INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT AND RURAL POPULATION DISTRIBUTION: A GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVE

Authors

  • Mrs. Mali Swati Author
  • Dr. A. G. Nimase Author

Abstract

Irrigation is a fundamental driver of agricultural growth and rural settlement patterns in semiarid regions. In Satara district of Maharashtra, sharp contrasts in rainfall and physiography have resulted in uneven irrigation development, which in turn influences rural population distribution. The district has 121 irrigation projects 11 major, 17 medium, and 93 minor dominated by small scale schemes that directly sustain village households and agrarian economies. The study aims to analyze the spatial distribution of irrigation projects and their correlation with rural demographic variables such as households, persons per household (PPH), and settlement density. Findings reveal that talukas with high irrigation intensity (Karad, Man, Satara) record large households, clustered settlements, and vibrant agrarian economies, while poorly irrigated regions (Mahabaleshwar, Wai, Khandala) remain sparsely populated. Correlation analysis confirms that minor irrigation shows the strongest positive association with PPH (r = 0.477), while major and medium projects have weak or negative effects.

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Author Biographies

  • Mrs. Mali Swati

    Research Scholar, Karmveer Bhaurao Patil University, Satara

  • Dr. A. G. Nimase

    Asst. Prof., Department of Geography, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil University, Satara

    Constituent College: Chhatrapati Shivaji College Satara

References

1) Ajagekar, B.A. (1988). Agricultural Productivity and Regional Imbalances. Himalaya Publishing House, Mumbai.

2) Hussain, M. (1996). Systematic Agricultural Geography. Rawat Publications, Jaipur.

3) Government of Maharashtra (2011). Census of India, District Census Handbook: Satara. Directorate of Census Operations, Maharashtra.

4) Government of Maharashtra (2012–2022). SocioEconomic Review and District Statistical Abstract of Satara. Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning Department, Mumbai.

5) Irrigation Department, Maharashtra State. Irrigation Projects Report (Major, Medium, Minor).

6) Mandal, R.B. (1982). Land Utilization: Theory and Practice. Concept Publishing, New Delhi.

7) Singh, J. (1979). Agricultural Geography. Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi.

8) Shafi, M. (2000). Agricultural Geography of South Asia. McMillan, New Delhi.

9) Sopher, D.E. (1980). An Exploration of India: Geographical Perspectives on Society and Culture. Cornell University Press.

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Published

25-10-2025

Issue

Vol. 2 No. Issue - IV (October-December) (2025): IIP : International Multidisciplinary Research Journal

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Mrs. Mali Swati, and Dr. A. G. Nimase , trans. 2025. “INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT AND RURAL POPULATION DISTRIBUTION: A GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVE”. IIP : International Multidisciplinary Research Journal 2 (Issue - IV (October-December): 7. https://iipublications.com/iipimrj/article/view/89.

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