Overview of the district

Osmanabad district lies in the southern part of state. Most of the district area is rocky while the remaining part is plain. The height of district is 600 mm above sea level. Most part of the district is surrounded by small mountain called “Balaghat”. Bhoom, Washi, Kalamb, Osmanabad & Tuljapur Tahsil lie in the range of this Balaghat mountain.Some part of the major rivers like Godawari and Bhima come under this district.

Location

The district is located on east side of Marathwada region within North latitude 17.35 to 18.40 degree and east latitude 75.16 to 76.40 degree.

The district is surrounded bySolpaur – South-west, Ahmednagar – North-west, Beed – North, Latur – East, Bidar & Gulbarga (Karnataka) – South.

Demography

Economy

Agriculture 

Agriculture is the major occupation of majority of the population in Osmanabad District. Economic, industrial, educational, social development of this area is dependent on agricultural production. Despite of higher promotions per capita availability of food over time did not increase significantly.The total geographical area of Osmanabad district is 748500ha, and the net sown area is 584400ha. (78.1%).Out of total cultivable area, the area sown more than once is about 167900ha and hence gross cropped area has increased up to 752400ha (100.5% of total geographical area) and the cropping intensity in the district is 129%. The area under forest is 6700 ha, which is only 0.90% of the total geographical area. Cultivable and fallow land is about 7% and 11.3% of total geographical area respectively, which can also be converted as productive land in future.

Soil

Soil health is governed by the occurrence of Soil type, formation parent material , deposit and many other facture. Most of the soils in Osmanabad district consisting 8 Talukas are derived from basalt rocks and various from shallow to deep in depth. Large area i.e.30 percent is occupied shallow soils and have constraints regarding nutrient availability and number of days for growth and moisture availability. The ox sols (Red soil) and vertiols (Black soils) occur in juxtaposition in Lohara & Umarga. They are formed in granites, rock having different properties.Deep block soils are dominated by Minerals. Which makes soil swell and shrink. Then belong to very soil in general, there is no capability class I soils in Osmanabad district.

Water Resources

62% of the total culturable area falls in Krishna Valley where as only 38% falls under Godavari Valley. Govt. of Maharashtra recently sectioned diversion of about 19 T.M.C. water from Krishna basin for Osmanbad district. Thus total availability of water for Osmanabad district is of the order of 781 m3/H. The total availability of ground water in the district is about 1, 14,163 Ham. The no. of existing wells is about 1,02,750.Manjra, Seena, Therna, Bori, chandani and Benitura are some of the main rivers flowing in the district. Two major irrigation projects viz. Manjra Project and Therna irrigation project have already been completed along with 16 medium irrigation projects and 139 miner irrigation projects. Two major projects viz. Seena kolegaon project and lower Therna project are under construction along with 2 medium and 53 minor irrigation projects.

Irrigated area

Comprehensive District Agricultural Plan for OsmanabadDistrict2012-13 to 2016-1797TABLE NO.4.6GROWTH RATES OF DIFFERENT CROPS IN LAST 3YEARSSr. No.CropsGrowth Rates1Paddy3.532Kh. Jowar3.993Bajra6.434Maize1.555Tur2.226Udid-5.797Mung-1.028K. groundnut8.439Sesamum0.7810K. Sunflower3.3211Soybean-1.0012Niger-4.3413Cotton7.2114Sugarcane5.2715Rabi Jowar4.9216Wheat4.4017Gram6.3118Safflower5.6519R. Sunflower2.38IRRIGATED AREA :The total source-wise irrigated area of the district is 123368ha., which is 21.11% of net sown area. Maximum proportion of irrigated area occurs in Tuljapur Tahsil 29633ha. (24.02%)) while minimum in Washi Tahsil . Major source of irrigation in this district is openwells through, which maximum area is irrigated (92106 ha.) followed by LiftIrrigation. It is well known fact that crop yield increases under irrigated condition. It is possible to take 2 to 3 crops per year on the same piece of land one afteranother.