AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

LAND UTILISATION

The district is hilly in the west and south. Fertile valleys of fine black and reddish sandy soil lie between hills in the south. The river Krishna and its tributaries Varna, Yerala and Agrani are the important rivers in the district. The district may be divided broadly into (1) the Varna basin with adjoining hills, (2) the Krishna basin, (3) the Yerala basin and (4) the eastern plateaus. In the Varna basin the rainfall is heaviest. The major portion of the basin is covered with forest. The Krishna valley is the most fertile part of the district, while the plateaus of the eastern part which consist of the Khanapur and the Jath plateaus are less wooded and barren. However, on the whole agriculture is the main component in the land utilisation. Table No. 9 gives the statistics of land utilisation in the district in 1961-62.

TABLE No. 9.

TALUKAWISE CULTIVATED AND UNCULTIVATED AREA IN SANGLI DISTRICT, 1956-57 TO 1961-62.

(Area in hectares and acres)

Taluka

Year

Total geographical area

Gross cropped area

Area cropped more than once

Net area sown

Current fallows

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Miraj

1956-57

163,229.288

132,011.406

2,380.768

129,630.638

--

403,348

326,207

5,883

320,324

--

1957-58

163,229.288

133,069.660

1,984.985

131,084.675

420.468

403,348

328,822

4,905

323,917

1,039

1958-59

163,236.573

134,931.215

2,264.218

132,666.997

768.903

403,366

333,422

5,595

327,827

1,900

1959-60

163,236.573

135,663.697

2,622.770

133,040.927

91.864

403,366

335,232

6,481

328,751

227

1960-61

163,236.573

137,357.712

6,419.939

130,937.774

--

403,366

339,418

15,864

323,554

--

1961-62

163,286.754

134,457.733

2,485.986

131,971.746

--

403,490

332,252

6,143

326,109

--

TABLE No. 9-contd.

(Area in hectares and acres)

Taluka

Year

Barren and uncultivated area

Land put to non-agricultural uses

Miscellaneous groves, permanent pastures, other grazing lands

Culturable waste

(1)

(2)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

Miraj

1956-57

7,588.672

103.600

8,588.651

1,819.873

18,752

256

21,223

4,497

1957-58

2,252.077

522.854

11,594.254

1,827.966

5,565

1,292

28,650

4,517

1958-59

22,286.058

529.329

12,728.184

1,828.371

55,070

1,308

31,452

4,518

1959-60

7,590.290

104.409

12,614.467

1,407.093

18,756

258

31,171

3,477

1960-61

7,059.747

530.138

8,567.607

1,611.055

17,445

1,310

21,171

3,981

1961-62

10,018.811

562.109

4,921.791

1,596.081

24,757

1,389

12,162

3,944

TABLE No. 9—contd.

(Area in hectares and acres)

Taluka

Year

Total geographical area

Gross cropped area

Area cropped more than once

Net area sown

Current fallows

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Shirala

1956-57

63,504.945

47,381.041

2,755.911

44,625.130

--

156,924

117,031

6,810

110,271

--

1957-58

63,504.945

47,513.778

2,983.750

44,530.028

--

156,924

117,409

7,373

110,036

--

1958-59

63,504.945

47,710.456

3,065.496

44,644.959

--

156,924

117,895

7,575

110,320

--

1959-60

63,492.805

48,780.850

4,121.727

44,659.123

--

156,894

120,540

10,185

110,355

--

1960-61

63,492.805

48,682.916

4,022.578

44,660.337

--

156,894

120,298

9,940

110,358

--

1961-62

63,492.805

48,794.609

4,748.990

44,045.619

--

156,894

120,574

11,735

108,839

--

Khanapur

1956-57

220,166.585

158,250.032

6,983.261

151,266.770

1,800.853

544,043

391,044

17,256

373,788

4,450

1957-58

220,178.726

159,328.520

7,249.545

152,078.975

1,144.047

544,073

393,709

17,914

375,795

2,827

1958-59

219,776.063

155,998.359

8,555.062

147,443.297

4,039.575

543,078

385,480

21,140

364,340

9,982

1959-60

219,776.063

156,640.596

7,734.763

148,905.832

3,003.175

543,078

387,067

19,113

367,954

7,421

1960-61

219,776.872

158,062.662

7,574.508

150,488.155

4,044.432

543,080

390,581

18,717

371,864

9,994

1961-62

219,776.872

183.814.451

7,457.553

176,356.898

3,961.876

543,080

454,215

18,428

435,787

9,790

Jath

1956-57

224,687.737

165,915.190

2,506.220

163,408.969

3,393.696

555,215

409,985

6,193

403,792

8,386

1957-58

224,687.737

163,156.040

1,046.922

162,109.118

2,579.468

555,215

403,167

2,587

400,580

6,374

1958-59

224,691.380

168,236.468

2,546.689

165,689.780

1,189.372

555,224

415,721

6,293

409,428

2,939

1959-60

224,693.403

167,141.388

2,737.700

164,403.687

--

555,229

413,015

6,765

406,250

--

1960-61

224,693.403

165,414.998

1,776.167

163,638.831

--

555,229

408,749

4,389

403,360

--

1961-62

224,688.951

167,284.647

3,802.025

163,432.622

--

555,218

413,369

9,395

403,974

--

Walwa

1956-57

78,700.500

66,558.301

927.135

65,631.166

--

194,473

164,469

2,291

162,178

--

1957-58

78,700.500

66,965.820

1,290.543

65,675.277

--

194,473

165,476

3,189

162,287

--

TABLE No. 9—contd.

(Area in hectares and acres)

Taluka

Year

Barren and uncultivated area

Land put to non-agricultural uses

Miscellaneous groves, permanent pastures, other grazing lands

Culturable waste

(1)

(2)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

Shirala

1956-57

2,856.678

2.428

1,476.294

1,191.800

7,059

6

3,648

2,945

1957-58

2,856.678

2.428

1,476.294

1,191.800

7,059

6

3,648

2,945

1958-59

2,855.869

2.428

1,477.104

1,191.800

7,057

6

3,650

2,945

1959-60

2,814.591

2.428

1,477.104

1,193.419

6,955

6

3,650

2,949

1960-61

2,814.591

2.428

1,477.104

1,191.800

6,955

6

3,650

2,945

1961-62

2,900.384

4.046

1,477.104

1,724.367

7,167

10

3,650

4,261

Khanapur

1956-57

12,286.671

46.134

7,689.843

1,379.170

30,361

114

19,002

3,408

1957-58

13,406.438

46.134

4,290.076

1,379.170

33,128

114

10,601

3,408

1958-59

14,519.729

36.421

3,260.960

1,379.170

35,879

90

8,058

3,408

1959-60

14,519.729

40.064

3,260.960

1,379.170

35,879

99

8,058

3,408

1960-61

14,519.729

40.064

3,260.960

1,419.234

35,879

99

8,058

3,507

1961-62

14,519.729

40.064

3,260.960

1,415.187

35,879

99

8,053

3,497

Jath

1956-57

6,224.880

157.423

5,921.770

509.500

15,382

389

14,633

1,259

1957-58

8,252.761

316.464

5,921.770

437.061

20,393

782

14,633

1,080

1958-59

6,224.880

157.423

5,921.770

437.061

15,382

389

14,633

1,080

1959-60

6,225.284

157.423

5,921.770

510.309

15,383

389

14,633

1,261

1960-61

6,225.284

157.423

5,921.770

510.309

15,383

389

14,633

1,261

1961-62

6,228.927

157.423

5,979.640

510.309

15,392

389

14,776

1,261

Walwa

1956-57

7,219.598

102.385

258.189

--

17,840

253

638

--

1957-58

7,321.579

143.663

258.189

--

18,092

355

638

--

TABLE No. 9—contd.

(Area in hectares and acres)

Taluka

Year

Total geographical area

Gross cropped area

Area cropped more than once

Net area sown

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

 

1958-59

78,700.905

66,673.637

1,430.970

65,242.667

194,474

164,754

3,536

161,218

1959-60

78,700.905

66,050.421

1,371.076

64,679.344

194,474

163,214

3,388

159,826

1960-61

78,667.316

65,740.431

1,247.242

64,493.189

194,391

162,448

3,082

159,366

1961-62

78,667.316

65,586.246

1,454.036

64,132.209

194,391

162,067

3,593

158,474

Tasgaon

1956-57

111,150.652

87,145.488

1,753.909

85,391.579

274,659

215,341

4,334

211,007

1957-58

111,150.652

91,617.268

1,559.660

90,057.608

274,659

226,391

3,854

222,537

1958-59

111,151.866

93,932.881

1,485.602

92,447.279

274,662

232,113

3,671

228,442

1959-60

111,151.866

94,384.106

4,344.304

90,039.802

274,662

233,228

10,735

222,493

1960-61

111,151.866

92,505.554

4,845.305

87,660.248

274,662

228,586

11,973

216,613

1961-62

111,151.866

91,718.844

4,818.191

86,900.653

274,662

226,642

11,906

214,736

District* Total

1956-57

861,439.710

657,261.459

17,307.206

639,954.253

(2,128,662)

(1,624,127)

(42,767)

(1,581,360)

1957-58

861.451.850

661,651.088

16,115.406

645,535.682

(2,128,692)

(1,634,974)

(39,822)

(1,595,152)

1958-59

861,061.733

667,483.018

19,348.037

648,134.980

(2,127,728)

(1,649,385)

(47,810)

(1,601,575)

1959-60

861.051.616

668,661.463

22,932.341

645,728.717

(2,127,703)

(1,652,297)

(56,667)

(1,595,629)

1960-61

861,018.836

667,764.275

25,885.740

641,878.535

(2,127,622)

(1,650,080)

(63,965)

(1,586,115)

1961-62

861,064.566

691,656.531

24,766.783

666,889.748

(2,127,735)

(1,709,119)

(61,200)

(1,647,919)

TABLE No. 9—contd.

(Area in hectares and acres)

Taluka

Year

Current fallows

Barren and uncultivated area

Land put to non-agricultural uses

Miscellaneous groves, permanent pastures, other grazing lands

Culturable waste

(1)

(2)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

 

1958-59

--

7,321.579

112.098

258.189

--

--

18,092

277

638

--

1959-60

--

7,321.579

112.098

258.189

--

--

13,092

277

638

--

1960-61

--

7,295.679

--

258.189

--

--

18,028

--

638

--

1961-62

--

7,295.679

45.729

258.189

--

--

18,028

113

638

--

Tasgaon

1956-57

29.137

2,991.439

4,687.882

1,677.828

10,236.127

72

7,392

11,584

4,146

25,294

1957-58

137.188

2,991.439

4,688.692

3,296.977

2,152.525

339

7,392

11,586

8,147

5,319

1958-9

2,115.698

5,046.839

32.779

3,836.018

1,564.516

5,228

12,471

81

9,479

3,866

1959-60

6,673.272

5,046.839

33.184

415.208

3,080.874

16,490

12,471

82

1,026

7,613

1960-61

2,820.661

4,964.283

69.201

1,332.631

3,320.044

6,970

12,267

171

3,293

8,204

1961-62

2,830.778

4,964.283

69.201

1,332.631

3,320.044

6,995

12,267

171

393

8,204

District* Total

1956-57

52,23.687

39,167.939

5,099.853

25612.577

15,136.470

(12,908)

(96,786)

(12,602)

(63,290)

(37,403)

1957-58

4,281.173

37,080.973

5,720.236

26,837.561

6988.522

(10,579)

(91,629)

(14,135)

(66,317)

(17,269)

1958-59

8,113.550

58,254.954

870.479

27482.226

6,400.918

(20,049)

(143,951)

(2,151)

(67,910)

(15,817)

1959-60

' 9,768.310

43,518.313

449.606

23,47.698

7,570.865

(24,138)

(107,536)

(1,111)

(59,176)

(18,708)

1960-61

6,865.093

42,879.314

799.255

20818.261

8,052.442

(16,964)

(105,957)

(1,975)

(5,443)

(19,898)

1961-62

6,792.654

45,927.814

878.573

1230.316

8,565.988

(16,785)

(113,490)

(2,171)

(42,577)

(21,167)

* Figures in brackets for district total show area in acres.

The land under cultivation in the district falls under two heads jirayat and bagayat. Of these jirayat covers the major portion of the total cultivated land. The land under jirayat is cultivated only once in the monsoon while the bagayat land is cropped with the help of irrigation. The main food crops are jowar, bajra, etc., among cereals, gram and tur among pulses; and turmeric, fruits, vegetables, sugarcane, condiments and spices.

Forest Area.

Of the 324.941 km- (125.46 sq. miles) of reserved forests, 80.35 sq. miles are in charge of the Revenue department, while the rest, i.e., 116.835 knr (45.11 sq. miles), lying in Walwa, Tasgaon, Khanapur, Tath and Shirala talukas, are in charge of the Forest department. Neither kumri cultivation is followed in the forests in charge of the Forest department nor is land cleared for cultivation. However, about 412.779 hectares (1,020 acres) of land have been illicitly cleared by the villagers for unauthorised cultivation. Though there is no desert in the district, the open and denuded hills, about 105.218 hectares (260 acres) in charge of the Forest department are being afforested.

In Sangli district, the wellclad hills with moist deciduous forests, and with trees of economical importance such as teak, ain, dhaora, jamun, pisa, anjan and hirda, are found only in Shirala mahal. The main ridge of western ghats and the hill slopes grow semi-evergreen forests and are not exploited due to inaccessibility. The accessible forests are exploited scientifically under the provisions of a working plan and the prescriptions of Teak Timber Working Circle and Main Working Circle. These forests are also being gradually developed under the successive Five-Year Plan Schemes by raising teak, bamboo and kaju plantations.

TABLE No. 10.

TALUKAWISE DISTRIBUTION OF FOREST AREA IN SANGLI DISTRICT, 1961-62.

(Area in hectares)

[Figures in brackets indicate area in acres.]

Range

Taluka (whole or part) included in the range

Forest in charge of Forest Department

Forest in charge of Revenue Department

Reserved

Protected

Reserved

Protected

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

Karad

Walwa, Tasgaon, Khanapur, Shirala peta.

4,924.782
(12,169-39)

21.497
(53-12)

--

--

Dhebewadi

Shirala peta

11,540.042
(28,516-04)

--

--

--

Jath Round

Jath

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

2,195.972
(5,426-36)

--

Total

16,465.067
(40,686-03)

21.497
(53-12)

2,195.972
(5,426-36)

--

TABLE No. 10-contd.

Range

Total

Other Forests

Reserved

Protected

Incharge of Forest Department

(1)

(7)

(8)

(9)

Karad

4,924.782
 (12,169-39)

21.497 (53-12)

(1) Unclosed forest 412.73
(1,020-23).

Dhebe-wadi

11,540.042
(28,516-04)

--

(2) Leased forest 142.449
(352-00)

Jath Round

--

--

(3) Unclosed forest, 11,252.023
(27,804-33)

--

2,195.972
(5,426-36)

--

--

Total

18,661.039
(46,112-39)

21,497
(53-12)

11,807.588
(29,177-16)

TABLE No. 11.

STATEMENT REGARDING OUTTURNS AND REALISATION OF VALUE OF THE FOREST PRODUCE IN SANGLI DISTRICT, 1961-62.

Taluka

Timber and firewood

Taluka

Minor forest produce and their value in Rupees

Outturn in C.ft.

Value in Rupees

Grass

Hirda

Shikekai

Shembati bark

Pisa seeds

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

Shirala

8,831.84

Rs.

Shirala

Rs.

Rs.

Rs.

Rs.

Rs.

16,131.73

3,295

800

500

25

15

Khanapur

235

--

--

--

--

Total

8,831.84

16,131.73

Total

3,530

800

500

25

15
 

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