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AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
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LAND UTILISATION
The total geographical area of the district in 1961-62 was
1,117,768.410 hectares (2,759,922 acres). The area covered by the
east-west Balaghat ranges presents a hilly topography. In the
Georai and Manjlegaon tahsils the soils are very deep and deep
black while the parts of Ambejogai, Kaij, Patoda and Ashti tahsils
have got laterite soil.
Cultivated and Uncultivated Area
The following table gives a statement of cultivated and
uncultivated area in Bhir district during 1956-57 to 1961-62.
TABLE NO.6
TAHSILWISE CULTIVATED AND UNCULTIVATED AREA IN BHIR DISTRICT FROM
1956-57 TO 1961-62
[In hectares]*
|
Tahsil |
Year |
Total Geographical area |
Gross Cropped Area |
Area Cropped more than once |
Net Area Sown |
Current fallows |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
|
Bhir |
1956-57 |
151,734.87 (374,654) |
100,835.69 (248,977) |
6,667.52 (16,463) |
94,168.17 (232,514) |
14,307.03 (35,326) |
|
1957-58 |
103,989.42 (256,764) |
4,786.29 (11,818) |
99,203.13 (244,946) |
13,057.20 (32,240) |
|
1958-59 |
105,302.03 (260,005) |
4,617.81 (11,402) |
100,684.22 (248,603) |
11,576.12 (28,583) |
|
1959-60 |
109,714.91 (270,901) |
4,194.99 (10,358) |
105,519.92 (260,543) |
6,740.42 (16,643) |
|
1960-61 |
106,016.04 (261,768) |
3,930.93 (9,706) |
102,085.11 (252,062) |
10,175.22 (25,124) |
|
1961-62 |
125,658.14 (310,267) |
12,666.38 (31,275) |
112,991.76 (278,992) |
5,870-88 (14,496) |
|
Georai |
1956-57 |
155,247.44 (383,327) |
131,656.99 (325,079) |
5,964.03 (14,726) |
125,692.97 (310,353) |
13,691.43 (33,806) |
|
1957-58 |
130,394.21 (321,961) |
3,429.95 (8,469) |
126,964.26 (313,492) |
9,526.00 (23,521) |
|
1958-59 |
132,700.68 (327,656) |
5,899.23 (14,566) |
126,801.45 (313,090) |
12,523.82 (30,923) |
|
1959-60 |
125,421.62 (309,683) |
4,936.95 (12,190) |
120,484.67 (297,493) |
18,840.60 (46,520) |
|
1960-61 |
112,990.14 (278,988) |
4,932.90 (12,180) |
108,057.24 (266,808) |
31,268.03 (77,205) |
|
1961-62 |
142,182.54 (351,068) |
8,176.95 (20,190) |
134,005.59 (330,878) |
4,914.68 (12,135) |
|
Ashti |
1956-57 |
147,171.33 (363,386) |
121,458.69 (299,898) |
11,082.83 (27,365) |
110,375.87 (272,533) |
3,743.82 (9,244) |
|
1957-58 |
115,412.04 (284,968) |
13,051.53 (32,226) |
102,360.51 (252,742) |
11,729.21 (28,961) |
|
1958-59 |
118,057.09 (291,499) |
22,389.21 (55,282) |
95,667.80 (236,217) |
17,683.52 (43,663) |
|
1959-60 |
111,993.44 (276,527) |
19,573.25 (48,329) |
92,420.19
(228,198) |
33,052.05 (81,610) |
|
1960-61 |
107,983.53 (266,626) |
15,049.40 (37,159) |
92,934.14 (229,467) |
35,806.86 (88,412) |
|
1961-62 |
123,876.95 (305,869) |
11,449.76 (28,271) |
112,427.19 (277.598) |
13,045.05 (32,210) |
|
Patoda |
1956-57 |
130,860.36 (323,112) |
97,264.80 (240,160) |
8,978.85 (22,170) |
88,285.95 (217,990) |
19,799.24
(48,887) |
|
1957-58 |
95,710.41 (236,322) |
9,355.91 (23,101) |
86,354.51 (213,221) |
22,122.72 (54,624) |
|
1958-59 |
98,219.39 (242,517) |
10,208,43 (25,206) |
88,010.96 (217,311) |
20,466.27 (50,534) |
|
1959-60 |
94,277.93 (232,785) |
8,735.85 (21,570) |
85,542.08 (211,215) |
22,935.15 (56,630) |
|
1960-61 |
90,765.36 (224,112) |
13,737.60 (33,920) |
77,015.61 (190,162) |
31,449.47 (77,655) |
|
1961-62 |
97,549.52 (240,863) |
10,978.34 (27,107) |
86,571.18 (213,756) |
21,906.05 (54,089) |
|
Ambejogai |
1956-57 |
185,001.17 (456,793) |
118,575.50 (292,779) |
509.90 (1,259) |
118,065.60 (291,520) |
22,389.21 (55,282) |
|
1957-58 |
128,432.79 (317,118) |
1,044.90 (2,580) |
127,387.89 (314,538) |
24,818.40 (61,280) |
|
1958-59 |
120,294.72 (297,024 |
,, |
120,294.72 (297,024) |
25,370.42 (62,643) |
|
1959-60 |
122,033.79 (301,318) |
,, |
122,033.79 (301,318) |
24,442.16 (60,351) |
|
1960-61 |
123,108.66 (303,972) |
,, |
123,108.66 (303,972) |
23,367.29 (57,697) |
|
1961-62 |
129.394.26 (319,492) |
,, |
126,154.26 (311,492) |
20,321.69 (50,177) |
|
Kaij |
1956-57 |
186,736.59 (461,078) |
132,399.77 (326,913) |
4,261.41 (10,522) |
128,138.36 (316,391) |
34,491.42 (85,16 |
|
1957-58 |
130,017.15 (321,030) |
2,668.95 (6,590) |
127,348.20 (314,440) |
34,558.65 (85,330) |
|
1958-59 |
130,761.95 (322,869 |
2,965.41 (7,322) |
127,795.73 (315,545) |
42,285.65 (104,409) |
|
1959-60 |
129,294.63 (319,246) |
2,883.60 (7,120) |
126,411.03 (312,126) |
43,671.15 (107,830) |
|
1960-61 |
129,488.63 (319,725) |
4,495.91 (11,101) |
124,992.72 (308,624) |
45,406.98 (112,116) |
|
1961-62 |
130,864.82 (323,123) |
4,768.88 (11,775) |
126,095.94 (311,348) |
44,303 76 (109,352) |
|
Manjlegaon |
1956-57 |
161,016.66 (397,572) |
126,534.56 (312,431) |
2,061.45 (5,090) |
124,473.11 (307,341) |
24,882.80 (61,439) |
|
1957-58 |
132,229.67 (326,493) |
2,324.30 (5,739) |
129,905.37 (320,754) |
19.450.53 (48,026) |
|
1958-59 |
131,062.46 (323,611) |
19,736.87 (48,733) |
111.325.59 (274,878) |
38,030.31 (93,902) |
|
1959-60 |
134,376.17 (331,793) |
20,352.47 (50,253) |
114,023.70 (281,540) |
35,332.20 (87,240) |
|
1960-61 |
119,313.00 (294,600) |
541.89 (1,338) |
118,771.11 (293,262) |
30,584.79 (75,518) |
|
1961-62 |
127,511.42 (314,843) |
4,247,40 (3,080) |
126,264.02 (311,763) |
23,091.89 (57,017) |
Table no. 6—Cont.
|
Tahsil |
Year |
Barren and unculturable area |
Land put to non-agricultural uses |
Miscellaneous groves, permanent pastures, other grass lands |
Total Uncultivated Area |
Culturable waste |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(8) |
(9) |
(10) |
(11) |
(12) |
|
Bhir |
1956-57 |
2,709.45 (6,690) |
3,144.42 (7,764) |
10,001.07 (24,694) |
57,566.70 (142,140) |
2,661.26 (6,571) |
|
1957-58 |
1,854.90 (4,580) |
2,812.73 (6,945) |
9,882.00 (24,400) |
52,531. 74 (129,708) |
2,385.45 (5,890) |
|
1958-59 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
51,050.66 (126,051) |
,, |
|
1959-60 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
46,214.96 (114,111) |
,, |
|
1960-61 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
49,649.76 (122,592) |
,, |
|
1961-62 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
38,743.11 (95,662) |
,, |
|
Georai |
1956-57 |
2,096.69 (5,177) |
3,253.77 (8,034) |
45,40.86 (11,212) |
29,554.47 (72,974) |
1,865.43 (4,606) |
|
1957-58 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
28,283.18 (69,835) |
,, |
|
1958-59 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
28,445.99 (70,237) |
,, |
|
1959-60 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
34,762.77 (85,834) |
,, |
|
1960-61 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
47,190.20 (116,519) |
,, |
|
1961-62 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
21,241.85 (52,449) |
,, |
|
Ashti |
1956-57 |
3,723.98 (9,195) |
2,765.34 (6,828) |
5,164.56 (12,752) |
36,795.47 (90,853) |
3.480.57 (8,594) |
|
1957-58 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
44,809.61 (110,641) |
,, |
|
1958-59 |
,, |
,, |
5,904.09 (14,578) |
51,503.45 (127,169) |
,, |
|
1959-60 |
,, |
-- |
,, |
54,751.14 (135,188) |
,, |
|
1960-61 |
,, |
-- |
,, |
54,237.20 (133,919) |
,, |
|
1961-62 |
,, |
-- |
,, |
34,744.14 (85,788) |
,, |
|
Patoda |
1956-57 |
70.47 (174) |
3,019.28 (7,455) |
8,415.09 (20,778) |
41,764.41 (03,122) |
4,231.85 (10,449) |
|
1957-58 |
102.06 (252) |
,, |
8,823.74 (21,787) |
44,505.86 (109,891) |
4,815.45 (11,890) |
|
1958-59 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
42,849.41 (105,801) |
,, |
|
1959-60 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
45,318.29 (111,897) |
,, |
|
1960-61 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
53,832.60 (132,920) |
,, |
|
1961-62 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
44,289.18 (109,356) |
,, |
|
Ambejogai |
1956-57 |
2,499.66 |
4,814.24 (11,887) |
7,240.59 (17,878) |
66,935.57 (165,273) |
3,014.01 (7,442) |
|
1957-58 |
2,543.40 (6,280) |
6,506.33 (16,065) |
8,045.33 (19,865) |
57,613.28 (142,255) |
2,395.58 (5,915) |
|
1958-59 |
,, |
,, |
7,927.88 (19,575) |
64,706.45 (159,769) |
,, |
|
1959-60 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
62,967.38 (155,475) |
,, |
|
1960-61 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
61,892.51 (152,821) |
,, |
|
1961-62 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
58,846.91 (145,301) |
,, |
|
Kaij |
1956-57 |
1,369.31 (3,381) |
3,374.87 (8,333) |
9,412.25 (23,240) |
58,597.83 (144,686) |
2,870.24 (7,087) |
|
1957-58 |
,, |
,, |
9,421.11
(146,655) |
59,395.28 (146,655) |
,, |
|
1958-59 |
,, |
,, |
891.82
(2,924) |
58,940.06 (145,531) |
723.74 (1,787) |
|
1959-60 |
,, |
,, |
891.82
(2,924) |
60,325.56 (148,952) |
2,870.24 (7,087) |
|
1960-61 |
,, |
,, |
846.45
(2,090) |
61,743.87 (152,454) |
,, |
|
1961-62 |
,, |
,, |
846.45
(2,090) |
60,640.65 (149,730) |
,, |
|
Manjlegaon |
1956-57 |
1,327.19 (3,277) |
4,912.25 (12,129) |
4,287.74 (10,587) |
36,543.56 (90,231) |
1,133.60 (2,799) |
|
1957-58 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
31,111.29 (76,818) |
,, |
|
1958-59 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
49,691.07 (122,694) |
,, |
|
1959-60 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
46,992.96 (116,032) |
,, |
|
1960-61 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
42,245.55 (104,310) |
,, |
|
1961-62 |
,, |
,, |
,, |
34,751.84 (85,807) |
,, |
*Figures in brackets indicate area in acres
The percentage of net cultivated area to total area in the
district in 1961-62 was 73 but it varied from tahsil to tahsil,
the highest percentage being 12 in Georai tahsil and the lowest
being 8 in Patoda tahsil.
Jirayat and Bagayat
The cultivable area in the district, falls under two main classes,
viz., jirayat and bagayat. The former, which is also known as
koradvahu or dry land, is about 95%. The rest of the area is under
bagayat or irrigated land. Irrigation is mainly dependent on
wells. The crops are grown on the jirayat land only once during
the monsoon.
Forest Areas
The total forest area in the district is only 225.7 km.2 (87.15
square miles) as against the total area of the district i.e.
10,921.8 km.2 (4,216.9 square miles). This means that the district
has hardly about 2 per cent of its area under forest which is far
below the minimum requirement of 33 per cent as stipulated in the
National Forest Policy.
The following statement shows tahsilwise distribution of forest
area (in hectares) under the charge of the Forest department in
the district in 1960-61. The Revenue department does not have any
forests under its charge in this district.
|
Tahsil (whole or part) included in Bhir range |
Forests |
|
|
Reserved |
Protected |
|
Ambejogai |
4,256.145 *(10,509) |
319.140 (788) |
|
Bhir |
5,238.675
(12,935) |
1,392.795 (3,449) |
|
Kaij |
818.910
(2,022) |
415.125 (1,025) |
|
Ashti |
1,395.630
(3,446) |
389.205 (961) |
|
Manjlegaon |
3,054.105
(7,541) |
-- |
|
Patoda |
544.320
(1,344) |
4,599.585 (11,357) |
|
Total |
15,307.785 (37,797) |
7,119.900 (17,580) |
*Figures in brackets indicate area in acres.
Most of the forest lands in this district do not permit a healthy
growth of trees due to the improper utilisation of forest
resources in the past. After the merger of the area with the
erstwhile Bombay State a detailed, systematic and scientific plan
for the management and development of these forests was prepared
and this plan was put in force from 1962. The plan includes
schemes
of artificial regeneration in the blank areas of the coupes,
improvement of grass reserves and afforestation of blank and arid
areas. At present there are no forest research centres and forest
schools in this district.
Grass, bidi leaves, bark tarwad and sitaphal are the important
forest products in this district. Their annual outturn and value
in rupees is given below.
TABLE No. 7
|
Name of the product |
Annual outturn in quintals* |
Value in Rs. |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
|
Grass |
1,013.729
(2,716) |
10,427 |
|
Bidi leaves |
41.809
(112) |
2,303 |
|
Bark larwad |
55.619
(149) |
855 |
|
Sitaphal |
173.189
(464) |
1,120 |
|
Total |
|
14,705 |
* Figures in brackets indicate outturn in maunds.
Thus the total annual value of the forest products in this
district is estimated at about Rs. 15,000 or so. There are no
other forest products like teak, fuel-wood, etc.
Cropped Area
Both kharif and rabi crops are grown in the district. About 75% of
the gross cropped area is under food crops. The main food crops
are jowar, wheat and bajri among cereals and mug, tur,
udid and
gram among pulses. Among the non-food crops, groundnut is grown on
a large scale. The other crops are niger, sesamum. linseed and
safflower. Among fibres, cotton is important.
The gross cropped area of the district in 1961-62 has been
recorded as 8,73,797.625 hectares (2,157.525 acres) of which the
area cropped more than once amounted to 49,287.690 hectares
(121,698 acres), the net cropped area being 824,509.935 hectares
(2,035,827 acres).
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