AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

AGRICULTURAL POPULATION.

IN THE YEAR 1951, NEARLY 76 PER CENT. OF THE TOTAL POPULATION of the Kolhapur district was engaged in agriculture. A comparison of the decennial census figures over the past seventy years indicates the trends underlying the variations in agricultural population from decade to decade. However, such a course is not possible for two reasons. Firstly, the decennial census figures, owing to changes in the methods of enumeration and classification, do not provide a consistent record, from decade to decade, of the changes in the structure of population actually engaged in agriculture. Secondly, the merger of the former Kolhapur State in 1949 renders the figures of 1951 census of Kolhapur district difficult of comparison with the earlier figures. Nevertheless, these changes can be broadly gauged from the figures of population given in the census reports under the head "Rural", which includes not only persons engaged in agriculture and allied occupations but also those engaged in non-agricultural occupations. These figures indicate that, during the past seven decades, the increase in rural population has not kept pace with that in urban population. The following table brings out this point:-

TABLE No. 1.
 RURAL AND URBAN POPULATION OF KOLHAPUR DISTRICT (1881-1951).

During the period 1881-1941, the total population increased from 8,00,189 to 10,92,046, an addition of 2,91,857 persons during sixty years. The increase in the decade 1941-51 is more pronounced. In 1951 the total population increased by 1,35,501. Broadly speaking the total increase in population during the period 1881-1951 is of the order of 53.4 per cent.

As against this increase, the rural population increased from 7,34,166 to 9,50,090, an increase of 29.4 per cent, over the population of 1881. Urban population, on the other hand, increased by as much as 320 per cent. This shows that increase in the rural population has not kept pace with that in the urban population. Actually, the proportion of the rural population to the total has been on the decline which became very evident in the last decade. It has dwindled from 91.8 per cent, in 1881 to 84.3 in 1941 and to 77.4 per cent, in 1951. In technical terms, the urban population has shown an accelerating rate of increase at each of the past censuses, while the rural population has shown a de-celerating rate of increase. The following table gives the population of towns in the district:-

TABLE No. 2.

URBAN POPULATION IN KOLHAPUR DISTRICT IN 1951.

In 1951 there were 19 towns in the district, seven being in the taluka of Hatkanangle alone. There were only six towns in 1881 in the area which now constitutes Kolhapur district. The population of Kolhapur city increased by 141 per cent. during 1881-1941 and by 47 per cent. in the decade 1941-51 alone. This was mainly due to the increased tempo of industrialisation which could be witnessed in the former Kolhapur State in general and in Kolhapur town (the then state capital and present district headquarters) in particular. Similarly, the population of Ichalkaranji (headquarters of Hatkanangle taluka) increased by 104 per cent. during 1881-1941 while in the decade 1941-51 alone, the increase was about 49 per cent. Ichalkaranji is an important centre of power-loom weaving industry which is advancing at a rapid pace in the district.

Out of the 19 towns, ten (viz., Ajra, Hupari, Pattankodoli, Kumbhoj, Rukadi, Murgud, Kapashi, Malakapur, Jaisingpur and Nandani) had sprung up only after 1941. Among these Hupari (in Hatkanangle taluka) is an important village industries centre and is famous for silver ware.

The following table shows talukawise distribution of urban and rural population of the district: -

TABLE No. 3.

RURAL AND URBAN POPULATION IN KOLHAPUR DISTRICT (TALUKAWISE), 1951.

The talukas of Bavda, Bhudargad and Radhanagari are purely rural. In the Karvir and Hatkanangle talukas we find that the proportion of the urban population to the total is 51.4 and 37.2 per cent. respectively. These two talukas are noted for their commercial and industrial activities. The rest of the talukas are predominantly rural.

In the 1951 census the number of persons engaged in agriculture and in various allied occupations was recorded. This is shown in the following tables:-

TABLE No. 4.
POPULATION ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURE IN KOLHAPUR DISTRICT IN 1951.

TABLE No. 5.
POPULATION ENGAGED IN ALLIED AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS IN KOLHAPUR DISTRICT IN 1951.

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood to 9,28,265 persons including self-supporting persons, both earning and non-earning, besides providing subsidiary occupation to a fairly large number of persons. In table Nos. 4 and 5 above are included persons engaged in agricultural cultivation; land owners cultivating and non-cultivating; farm labourers; labourers working in forests; and persons engaged in rearing, breeding and dealing in livestock. The majority of the workers on the land are the cultivating owners, numbering 6,63,073 who work on their own farms. Tenant cultivators who numbered 1,54,023 come next. Agricultural labourers, who work on other people's farms for wages in cash or kind, numbered 84,636. The non-cultivating owners of land, numbering 26,533, usually give out their lands to tenant cultivators on rent. The number of persons engaged in occupations allied to agriculture was 2,539. Of these, 250 were forest labourers who collect wood fuel and burn firewood for charcoal; 2,180 were engaged in breeding and rearing of livestock. Persons engaged in livestock business usually keep good quality cattle, buffaloes, and pack animals. They also keep sheep, goats and poultry.

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