AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

LAND UTILISATION

The data regarding classification of the total area of the district according to various heads of land utilisation not only reflects the extent of development of agricultural activities in the district but also represents to some extent the cultivation potential of the area. The total geographical area of the district in 1971-72 was 9,27,958 hectares. Table No. 2 gives the classification of the total geographical area under different categories.

TABLE No. 2

STATISTICS OF LAND UTILISATION (TAHSILWISE) IN BHANDARA DISTRICT, FOR THE YEARS 1961-62, 1965-66, 1969-70 AND 1971-72.

*Figures for 1961-62 and 1965-66 are in acres.

Figures for 1969-70 and 1971-72 are in hectares.

TABLE No. 2—contd.

STATISTICS OF LAND UTILISATION (TAHSILWISE) IN BHANDARA DISTRICT, FOR THE YEARS 1961-62, 1965-66, 1969-70 AND 1971-72.

*Figures for 1961-62 and 1965-66 are in acres.

Figures for 1969-70 and 1971-72 are in hectares.

Cropped Area.— The percentage of cultivated area to total area in the district was 55.71 in 1971-72, but it varied from tahsil to tahsil, the highest being 71.83 per cent in Gondia tahsil and the lowest being 41.89 per cent in Sakoli tahsil. It stood at 60.21 per cent in Bhandara tahsil. The gross cropped area of 5,16,941 hectares in 1971-72 comprised 3,90,420 hectares of the net area sown and 1,26,521 hectares of the area sown more than once, distributed into food crops and non-food crops. The main food crops of the district are rice, wheat and jowar among cereals, tur, gram and mug among pulses, chillis among condiments and spices, and some fruits and vegetables. The main non-food crops include castor-seed and linseed.

Forest Area.— The total area under forests in Bhandara district was 4,23,162 hectares in 1972-73. It was divided into three categories, viz., reserved, protected and unclassed, and was in charge of the Forest Department and the Revenue Department. The details regarding the same are given below: —

TABLE No. 3

FOREST AREA IN BHANDARA DISTRICT DURING THE YEAR 1972-73.

(In Hectares)

The total forest area of the district accounts for 26.69 per cent of the total geographical area of the district. Of the total forest area of the district, an area of 31.24 per cent is occupied by reserved forests, of 50.12 per cent by protected forests, and the remaining 18.64 per cent by unclassed forests. The entire unclassed forest area is under the management of the Collector of the district, while the reserved and protected forest areas are under the management of the Forest Department. Pratapgarh range lies to the south and a group of hills near Paoni in the south-west corner of the district.

Forest Produce.— Major forest produce of the district comprises timber and firewood. The minor forest produce includes bamboo, grass, lac, gum, tendu leaves, etc. The aggregate value of the total forest produce was Rs. 1,45,67,098 in 1972-73. The annual outturn of various kinds of forest produce and realisation of revenue thereof during the year 1972-73 is shown in table No. 4.

TABLE No. 4

OUT-PUT AND VALUE OF FOREST PRODUCE IN BHANDARA DISTRICT, IN 1972-73.

The main produce obtained is timber in the form of teak and other valuable injaili species, and firewood, part of which is converted into charcoal for export to Bombay, Pune and parts of North India particularly Rajasthan and Delhi. Bulk of the timber is exported to Nagpur from where it finds its market all over the country.

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