Presented at the Workshop on Policy options and investment priorities for accelerating agricultural productivity and development in India. IGIDR Proceedings/Projects Series, PP-69-11b, New Delhi: India International Centre, Nov. 1-11, Planning Commission (212). Working Group on Crop Husbandry, Demand and Supply Projections, Agricultural Inputs and Agricultural Statistics. Page 1-5, XII Plan document, Volume-II. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 48