Area, according to village papers is
based on returns of area prepared by village staff for revenue purpose in the
district. Area under forests includes
actually forested areas on the lands, classed or administered as forest under
any legal enactment dealing with forests whether State owned or private except
in areas not cadastrally surveyed.
The total area under forests in the
Gurdaspur District in 1971-1972 was only 16 thousand hectares.
Land not available for cultivation
includes absolutely barren and unculturable land like mountains, deserts, etc.,
which cannot be brought under plough except at exorbitant cost, or land covered
by buildings roads and railways and water or otherwise appropriated for
non-agricultural purpose. The total
area of land not available for cultivation in the district was 76 thousand
hectares in 1971-72.
Other uncultivated land, excluding
fallow land denotes land available for cultivation, either not taken up for
cultivation or abandoned later on for one reason or the other and includes
culturable waste, permanent pastures and other grazing lands and lands under
miscellaneous tree crops and groves.
Fallow lands are of two types :
lands which have remained out of cultivatiion for a period not less than one
year but not more than four years are called ‘old fallows’ and lands which are
left fallow up to one year only are called ‘current fallows’. The area under fallow lands in the Gurdaspur
District during 1965-66 to 1971-72, was almost negligible.
Net area sown is the area on which
sowing is actually done during the course of a year. Area sown more than once is that portion of the net sown area
more than once in a year. Total cropped
area is the gross area under all crops in a year, and is the total of net area
sown and area sown more than once. Such
are in the Gursdaspur District, during 1971-72, was 367 thousand hectares. The cultivable area and also the net area
sown per agricultural worker in the district during 1971-72, was 1.30
hectare. The percentage of the area
sown more than once to the net area sown in the district, during 1971-72, was
42.25.
(ii) Cultivable Waste._ This category includes land available for cultivatiion, whether actually
cultivated or not, for one reason or the other or once taken up for cultivation but not cultivated again for
more than 5 years in succession. Such
land may be fallow or covered with bushes or jungle which may be put to any
use. Lands under thatching grass,
bamboo, bushes, miscellaneous tree crops, etc., which are not included under
forests have been considered as cultivable waste. All grazing lands which are permanent pastures, meadows, village
common lands and grazing lands within the forests have also been covered under
this classification.
Most of the cultivable waste is the village common
land in the possession of the of the village panchayats. The panchayats are
gradually making efforts to bring such land under cultivation and, for this
purpose, they are being advanced loans to enable them to purchase tractors and
implements and sink wells and tube-wells for irrigation. Since the
Available irrigation facilities are
adequate, only a small area is left fallow.
(III) Reclamation
of Waterlogged Area, Swamps, etc.- Due to excess rains every year resulting
in floods and overflowing of the rivers and nalas, the problem of waterlogging
is taking a serious form slowly and slowly. Canal irrigation also causes
waterlogging and salt infestation in several areas, especially on both sides of
the canals. Water level has risen high and large fertile lands are becoming
water logged. While the reclamation of saline, alkaline and waterlogged areas
is the responsibility of the Irrigation Department, the reclamation of other
types of culturable waste lands is handled by the Department of Agriculture.
The area under thur and sem in the district, during
1967-68 to 1971-72, is shown below:-
(Hectares)
|
Year
|
|
Thur
|
Sem
|
Total
|
|
1967-68
|
..
|
6,008
|
1,290
|
7,298
|
|
1968-69
|
..
|
5,736
|
1,216
|
6,952
|
|
1969-70
|
..
|
5,632
|
1,196
|
6,828
|
|
1970-71
|
..
|
5,249
|
1,040
|
6,289
|
|
1971-72
|
..
|
5,249
|
1,040
|
6,289
|
(b)
Irrigation
(i)
Rainfall :- Rainfall in the Gurdaspur District is uncertain and erratic.
The monsoons generally start late; sometimes these are heavy and cause floods;
and some times they recede early, making it difficult for rabi crops which are
shown in the months of October and November, in fact, in the rain fed areas,
the extent of showing is largely dependent upon the onset and close of monsoon
rains. Similarly, the yields of rain-fed
rabi crops of wheat, gram, barley and mustard are determined to a great
extent by the December and January rains.
The
average annual amount of rainfall in the district during the five years from
1968 to 1972 is 100.41 centimeters. About 70 to 80 percent of the total
rainfall is during the months of July, August and September, when the monsoon
winds blow from the south-east; and the rest comes during the winter season.
The number of rainy days corresponds to the amount of rainfall. About one-third
of the total rainy days are during the month of August alone. July and
September come next.
With the extension of irrigation facilities after the independence
(1947), the failure of crops for want of rains I the district is becoming a
thing of the past. This fact is well borne out by the following statement;-
Rainfall in the Gurdaspur
District, 1968-72
|
|
|
|
|
Rainfall
|
during
|
Months of
|
|
|
Year
|
|
Annual Rainfall (cm.)
|
July (cm).
|
August (cm).
|
September (cm).
|
October (cm).
|
Area under crops failed for want
of rains (hectares)
|
|
1968
|
..
|
105.71
|
32.64
|
37.48
|
0.69
|
2.71
|
..
|
|
1969
|
..
|
76.83
|
21.38
|
31.69
|
6.16
|
1.91
|
..
|
|
1970
|
..
|
92.63
|
16.02
|
31.89
|
17.83
|
1.05
|
..
|
|
1971
|
..
|
155.29
|
36.77
|
59.76
|
28.73
|
0.08
|
..
|
|
1972
|
..
|
71.60
|
24.48
|
20.67
|
2.75
|
0.42
|
..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Statistical
Abstracts of Punjab, 1969 to 1973)
(ii)
Irrigation Facilities.- The success
of agriculture depends in a very large measure inter alia upon adequate and
regular water supply. The rainfall is not only inadequate but it is also
unequally distributed throughout the seasons. This shortage is made good from
other water resources, i.e., canals, wells including percolation wells,
tube-wells and pumping-sets. In 1971-72, the area irrigated by canals and wells
was 52 percent of the net sown area in the district. The gross area of crops
irrigated as percentage to the total cropped area, during 1970-71 and 1971-72,
was 55.1 and 56.1, respectively.
The following table shows the area
irrigated through different sources of irrigation in the district, during
1697-68 to 1971-72:-
1 M.S. Randhwana, Green Revolution, A case Study of Punjab (Delhi 1974)
pp.25-26
Canals
Canal irrigation is the most
important form of irrigation because of its cheapness, and the case and certainity
with which water is supplied. The Gurdaspur district has been the seat of very
early attemptsin canal irrigation. The
Badshahi Nahar was constructed in about 1633 A.D. during the reign of Shah
Jahan for carrying waters to the Shalimar Gardens at Lahore (Pakistan). The second canal known as Hansali (also
called Hasli) so called from its lying like a silver streak on the fair bosom
of the Doab, was constructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to carry waters to the
tank of the Golden Temple, Amritsar. The
Britishers started the construction of
the present Upper Bari Doab Canal in 1851 and opened it for irrigation in 1859.
The
Upper Bari Doab Canal takes off from the left bank of River Ravi at Madhopur,
immediately after it debouches from the hills.
It has the first claim on the free flow of the River Ravi up to its full
supply discharge. It has four branches
which carry its waters : the Subraon Branch, the Kasur Branch, the Main Branch
Lower and the Lahore Branch. Besides, a
large number of distributories and minores take off from the above branches to
provide irrigation to the tract lying in the Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts.
The
following statement shows the area irrigated by the different branches of the
Upper Bari Doab Canal in the district, during 1967-68 to 1971-72 :-
|
Year
|
|
Area
irrigated
(hectares)
|
|
1967-68
|
..
|
95,308
|
|
1968-69
|
..
|
1,08,805
|
|
1969-70
|
..
|
1,02,613
|
|
1970-71
|
..
|
98,520
|
|
1971-72
|
..
|
98,725
|
Wells (including Tube-wells and
Pumping-sets)
Next in importance to canals are
wells as source of irrigation. Well
irrigation in the Punjab is very old.
The bullocks and camels provide the main source of power for running the
persian wheel. However, in recent years
pumping-sets run by diesel oil and
(Source : Superintending Engineer, Upper Bari Doab Canal Circle,
Amritsar)
hydro-electric power have
replaced the traditional sources of energy in the State. These minor irrigation
works are very useful, as the water is rich in soda, nitrates, cholorides and
sulphates which make the land more fertile.
Moreover, there is no danger of waterlogging as in the case of canal
irrigation. The number of wells
(percolation) and tube-wells and pumping-sets installed in the district, during
1967-68 to 1971-72 is given here under :
Wells
and tube-wells and pumping-sets in the Gurdaspur District,
1967-68 to 1971-72
|
Item
|
|
1967-68
|
1968-69
|
1969-70
|
1970-71
|
1971-72
|
|
Wells
(percolation)
|
..
|
8,440
|
8,440
|
8,329
|
8,334
|
8,334
|
|
Tube-wells
and pumping-sets
|
|
2,276
|
2,433
|
3,373
|
4,691
|
4,711
|
(Statistical
Abstracts of Punjab, 1968 to1972)
The amount of loans
granted by the Government for minor irrigation works in the district, during
1967-68 to 1971-72, is given below :
Loans advanced for minor irrigation
works in the Gurdaspur District,
1967-68 to 1971-72
|
Item
|
|
1967-68
(Rs)
|
1968-69
(Rs)
|
1969-70
(Rs)
|
1970-71
(Rs)
|
1971-72
(Rs)
|
|
Wells
(percolation)
|
..
|
2,45,775
|
3,21,200
|
1,00,000
|
3,000
|
..
|
|
Tube-wells
and pumping-sets
|
|
34,31,500
|
6,25,000
|
4,41,000
|
1,50,000
|
..
|
(Source
: Director, Agriculture, Punjab, Chandigarh)
(c) Agriculture including Horticulture
(i) Set-up and Activities of the Agriculture
Department
The
department is represented in the district by the Chief Agricultural Officer,
Gurdaspur, who is under the control of the Director of Agriculture, Punjab,
Chandigarh. The Chief Agricultural
Officer is overall incharge of the entire agricultural operations in the
district. He is wholly responsible for
the preparation and execution of district agricultural plans and is assisted by
1 Agricultural Information Officer, 1 District Training Officer, 1 Seed Development
Officer, 1 Statistical Officer, 61 Agricultural Inspectors and 56 Agricultural
Sub-Inspectors, besides ministerial and Class IV staff. Moreover, 1 Assistant Agricultural Engineer
(Implements), 1 Subject Matter Specialist (Agronomy), 1 Subject Matter
Specialist (Horticulture), 1 Training Officer (Male), 1 Training Officer
(Female), 1 Radio Contact Officer and 1 Assistant Project Officer, all posted
at Gurdaspur, also assist the Chief Agricultural Officer.
To
look after plant protections, an Assistant Plant Protection Officer is posted
at Gurdaspur under the direct control of the Deputy Director (Locust Control
and Plant Protection), Chandigarh. He
is assisted by 5 Plant Protection Inspectors posted at Gurdaspur, Batala,
Pathankot, Dera Baba Nanak and Kahnuwan.
There are two Assistant Soil
Conservation Officers, one each posted at Gurdaspur and Pathankot. They are under the control of the Divisional
Soil Conservation Officer is assisted by 5 Soil Conservation Inspectors.
The Agriculture Department guides
the farmers in the lay out of gardens, in the extension of new orchards, in
solving problems relating to the maintenance and and establishment of gardens
and nurseries, in controlling various pests and diseases affecting agricultural
crops and gardens, in the management and procurement of fertilizers and good
seeds, and in laying out demonstration plots to bring home to the cultivators
the superiority of varieties recommended for cultivation in the district. It also helps the fruit-growers in getting
enhanced supply of canal water for establishing and developing new orchards.
The Government takes keen interest
in increasing agricultural production by popularizing improved agricultural
practices and implements. Loans are
advanced to the cultivators for repairing old wells and constructing new ones
and installing tube-wells and pumping-sets under the development of irrigation
programmes. Besides, taccavi
loans are advanced for the development of horticulture at the rate of Rs 300
per acre of plantation. Loans for the
reclamation of land are also given.
Loans for grape cultivation oat rate of Rs 3,000 per acre are advanced
to the cultivators.
(ii) Soils, Climate and Crops
Soils.
– Soils, in a general sense, refer to upper layer of loose matter that
covers the earth’s crust. But, from the
agricultural point of view, these may be defined as the material comprising
more or less weathered rock minerals which, together with organic matter, water
and air, provide a medium for the growth of plant. This medium is the basic source of all human and animal
food. The soils are loamy with a clay
content below 10 per cent. They contain
small quantities of lime but the magnesia content is high. They are well supplied in total potash and
phosphoric acid but the quantities available are low.2
The agriculture of a country is dependent to a
large extent on the nature of its soils, which in turn, is influenced
materially by climatic factors.3
2. M.S.Randhawa, etc. Farmers of India, Vol. I
(New Delhi), 1959), p. 35
3. M.S.Ramdhawa, Agriculture and Animal
Husbandary in India (New Delhi, 1962), p. 22
The soil of the
district is quite alluvial and fertile.
It is divided into three parts by nature, viz. sub-mountaneous, Kandi
and plain, which are described below :
(i)
Sub-mountaneous
The Dhangu, which
starts from Pathankot and continue to the bank of the River Chakki and becomes
a part of the Dalhousie mountain at the end, contains bushes.
(ii) Kandi
The Kandio area is
suffering from the lack of rainfall and the supply of water is quite
difficult. There are a few wells which
hardly met the requirements of water supply for the public.
(iii)
Plain
The rest of the district besides the above-mentioned kinds of soil,
consists five kinds of soil, viz. Andhar, Pathanti, Riarki, Bangar and Bet.
Andhar. – This area is found between the
rivers Ravi and Chakki in Tahsil Pathankot.
Paddy is the major crop of this area.
Pathanti. – It is that part of the Pathankot
Tahsil which is irrigated by Badshahi Canal.
Paddy is the important crop of this area.
Riarki. – The area of Dhariwal, Ghuman,
Qadian, Harchowal and Srigobindpur is called Riarki. The main crops of this area are wheat, barley, moth,
maize, potatoes and gur-shakar.
Bangar. – The
area at the western side of Kahnuwan lake up to the Aliwal canal, which goes to
Pakistan, is called Bangar. Melon,
wheat, barley, mustard, potatoes and watermelons are the main crops of this
area.
Bet. – The area
between the rivers Beas and Ravi is called bet. Paddy sugarcane, wheat, maize and jowar are
the main crops of this area.
Major
and Subsidiary Crops. – There are two main harvests, the rabi (hari) or spring
harvest, and the kharif (sawani) or autumn harvest. The rabi crops are sown in
October-November and harvested from mid-March to mid-May; the kharif
sowings take place from June to August and harvesting lasts from early
September to late December. Surgance
and cotton are counted among the autumn crops though sown earlier. The
cultivation of some crops falls in between the kharif and rabi
seasons and these are classed as zaid (extra) kharif and zaid
(extra) rabi. Thus toria, which
matures late in December, is a kharif crop, and tobacco and melons,
ehich are harvested late in June, are
among the zaib rabi crops.
The
principal rabi are wheat, barley and gram, while minor ones or
subsidiary crops are oil-seeds (sarson, taramira, alsi and
toria) and winter vegetables such as peas, cabbage, turnip, carrot,
cowpea (lobia), etc. The
principal kharif crops and
paddy, sugarcane and maize, while karif crops are vegetables, such as
tomato, cauliflower, lady fingerm karif
pulses and fruits.
The
detailed particulars regarding the area under different crops and their total
production in the district from 1967-68 to 1971-72 are given in Appendices I
and II at the end of this chapter.
Wheat
It
is the most important major rabi crop of the district which covers the
largest area. It is the staple diet of
the people and its cultivation is keeping pace with the growing demand. It is sown a few weeks after the retreat of
the summer monsoons, generally in early November. At that time the soil is most easily worked and sufficient
moisture is usually present to foster growth until the light winter showers. It requires about four to five months to
mature and is harvested between April and May.
Paddy
It
is an important major kharif crop of the distict. Next to wheat, it occupies the largest area
among the cereals. A marked change in
the agroclimatic conditions, viz., increased rainfall causing floods and
waterlogging conditions, have enhanced the scope of the rice cultivation in the
district. Its nursery is sown in May
and June and the transplantation is done in the end of June and July.
Bajra
Bajra
is also a major kharif cereal crop of the district. It is sown with the beginning of the summer
rains early in July and is harvested in October-November.
Maize
It
is also an important major kharif crop of the district. It is sown in June-August and harvested in
October-December. It serves as an ideal
food for cattle, piggery and poultry and it is also the staple food of the
people of the Pathankot Tahsil. It is
also used in starch factories for preparing custard powder, starch, alcohol, toffes,
sweets, corn flakes, soaps, cosmetics, glucose and gun powder, etc.
Cotton
It is a kharif crop, sown between
April and June after the first showers.
It is not an important crop of the district.
Jowar
Jowar
is the least important cereal crop of the kharif season. It is suitable for low rainfall areas, and
can withstand drought to a considerable extent. It is generally raised for fodder, and is sown mostly on
irrigated lands in early April. For
grain, the crop is sown mostly in unirrigated tracts with the outbreak of
monsoon, any time from the middle of June to the middle of August.
Barley
It
is a rabi cereal, sown from October to early January and harvested in
early April. It requires less water
than wheat does.
Pulses
Pulses
are the main source of protein in the food of the poor people and are the
substitute for vegetables rather than a supplement. The principal pulses grown in the district are mash, gram,
massar and moong. The
most important of these is mash.
It is generally raised with maize on stiff loamy soils. Gram is a rabi crop, grown chiefly on
barani lands. Its sowing lasts
from September to the end of October, and harvesting takes place mostly in the
later half of March.
Barseem
It
is a rabi fodder crop, sown between the last week of September and the first week
of October. It has the ability to
provide high yield of very nutritious food palatable fodder in repeated
cuttings throughout the winter and early summer, i.e., from November to May. The crop is ready for first cutting in about
60 days after sowing. Subsequent
cuttings are taken at spring, getting 4---6 cuttings in all.
Sugarcane
This
is the major cash crop of the district and is grown mostly in the Batala and
Gurdaspur tahsils. Subject to
variations necessitated by local conditions of rainfall, irrigation facilities,
cliamte, etc. cane is planted from the middle of February to the end of March
and harvested between November and April.
The sugarcane crop needs a fairly large quantity of water during the
periods when there is no rain. It needs
a well-drained medium loan soil which is neither too acidic nor too alkaline
for optimum conditions of growth.
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