Historical Development of Irrigation in Panchaganga Basin (Maharashtra) (1971 To 2005)
Irrigation plays significant role in transforming the agricultural activity and the rural livelihood. Thus the present research aims to assess the growth of irrigated area under different sources of irrigation, along with the consideration of methods of ¬irrigation applied changes in source of irrigation and intensity of irrigation in the Panchaganga Basin. The selected region for the present investigation is the 'Panchaganga Basin' of south Maharashtra state comprising 7 tahsils of Kolhapur district, Maharashtra. For the present investigation, data regarding area under irrigation with different sources has been compiled from Socio-Economic Review and District Statistical Abstracts of Kolhapur District, 1971- 75 and 2001-05 and supported by intensive field trips. It is noteworthy increased the area under the irrigation in the study region throughout the period under review. The area under well irrigation has increased by 46158 hectors and lift by 6950 hectors. The intensity of irrigation is about 25.1%. During the period under review it increased by 9.2%. The various sources of irrigation bring changes in attitude of the farmers and adopted the new and scientific techniques for the agricultural development.
