AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

GENERAL ECONOMIC SURVEY

IT IS INTENDED TO DEVOTE THIS PART of the volume to a detailed account of the economic life in the Kolaba district. The chapters that follow deal at some length with Industries, Banking, Trade and Commerce, Communications and Miscellaneous Occupations. The account begins with a detailed description of the agricultural economy of the district. However, to give the reader a bird's-eye view of the various economic aspects of the life of the people, these chapters are preceded by a summary of what is to follow. This will serve as an introduction to the description of the economic organization of the district. In continuation of this, a similar attempt is also made in the chapter 'Economic Thends' which is divided into two sections, 'Standard of Life' and 'Economic Prospects'. The former briefly describes the material requisites enjoyed by people belonging to the various strata of social life in the district within the frame-work of existing resources at their disposal. The latter analyses possibilities of economic development in all the spheres of economic life in future, having, regard to economic potentialities of the district coupled with planned efforts of the Government.

Population.

The population of the district rose from 3,81,649 in 1881 to 9,09,083 in 1951, that is, it more than doubled itself during the period. However, the ratio of rural to urban population was unchanged and remained roughly at 8:1. Of the total population of 9,09,083 in 1951, there were 2,49,693 self-supporting persons, 1,76,857 earning dependants and 4,82,553 non-earning dependants.

Agriculture.

The pace of urbanisation has been very slow in the district which continues, even to-day, to be predominantly agricultural. The census of 1951 returned that 6,72,839 persons or about 74 per cent of the total inhabitants depended upon agriculture as a principal means of livelihood and 1,24,379 persons or about 13 per cent of the total inhabitants followed agriculture as a subsidiary means of livelihood.

Of the incumbents depending upon agriculture as a principal means of livelihood, there were 1,78.377 self-supporting persons, 1,52,412 earning dependants and 3,42.050 non-earning dependants. According to another basis of classification, the agricultural class comprised 2,43,027 cultivators of land wholly or mainly owned and their dependants. 3,81,879 cultivators of land wholly or mainly unowned and their dependants, 29,439 cultivating labourers and their dependants and 18,494 non-cultivating owners of land, agricultural rent receivers and their dependants.

Persons belonging to the non-agricultural class, that is, depending on non-agricultural pursuits for their principal means of livelihood, numbered 2,36,244 in 1951 and were composed of 71,316 self-supporting persons, 24,425 earning dependants and 1,40,503 non-earning dependants. Of the non-agricultural pursuits, production other than cultivation absorbed 74,467 persons, commerce 34,177 persons, transport 20,655 persons and, other services and miscellaneous sources, the remaining 1,06,945 persons. Besides, non-agricultural pursuits provided a secondary means of livelihood to 26, 763 persons.

Cultivated Area.

Of the total area of nearly 17 lakhs of acres (16,96,181 acres), the cultivated area was 7,76,449 acres (45.77 per cent) and area under forests 4,09,684 acres (24.15 per cent) in 1958-59. The average rainfall of the district varies from about 90 inches at Alibag to over 225 inches at Matheran. Agriculture in the district depends mainly on rainfall. In 1958-59, the total cropped area was 5,39,136 acres of which about 5,200 acres were under irrigation. Thus, not even one per cent of the total area under cultivation is irrigated in the district which speaks for poor irrigation facilities obtaining in it. There is no major irrigation work in the district. Mutholi in the Roha taluka, Vasrang in the Khalapur taluka and Kalundra in the Panvel taluka are among the important minor irrigation works. The soils of the district fall under six main categories such as forest soils, varkas soils, rice soils, khar soils, coastal alluvial soils, and laterite soils. Of these, forest soils are not put to cultivation but yield valuable forest produce like teak, hirda, beheda, pepper, etc. Varkas soils located just below the forest soils are poor in organic matters and nitrogen and are found suitable for the growth of millets. Rice soils occupy the largest area of the district and are best suited for the growth of rice. Khar soils situated on the flat levelled land near the creeks are being brought under reclamation. Coastal alluvial soils found all along the coast are best suited for the cultivation of garden crops like coconut, areca-nut, plantain, etc. Laterite soils are observed amongst the Sahyadri Ranges in the trap rock, mainly at Matheran and Poladpur.

Food Crops.

The main food crops are rice, ragi, vari and kodra among cereals; val, mug (green gram), and udid (black gram) among pulses; and fruits and vegetables. In 1958-59, food crops occupied 4,35,135 acres and accounted for 80.71 per cent of the total gross cropped area. Rice covered an area of 3,27,711 acres (60.78 per cent), ragi 44,608 acres (8.27 per cent), vari 23,839 acres (4.42 per cent), val 17,433 acres (3.23 per cent), mug (green gram) 3,123 acres (0.57 per cent), tur 2,526 acres (0.46 per cent), udid (black gram) 2,875 acres (0.53 per cent), grass 1,184 acres (0.21 per cent), condiments and spices 2,936 acres (0.54 per cent), fruits 1,965 acres (0.36 per cent) and vegetables 2,840 acres (0.52 per cent).

Non-food Crops.

Fodder, seasamum and coconut are among the important nonfood crops. In 1958-59, fodder commanded an area of 99,316 acres or 1.84 per cent of the total cropped area; seasamum 4,218 acres (0.78 per cent); coconut 1,898 acres (0.35 per cent) and sann hemp (Bombay hemp), ambadi (deccan hemp), miscellaneous edible oilseeds and miscellaneous non-food crops together occupied a total of 540 acres (0.10 per cent)

Pressure of population.

Major forest products are timber, firewood and charcoal, while minor forest products are negligible.

In 1958-59, the total area available for cultivation was 8,53,196 acres (including 2,61,924 acres under current and other fallows and 76,747 acres under culturable waste). It worked out to 37.5 gunthas per head of population. The net sown area was 5,14,255 acres. It worked out to 22.6 gunthas per head of population.

Distribution of Land

Statistics of distribution of land are available in respect of 8,94,269 acres (both khalsa and inam). The average size of holding for the district worked out to 6.3 acres. Of the 1,42,300 persons holding land, 1,04,908 (73.7 per cent) belonged to the smallest magnitude group of up to five acres and held 2,13,199 acres (23.84 per cent). The average size of holdings of this group worked out to 2.04 acres. There were 26,622 persons (18.8 per cent) with holdings of over five and up to fifteen acres. They held 1.76.801 acres (19.78 per cent). The persons holding over fifteen and up to twenty-five acres of land numbered 5,077 (3.56 per cent) and held 1,00,829 acres (11.27 per cent). There were 4.856 persons (3.41 per cent) belonging to the magnitude group of over twenty-five up to hundred acres who held 2,08,642 acres (23.33 per cent). 763 persons (0.53 per cent) belonged to the magnitude group of over hundred and up to five hundred acres and held a total of 1,24,192 acres (13.88 per cent). However, there were only 74 persons (0.52 per cent) each holding over five hundred acres. They held 70,606 acres (7.89 per cent). The customary laws of inheritance and succession led to the sub-division and fragmentation of holdings, thereby making cultivation uneconomic. The Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act. 1947, is being implemented to consolidate uneconomic fragments and improve the present position.

Tenancy Legislation.

The Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948, has been enacted to provide security of tenure to tenants. The Act has fixed the minimum rate of rent at one-third and one-fourth of the total crop in the case of non-irrigated lands and irrigated lands, respectively. It also empowers the Government to fix rate of rent lower than the minimum laid down under the Act which was amended in 1956. The main objective of the Government is to remove gradually all intermediaries and make the tiller of soil the owner of land. The Act provides for the purchase of land by the tenant from the landlord under certain conditions. This Act is expected to bring about a more even distribution of land among cultivating owners.

Agricultural Tools.

The field tools and agricultural implements used generally by the cultivators continue to be of the old and indigenous type, though some progress seems to have been made in the direction of the use of improved types of ploughs and cane-crushers. Iron ploughs are slowly replacing the indigenous wooden ones. In 1956, there were 88,016 ploughs, 57 sugar-cane crushers, 261 oil engines and six tractors in" the district. High cost of implements and absence of advanced techniques of farming are the main factors responsible for a slow switch_over to modern improved farm tools and agricultural implements.

Live-stock.

Live-stock continues to be a valuable possession of the farmer and holds an important place in the rural economy of the district. In 1956, there were 1,51,415 bullocks, 1,19,971 cows, 44,320 he-buffaloes, 37,692 she-buffaloes, 1,985 sheep and 53,582 goats, in the district. Poultry population, during the same year, was 6,02,943. Efforts to improve the quality of cattle and sheep as well as to upgrade poultry stock of the district are being made through a number of cattle, sheep and poultry development schemes.

Wages.

Wages in rural areas are paid both in cash and in kind. The average wage rate for a male labourer was Rs. 1-4 per day in the district, though allowance must be made for minor variations between the rates of wages in rural and urban areas. However, skilled operations command high wages even in rural areas. Females are generally paid less and their rate of wages averages about a rupee a day. Wages paid to child labour are still less, being almost half of those paid to female labour.

Industries.

The Kolaba district has been an industrially backward tract and whatever progress the district may have attained can be traced back to the period following the First World War. Briefly, the picture of industrialisation, as it appears at present, is far much better than the one which obtained half a century ago. By industries then was meant a handful of rice mills, two or three electricity generating units and a factory engaged in ayurvedic medicines. The renaissance of the industrial era was perhaps marked here during the First World War when such factors as increase in demand for rice and availability of cheap power among others must have ushered in the development of rice milling business. A few paper manufacturing units and a cutlery workshop which now exist in the district were also unknown to this region till this time.

The total employment in all industries and services was 69,943 in 1951.

Besides these industries, there are a few cottage industries such as charcoal-making, fishing, wool weaving, leather, bamboo-plaiting, carpentry and smithy, salt-making, pottery and brick-making among others.

Trade.

Of the total population of 9,09,083, trade and commerce accounted for 9,866, in 1951. The percentage of self-supporting traders and businessmen to the total population worked out at only 1.1.

Of the total of 9,866 self-supporting persons, 5,870 were from rural areas and the remaining 3,996 were from urban areas. Employment in retail trade was higher than that in wholesale trade.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the pattern and organisation of trade and commerce have undergone vast changes. The annual turnover of import and export trade was also small. Till 1947, there was no co-operative marketing institution, "Regulated markets were not established till 1955.

A number of co-operative marketing organisations have come into existence only recently.

The chief items of import are: Iron beams, screws, nails, jars and cement from Bombay; wheat, jowar and pulses from Bombay, Poona, Satara, Karad, Lonand and Wai; chillies from Karad and Koregaon; coriander from Koregaon and Wai; drugs and medicines from Bombay; cloth hosiery goods, cutlery and stationery articles from Bombay; and metal utensils, watches, electric appliances and footwear from Bombay and Poona.

Rice is by far the most important export commodity of the district. The other articles exported are charcoal, firewood, raw mango (kairi), apta leaves, and vegetables, Rice flakes (pohas) are also an important item of export.

Panvel is by far tne biggest collecting centre of paddy and distributing centre of rice. The total turnover of paddy in this market may be estimated at 12 lakhs of Bengali maunds valued at about Rs. 2,10,00,000.

Mahad is another important centre of wholesale trade in rice. Commodities like onions, chillies, garlic, cereals and pulses are brought to Mahad, from the Satara district for being distributed all over the Kolaba district.

Pen is a notable centre of wholesale trade in paddy, rice, rice flakes, salt, artistic images, etc. The average annual turnover of salt is valued at 10 to 12 lakhs of rupees.

The other centres of wholesale trade are Roha, Nagothana, Poynad and Karjat.

The position of the regulated markets in this district is far from satisfactory. The history of regulated markets here can be traced to 1955. At present there are regulated markets at Karjat, Panvel and Pen. The Karjat and Panvel market committees started actual regulation work from December, 1958 and March, 1959, respectively. The commodities regulated under the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1939 are paddy, nagali and vari in the Kolaba district.

The metric system of weights and measures, under the Bombay Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1958 has been made applicable to the Panvel town.

Sea-borne Trade

From the point of view of trade and commerce, Mora, Karanja, Revdanda, Shriwardhan and Murud are the noteworthy ports. The sea-borne traffic is mainly with Bombay and Ratnagiri.

Finance.

As far back as the fifties of the last century, there were no banking establishments in the Kolaba district. Monetary transactions were carried on by money-lenders who were Gujarat Vanis, Marwaris, Brahmins, Sonars, etc. Petty money-lenders had, besides money-lending, other callings too. There was no regular system of book-keeping or of maintaining accounts. The rate of interest varied from 7 to 9 per cent against pawned and personal credit, respectively, in the case of the rich. With middle-class persons, however, it varied between 18 and 37 per cent. Land mortgages were common. Labour, too, was often mortgaged. With the emergence of modern banking system, money-lenders' influence declined a great deal. Nevertheless, they still dominate the field of rural credit. Many of them indulged in nefarious practices. To check these, the Government passed the Money Lenders' Act, 1946 which compels money-lenders to maintain accounts and obtain licences. It also raised the rates of interest from 6 to 9 per cent on secured and 9 to 12per cent on unsecured loans.

In 1958-59, there were 161 licensed money-lenders in the district. The lowest number of money-lenders was in the Mhasla peta; for, except one person here, the class of money-lenders seemed to be conspicuously absent. The amount of Rs. 11,06,040 was loaned to traders and that of Rs. 8,79,463 to non-traders. Since the transfer of the Bombay Money Lenders' Act to the Cooperative Department and with the creation of the post of the Inspector of Money Lenders for the district, the number of moneylenders holding valid licences has been on the increase.

Co-operative movement was started in the district in 1910 when the first co-operative society was established at Dahiwali-Malegaon in the Karjat taluka. The main intention behind the movement was to make available to the agriculturists cheap credit and to stimulate among the people a sense of co-operation and thrift. However, it was only after Independence that the movement received momentum. Thus, in 1959, there were 645 co-operative societies of various types in the district.

Banking business did not flourish in this district owing to its agricultural and industrial backwardness. At the time the old Gazetteer was published, there was not a single banking establishment in the district. In 1925, the first co-operative bank was opened up at Pen. There are four joint stock banks in the district. However, except the Murud-Janjira Bank with its registered head office at Murud-Janjira, all of them are branches with registered head offices outside the district.

There are various schemes under which financial assistance is given by the State to industrial co-operatives and village industries. Under the State-Aid to Industries Act, 1935, loan and subsidy of Rs. 12,000 has been sanctioned so far for purchasing machinery, working capital, etc. Under the scheme of aid to the educated unemployed, only one person has been granted Rs. 1,500 for the purchase of tools and machinery. A subsidy of Rs. 14,700 has also been granted to backward class artisans for purchasing tools and as capital.

Similarly, an amount of Rs. 13,110 including Rs. 11,710 as loan and Rs. 1,400 as subsidy has been granted to industrial co-operatives either for starting new industries or for running the old ones.

Transport.

Roads.

By March 1958, the total road mileage under jurisdiction of the Public Works Department and the District Local Board was 584.6 miles, of Which 513.42 miles were metalled and 71.19 unmetalled. The surface of most of the highways is either cement concrete or asphalted. With the construction' of a bridge on the Alibag-Khopoli road near Dharamtar, through traffic has become possible.

The Bombay-Poona road is the only national highway in this district. Its. length in the district is 32 miles. The state highways passing through the Kolaba district are as under: —

(1) Bombay-Konkan-Goa road, 95 miles 6 furlongs.

(2) Alibag-Khopoli road, 37 miles.

(3) Mahad-Pandharpur road, 13 miles 5 furlongs.

(4) Surul-Mahabaleshwar-Poladpur road, 15 miles.

There are a number of major district roads connecting important centres of trade and commerce. They serve as arteries to highways.

Railways

The railway routes traversing this district are, (i) Bombay-Poona railway line, (ii) Karjat-Khopoli railway line, and (iii) Matheran hill station light railway line. The first two are broad gauge lines, while the third one is a rail-motor route operated only in the fair season. A length of 21 miles of the Bombay-Poona line serves the traffic in the district. The Karjat-Khopoli route which emanates from Karjat on the Bombay-Poona line measures a distance of about 9 miles. The Matheran hill station light railway runs a distance of 13 miles from Neral.

State Transport.

The State Transport services in the Kolaba district are covered in the Thana Division of the State Road Transport Corporation. The nationalisation of passenger services was started in 1950. The number of the State Transport routes passing through the district is 84. The State Transport authorities are also undertaking goods transport since 1953.

Radio Communications.

Under the Rural Broadcasting Contributory Scheme of the Government of Maharashtra, the Directorate of Publicity installed 61 radio sets in the Kolaba district, as under:—

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