The Gazetteers Department

THE WORK CARRIED ON BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE may be grouped under four sections, viz. (1) demonstration and extension; (2) research and education; (3) agricultural engineering; and (4) live-stock (cattle), sheep-breeding, poultry farming and dairy development. At the head of the department in the Stale is the Director of Agriculture, and there arc two Joint Directors, one for Engineering and the other for Extension. Three Deputy Directors—one in charge of Seed Multiplication and Extension; a second in charge of Manures, Fertilisers and Rural Development; and a third in charge of Research and Education—co-ordinate the work of their respective sections in the State as a whole. One Deputy Director for Crop Research supervises over the technical side of crop research.

There is a District Agricultural Officer (Maharashtra Agricultural Service, Class II) who is directly responsible for agricultural extension work including the National Extension Service and Community Block areas. There are eleven talukas and two talukas in the district. As per new programme, every time, two talukas arc being converted in National Extension Service blocks where the district agricultural officer has technical control and is responsible for giving out programme of agricultural activities to be carried out in the blocks. Accordingly, six talukas have been converted into National Extension areas. There are two IInd grade agricultural officers under the District Agricultural Officer who are in charge of their respective divisions. One more Agricultural Officer in charge of the maintenance of soil conservation works is under the District Agricultural Officer at headquarters.

In addition to the above, 44 Agricultural Assistants are working in the district under the administrative and technical control of the District Agricultural Officer and 69 gram-sevaks under the. technical control of the District Agricultural Officer, are working in National Extension Service area.

To each agricultural assistant or gram-sevak are allotted about 10 villages to look after in regard to its agricultural development work.

In addition to the above staff the District Agricultural Officer has under him one Assistant District Agricultural Officer to assist him in the office work.

The District Agricultural Officer is responsible for the following: —

(a) Organising the work of agricultural demonstration centres and holding demonstrations.

(b) Organisation of crop protection service.

(d) Inspection of offices and depots of the agricultural assistants in the district and guiding the staff in their work.

(e) Submission of periodical reports such as season and crop reports, forecast report and weather report.

(f) Execution of grow more food schemes.

(g) Carrying out rural development activities.

The information of the working of the department that follows pertains to the year 1959-60.

Demonstration and propaganda.

There are at present 42 demonstration centres at work on cultivator's farms and more may be established in the near future. Every-day working of these centres is being looked after by the agricultural assistant and by the gram-sevak as the case may he. These centres are opened to demonstrate to cultivators improved methods of agriculture advocated by the department. Timely field operations are shown to them so that they should follow the same on their fields.

Demonstrations of the standing crops and other improved practices are held every season, and this propaganda is carried on by Agricultural Assistants and Gram-Sevaks.

Propaganda regarding agricultural activities is carried on by the Agricultural Assistants and gram-sevaks. For each taluka there are five to six such officers. A taluka is divided into as many circles as the number of Agricultural Assistants or Gram-Sevaks. Each circle has a depot wherein improved seeds, manures and implements are stocked for sale and for the use of the cultivators on rental basis. There are at least three co-operative institutions collaborating with the department in the distribution of fertilisers, manures, seeds, insecticides and fungicide in every taluka.

Experiment and Research.

Cotton Breeding.—There is a permanent Government Agricultural Research Station at Jalgaon where botanical research on cotton, groundnut and agronomical research is carried out. Cotton research is carried on by the Cotton Breeder (Maharashtra Agricultural Service, Class II) who is assisted by one agricultural officer and agricultural assistant. He is under the technical control of the Cotton Specialist, Maharashtra State, Nanded, and under the administrative control of the Superintending Agricultural Officer. Aurangabad. A separate sub-station is working at Dhulia, for carrying out experiments on cotton breeding in medium and light types of soils. This work is for the use of Dhulia and Nasik districts.

A cotton trial sub-centre was started at Chopda in 1952. One more sub-station at Shegaon, taluka Ahmadnagar, was started in 1956 for experiments on the types of soils of Ahmadnagar and Barshi area. 1 he work of these sub-stations and trial centres is supervised and controlled by the Cotton Breeder, Jalgaon.

Staff working at different places at Jalgaon on the cotton breeding scheme is as follows: —

(1) (i) The Cotton Breeder (M. A. S., Class II).

(ii) One Agricultural Officer, Grade I.

(iii) One Agricultural Officer, Grade II.

(iv) One Agricultural Assistant, Grade I.

(v) One Agricultural Assistant, Grade II.

(2) Dhulia Sub-Station—

One Agricultural Officer, Grade II.

One Agricultural Assistant, Grade II.

One Counter.

(3) Chopda Sub-Station—

One Agricultural Assistant, Grade II.

(4) Sheogaon Sub-Station—

One Agricultural Officer, Grade II.

One Agricultural Assistant, Grade II.

The aims of the above scheme are to evolve a cotton variety suitable to the tract and superior to the present Virnar cotton in staple length, ginning percentage, outturn, yield, resistance to wilt. etc.

The Agricultural Research Station at Jalgaon was started in 1913 having a total area of 110 acres, out of which the cultivable area is 97 acres. Work is carried on in respect of production of improved seeds of various crops like cotton, wheat, gram, pulses, jowar and groundnut.

Agronomical experiments on these crops and research work are also carried on the farm which is in charge of an Agricultural Officer in Grade I with necessary staff. The Indian Meteorological observatory sub-station is situated in this research farm area to study the meteorological factors. The technical control of the stations is with the Millet Specialist and Wheat Specialist and the administrative control is with the Superintending Agricultural Officer, Aurangabad.

Oil Seed Research Station.

Oil Seed Research Station.—This station was established in 1957. Breeding work to evolve a suitable strain of groundnut is done since 1955 under the guidance of the Economic Botanist to Government of Maharashtra State, Poona. Now the scheme is working with the financial aid of the Indian Central Oil Seeds Committee. The Centre is in charge of an Oil Seeds Research Officer, Maharashtra Agricultural Service, Class II, assisted by a requisite staff.

Objects of the Scheme.—(1) To evolve superior strains of groundnut with higher shelling and oil percentage. (2) To evolve a groundnut variety which is resistant to leaf-spot disease. (3) To evolve early maturing strains of sesamum with higher yield, high oil contents with holder seeds and resistant to phyllody disease. (4) To conduct agronomic experiments in groundnut.

Mechanical cultivation.

Mechanical cultivation.—A unit, in charge of a foreman super-visor assisted by a staff has been set up in Edalabad peta. Its main work is to carry on bunding by using bulklosers. The programme is drawn in consultation with the Sub-Divisional Soil Conservation Officer, Jalgaon.

Lift Irrigation and Boring.

Lift Irrigation and Boring.—The Deputy Director of Agriculture (Engineering) stationed at Aurangabad gives advice to cultivators and co-operative lift irrigation societies on agricultural engineering problems such as selection of sites, estimates of erection of machinery and repairs to machinery, etc. Government has decided that boring machines belonging to the Department of Agriculture may be made available to the district local boards and to well organised co-operative societies in the district if they are willing to undertake to use the machines. On certain prescribed terms and conditions the machines can also be made available to the needy cultivators of the district.

The boring machines having a diameter of 6" x 4" can work successfully in this area. Poring works have been carried out successfully in Chooda, Yawal and Raver talukas. There is much scope for boring in the district.

Soil Conservation

Soil Conservation.—Soil conservation activities in Jalgaon district are placed in charge of the Sub-Divisional Soil Conservation Officer, Jalgaon, who is under the technical guidance of the Deputy Director of Agriculture (Engineering), Aurangabad, and administrative control of the Superintending Agricultural Officer. Aurangabad. The officer has under him one Sub-Divisional Soil Conservation Officer, M. A. S. Class II, and other staff.

The work of bunding was concentrated by the Soil Conservation Section in two talukas, viz., Chalisgaon and Parola in 1959. The total area bunded in Jalgaon district was 57,484 acres. The work of soil conservation is carried out in black system where contour bunding is done. There is a land improvement board in the district.

Afforestation.

Afforestation.—Afforestation work was done in the district during the First Five-Year Plan period. In the Second Five-Year Plan a Soil Conservation-cum-Afforestation Centre has been opened on 60 acres in the village limits of Mehrun in Jalgaon taluka.

Besides, a scheme to afforestate blank and arid areas in the forests of Jalgaon district was in operation in 1958-59. Under this scheme it was planned to afforestate 9,640 acres.

Tank work.

Tank Work.—Tank works of Velhale near Varangaon, taluka Bhusawal, irrigate nearly 1,472 acres of land. The cost of the tank which came to about Rs. 8,17,000 was met out of Government of India's one crore loan programme for completion of scarcity works. The tank is in charge of the Public Works Department, Jalgaon. The cultivable area under command is 1,829 acres and is only on the right bank.

Horticulture.

Horticulture.—Banana is one of the important crops of the district. Government has founded a research farm for bananas in Raver taluka. The Research Station has started its functioning.

Soil Physicists.

Soil. Physicists.—This section is not working in the district but required help is given by the Soil Physicist, Government of Maharashtra, Poona.

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