Role
of Agriculture in the Socio-Economic Development of Titabar
by Jogeswar Gogoi
Introduction:
Stemming
from "Titaram’s Borguri, the name Titabar came into being,
although no any supporting document is available till date. It is
said that there was a charitable wellborn person named "Titaram"
settled some where near present Basic Tiniali. He planted a "Bor
tree", under the shadow of which every passer by took rest.
At that time, everybody called that place "Titaram’s Borguri"
Later on; the name had changed in to Titabar.
Titabar is a place of some historical importance. During the reign
of Ahom kings, Swargadeo Kamaleswar Sinha made temporary settlement
at "Rajabahar" situated ten Kilometers off Titabar. The
king destined to do it only because of the high soil fertility gradient
of that region caused by Charaipani revulet carrying slits to it
from the hillside. "Bacha Pathar" a vast highly producing
paddy field, virtually a granary of paddy even called today was
singled out by the king. The king also discovered "Hamdoi Pathar"
another highly producing paddy field only three kilometers off Titabar
and made a "Bari" near present Kachajan which is called
"Rajabari" even today. The beautiful scenery of the blue
hill range of Assam Nagaland boarder in the crow’s light, the evergreen
tea gardens. Scattered hither and thither, the vast paddy fields
with standing crops on both sides of Na-Ali and Gar-Ali made by
the Ahom kings give overwhelming joy to everybody whoever passes
through.
Titabar
town at a glance:
Titabar
Revenue Circle was initiated during the pre-independent period as
on 14-05-1918 with the head quarter at Titabar. After a long gap
of 41 years since inception, the headquarter was up-graded into
Titabar Revenue Town dated 28-05-1959. After prolonged pressure
by different organization and also in view of efficient governance
of this remote area boardering Nagaland, the government of Assam
upgraded it into a Civil Sub-Division with Titabar as the Civil
Sub-Divisional headquarter. The Titabar Civil town committee was
also formed in 2006, as per proposal submitted by the competent
authority, comprising of eight wards including the total area covered
by Titabar Gaon Panchayat, a part of the Bebejia Gaon Panchayat
and a part of the Bokaholla Gaon Panchayat.
The
first hand data of the Titabar town in as follows:
1.Total
area covered by Titabar town is 7,057 Bighas 4 Kathas 14 Lechas.
2.Demographic
pattern: Male: 9,532 Female: 10,510 Tota: 20,042
The
figures under reference are according to the proposal submitted
to the government. Needless to say that, the present population
is estimated to be around thirty thousand owing to the growing population
pattern and also incoming of a lot of people from different parts.
Higher side of the female population of Titabar town is note worthy
contrary to the all India records, Assam and even in comparison
to the Titabar Revenue Circle as a whole, i.e. 940 females against
1000 males.
3.Caste-wise
break-up of Population of Titabar town is as follows.
S.C:
1,790 S.T. (P): 3,520O. B.C./M.O.B.C.: 3,876 General: 10,896 Total:
20,042 Data refers to the proposal submitted.
Titabar
Revenue Circle:
Titabar
revenue Circle is in the extreme Southern part of Jorhat district,
boardering Nagaland about eight kilometers at a stretch and bounded
by Kakadonga rivulet in the west and Mariani Revenue Circle in the
East. It includes 106 revenue villages, excluding the area under
Titabar town, covering a total land area of 41,609 hectors.
Total
land coverage of Titabar under Agriculture and Tea gardens is as
follows –Agriculture: 1,08,500 Bighas 4 Kathas 18 Lechas Tea Garden:
56,804 Bighas 0 Kathas 4 Lechas Data refers to Circle Office
Titabar
It
is evident that the tea garden coverage is about 50% of the land
covered by Agriculture. The tea garden coverage excludes small tea
gardens very widely taken into account at present all over the circle.
It has been estimated that the green leaves produced by the small
tea gardens register 30% of the total green leaves production. Most
of the small tea garden growers are educated unemployed youths and
according to their opinion more and more area under small tea gardens
will be covered in the days to come in view of their profitability
ratio in comparison to other agricultural crops.
The demographic pattern of Titabar revenue Circle is given below
–
Male: 94,150 Female: 89,275 Total: 1,83,425
The
data refers to 2001 census. The sex ratio 940 females against 1000
males is slightly higher than the national records, stands still
a matter of grave concern. However the figures might be increasing
significantly at present in view of growing population pattern and
also influx of different category of people from outside the region.
The literacy rate of Titabar is supposed to be the same as that
of the Jorhat district as a whole, which is given below.
Male:
71.28% Female: 54.61% Average: 63.25%
It
is note worthy that the literacy rate of Jorhat district is in the
higher side as that of the state average. Much lower female education
in comparison to male education has been a national problem. Not
to speak of Titabar as per records available so far. However due
to the implementation of "Sarba Siksha Mission" these
rates have been increasing significantly year after year as per
records of the Department concerned. But, in some particular cases,
it seems to be a white lie, especially amongst the people who have
been suffering from the main meal of the day.
Agriculture:
Agriculture
is the main stay of the people of Titabar. More than 90% of the
people of Titabar devote themselves to agriculture either directly
or indirectly as their primary livelihood. Paddy occupies the lion’s
share, of all the agricultural crops raised by the farmers due to
lack of irrigation
facilities,
only the winter paddy Sali is raised by the farmers. Double cropping
pattern is no longer in vogue, except a few in some convenient
spots along the hillside. Although some minor irrigation projects
have been set up in different places, it has been observed that
all of them are dead by now. So, draught plays the vital role
in achieving the desired harvesting of Sali paddy as there is
no any flood prone areas within the circle, unless and until no
any nature’s rage happens occasionally.
The
total area and production under different crops in the year 2008-2009
in the Titabar
Revenue
Circle is as follows.
Crop
Area (in hact) Production (in m. tonne/hac)
1.
Paddy 16,250.00 5.50
2.
Sugarcane 22.00 55.38
3.
Mustard 55.00 1.60
4.
Vegetables
a)
Kharif 735.00 23.54
b)
Robi 1,825.00 30.14
Source:
Sub-Divisional Agricultural Office, Titabar.
It
reveals that paddy is the only and major source of livelihood
to the people of Titabar. The average production records of paddy
per hectre justifies Titabar as the granary of paddy. The area
under vegetable crops in both the seasons is quite significant
and the production therein is also quite satisfactory. Till then,
Titabar is not at all self-sufficient in vegetable crops and have
to import a lot of vegetables so as to meet the demand round the
year. All other crops raised by the farmers during the year under
reference are not at all encouraging.
Total
farm families in the Titabar Revenue Circle under different size-groups
of holding is
furnished
below:
Size
Groups Total numbers of farm families
1.
Landless 2,132
2.
Marginal farmers (below 1 hec) 7,672
3.
Small farmers (1 to 2 hec) 7,425
4.
Big farmers (More than 2 hec) 4,297
Total
21,531
Source:
Sub-Divisional Agricultural Office, Titabar.
Data
reveals that Marginal and Small farmers occupy the major part
of the farmers society, more clearly about 66% of the farm families.
These farmers cannot afford surplus paddy grains. On the other
hand 10% of the farmers are landless. Although they devote themselves
to agriculture, in no time they might become a problem, on the
part of the agricultural economy. The big farmers account for
more than 20% of the total farmers, might have been able to secure
surplus paddy grains, resulting a substantial benefit to the agricultural
economy of Titabar as a whole. Besides, there are a huge number
of agricultural labourers, which have been suffering from disguised
unemployment during the lean period having no any job referred
to, not to speak of a huge number of casual tea garden laboures
hankering after job for some months together during the year.
Specially, the ex-tea garden labourers residing outside the tea
garden area are the worst sufferers. Of course, in view of the
profitability ratio assured by tea cultivation, a large number
of educated and able farmers have taken in hand small tea garden
as their major source of income, discarding raising of all other
agricultural crops except paddy, have been providing a remarkable
job security to these category of labourers.
Summary
and conclusion:
1.The
scanty rainfall during the rainy season, caused due to rapid climatic
change is going to be a threat to the farmers of Titabar. As per
forecast of the agricultural Department, the total production of
state paddy during the current year i.e. 2009-2010 will be reduced
by at least 20% owing to scanty rainfall. So, a large-scale minor
irrigation projects should be developed to get rid of this threat.
2.It
has been observed that the farmers of Titabar are totally declined
to raise pulse crops, namely- Black gram, Masur, Mug, Rahar, pea
gram etc. masur can be raised along with Sali paddy as mixed crop
without involvement of any additional labour. The Department of
Agriculture can motivate the farmers to raise such crops in view
of extremely rising of pulse price at present.
3.Most
of the people living below the poverty level are from the landless
farmers and agricultural labourers. The Govt. of Assam has implemented
different schemes to elevate these people. But it has been noticed
that the goal is far ahead. So it is a fact that neither the financial
assistance nor any material relief can uplift these people unless
and until they can be motivated for exercising work culture.
4.Till
date, no any heavy industry has been set up by any sector, except
a medium cement factory and some tea processing factories under
private sector in Titabar. Of course, a large number of rice-mills
are there which can provide only a little employment opportunity.
On the other hand, the traditional cottage industries also have
failed to capture the competitive marked as desired by the people.
So for the sake of economic development, agriculture and industry
should be developed had in hand.
5.It
is a great news to the farmers that the government of Assam has
launched a project named "Agricultural Technology Management
Agency" simply "ATMA" under "Assam Agricultural
Competitiveness Project" in the Jorhat district with the Deputy
Commissioner on the chair and other government experts on the line.
The primary objective of the Agency is to help the farmers to ensure
productivity and production. Specially, after harvesting of Sali
paddy the entire cropped area remains fellow for at least six months
until the next season comes. The "ATMA" is always there
to extend helping hands to the farmers for cultivation of Potato
and other vegetable crops during this period on large-scale basis.
The farmers of Titabar should come forward to avail this opportunity
at hand.
The
soil of Titabar has the potentiality to ensure better and better
production under different crops round the year. We are all aware
of the fact that the socio-economic development of Titabar primarily
depends on Agriculture. So, the farmers should give up their old
ideas and have a new look along with the changing of time for the
benefit of their selves and the people of Titabar as a whole. #
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