CHAPTER - I INTRODUCTION

Transcription

1 CHAPTER - I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Importance of Population Studies Social scientists since many centuries and geographers during the last many decades have been interested in the study of population. Human geographers are keenly interested in distribution of population as a core area of population studies. The role of geographers in population studies is well expressed in the words of Garnier; Geographers study the facts in their present environmental context also their causes, their original characteristics and likely consequences. (Garnier B., 1969) Births, deaths and migration are the three major factors which are at the centre of the study of population of any country, region or place. Population size, age variations and other demographic considerations are also a part of population studies. A very wide range of analysis and the resulting inferences provide necessary inputs to policy makers, social scientists, and various agencies of the government, viz. industry. The projections of future requirements of food, water, education, medical facilities and energy are all based on population studies. The increasing rate of exploitation of natural resources is a cause of worry for the environmentalists. This has been due to changes in population. Most of the underdeveloped and developing countries have accepted the concept of planned development. But no planning can be success unless the planners are aware of the population growth rates and the areas in which population is much more rapidly growing than the others. (Chopra G., 2006) It means that the population studies help the planners in successful implementation of plans.

2 During the last two centuries the world population has increased from one billion to six billions. This growth indicates the rapid growth in population and providing the welfare amenities to this rising population is a cause of concern to social scientist and geographers. The future national and regional growth of population is also affected by the rising population. The development and improvement in health care facilities and availability of food around the world were the main reasons for the faster growth of population during the last two centuries. Better health care has resulted in decreasing death rates in general and infant mortality rates in particular. All this has resulted in a population explosion in many countries like India making it a problem for planners and government. The economic planning and development of many countries including India, is very much influenced by the changes in population. India with its increasing human resources and abundant natural resources is still considered a developing country. It is still not in a position to use its resources adequately for the betterment of the growing population. Poverty prevails to great extent in India due to poor clothing, inadequate housing, poor medical care and malnutrition. The situation in India today is marked in terms of lack of electricity in many villages, insufficient food for a large part of its population and very little health care and education facilities. The land-man ratio in India is changing adversely at an increasing rate due to the growth in population. The population has been putting increasing pressure on education, medical care facilities, on transport and housing as well as problems of unemployment in urban and rural areas. Food problem, low per-capita income, high prices of necessary items is also related to population growth. The rapid increase in population is followed by pollution and 2

3 environmental changes. The problem of slums in urban areas and metropolitan cities is due to the migration of large population in search of livelihood. The population policy of India makes it necessary for an increase in production capacity in the fields of industry, agriculture, education etc. to support the ever growing population. The growth in population has to be stabilized through reduction in birth rates, by adopting various methods of family planning. The present study therefore makes an attempt to analyze the growth and structure of the population of Maharashtra. 1.2 Statement of the Problem The study of the various geographic phenomena related to various characteristics of population of Maharashtra is necessary for understanding various problems of the state. The tremendous rise of population in India during the recent years has attracted the attention of social scientists. The study of this problem has a great sociological significance because of its relatedness not only with the structure of society but also with social and economic development. The consequent reduction in the rate of mortality unmatched by similar reduction in the rate of births has resulted in the population explosion in the recent years. Moreover, since the objective of the present study is to throw light and analyze the geographical determinants of population growth and structure of Maharashtra state. Maharashtra is second largest state of India in respect of population Uttar Pradesh being the first. Since the formation of the state in 1960, during the last 40 years the population of the state is multiplied by 2.5 times. While comparing the population growth rate for the last eighty years with other states, it can be said that Maharashtra is above the national average of population 3

4 growth. In 2001 the growth rate of Maharashtra was % and that of India was 21.35%. (Sandarbh Maharashtra, 2004) Since the formations Maharashtra state has been recognized as the most developed and most industrialized state in India. But the industrial growth and economic development are not uniform in all parts of the state. There is great regional imbalance. The industrial growth is concentrated in Mumbai, Mumbai (suburban), Thane and Pune which cover only 8.4 per cent of the total area of the state and yet have 25 per cent of the state s population concentration in this region. The districts of Marathwada and vidharbha have remained backward in industries; hence the population densities are low. Population of the state is not evenly distributed, the great disparity is found in population distribution and concentration. Hence the researcher has undertaken the present study of population, to bring out the salient features of the population through geographic analysis. The population is at the centre of the total development process. The solutions to the population problem can be found by understanding the growth and structure of population of Maharashtra state. 1.3 Study Region The Study has been confined to the state of Maharashtra. The state of Maharashtra was the result of reorganization of states in India on linguistic basis. The state was formed on 1 st May, 1960 and has a large population of Marathi speaking people and has a homogenous culture and social structure. The state occupies the central and coastal area of Western India. The state of Maharashtra has a long coastal line on the West due to the Arabian Sea. In the North West is bounded by the state of Gujarat, to the North-East is Madhya Pradesh, to the South-East is Andhra Pradesh and in the South it is bounded by part of Karnataka and Goa. 4

5 The North South length of the state is about 700 km., East West length is about 800 km. The state lies between to North latitude and to East longitude (Fig 1B). The area of the state is sq.km and it is 9.36 % of the total area of the country. (Bhandari L. and Kale S., 2007). The physical and non- physical details of the region are presented in chapter II. 1.4 Objectives of the Study To investigate the regional inequalities in distribution and structure of population in Maharashtra is the main objective of the present study. The specific objectives to be studied are as under:- a) To analyze the growth and distribution of population. b) To Study the age and sex composition of the population. c) To analyze the literacy pattern of the population. d) To study the religious pattern of the population. e) To analyze the occupational structure of the population. f) To analyze the pattern of migration and also its causes and concerns. g) To estimate the projected population of state on the basis of data available. h) To study the problems concerning the growth, distribution and structure of population and to make the suitable suggestions. 1.5 Data Base The census data collected from various sources is used for the purpose of analysis and interpretation. The secondary sources for the data are the Census Reports of Maharashtra from published by various Government Agencies. The other sources referred for data are the District Census Handbooks, Census Atlas of Maharashtra and Annual Socio-Economic Review, District Statistical Abstracts, and Annual Vital statistic Report of Maharashtra. Other 5

6 important sources of data are the maps prepared by National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organization (NATMO) 1.6 Methodology The analysis of data has been done by using standard methods adopted by demographers and population geographers. Various quantitative techniques are used for processing and analysis of data. Rates and ratios, simple percentage values have been used for analysis. The present study tries to identify various relationships and co-relationships by using statistical techniques. The relation between distribution of population and level of development has been analyzed in the present study. In the study Spearman s rank correlation technique is used to show the relationships between population growth and selected physical and non physical factors. Location quotients are calculated to show the concentration of population. To identify the out migration and in-migration patterns at the district level, Vital Statistics Method has been used. And intensity index of in-imrgation and out-migration is measured. The trend of population growth is explained with the help of Least Square Method and Semi Average Method. Sufficient maps and diagrams have been included in the study to support the analysis of population growth and structure. This helps adequately to display the regional patterns of population. 1.7 Limitations and Scope The scope refers to the area covered and the subject matter of the study. The study has been confined to 35 districts of Maharashtra in terms of area covered and thereby provides a greater opportunity to the researcher for revealing the clear-cut differences in physical and socio-economic factors and for determining their impact on the population growth and structure. 6

7 The subject matter included in the body of the thesis mainly highlights the regional patterns of growth and distribution, age and sex composition, religious pattern, occupational structure, migration and projected population. The present study on Regional Pattern of Growth and Structure of Population is solely based on secondary data. This study is focused more on the regional pattern of population growth and structure. Analysis of various aspects of population distribution is done mostly at district level. Taluka level study is not attempted in the present work due to large extent of the region. After the independence of India, the state of Maharashtra was part of the Mumbai province, during the process of restructuring of states between 1956 to1960. The present state of Maharashtra was created on 1 st May 1960 and the city of Mumbai became the capital of Maharashtra. And it is from 1961 onwards that uniform and regular census data are available for the state. So the statistics from then has been considered in this research study. The basis of this study is only the statistics given by the government offices. Because there is slight difference between the statistics given by private institutions and that of the government offices. On the 1 st May 1960, there were twenty six districts in the state of Maharashtra. In the year 2001, they were increased to thirty five districts. However, for the statistical analysis, the twenty six districts in the year 1961 have been considered for this study. For the completion of the chapter II the study has been attempted on the basis of the available statistical data. Therefore, the changes in the data at the time of the submission of this research work cannot be incorporated in it. 7

8 1.8 Review of Literature There are many studies concerned to population in India and also outside India. Many foreign scholars have studied the growth, distribution and structure of population. The credit of bringing the problem of population growth in India in focus goes to Wattal P.K. His publication Population Problem in India in 1933, which includes the data of the 1931 census, was an important contribution to population studies. In 1938 Mukharjee published his work on Food Planning for Four Hundred Millions and Gyanchand published his Indian Teeming Millions in All these studies discussed the economic and social aspects of population and its growth. The study on The Population Problems in India, a Regional Approach was published by Sovani N. V. of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune in The report by Gopalswami R. A. based on the census of 1951 being an important contribution to this field. This report included study on size and structure of the population and the importance of economic and social conditions of the population. A systematic study of population structure has been plenty in India. The population characteristics are widely studied by sociologist, economist, geographers and demographers. In geography many scholars like Gosal Gurudev Singh (1964) studied literacy in India. Mishra S.K. and Gaikwad (1971) analyzed The impact of economic development on welfare and living conditions of people of M. P. (An Inter District Case Study). Maya Banerjee (1975) studied Literacy in Singhbhum, Bihar Betal H.R. (1976) studied Mapping techniques with special reference to density of population in Midnapore district in 8

9 West Bengal. Gopal Krishna and Madhav Shyam (1977) have attempted literacy areas of India and their structure. Jagmohan Singh Verma (1977) presented detailed scientific analysis of various socio-cultural factors and their impact on the rate of population growth in Hindu and Muslim communities in the district of Barabanki, (U.P.). Asok Mitra (1978) Studied the Indias Population: Aspects of Quality and Control. He presented the measures to improve the quality of population to the point where the support for tight control measures could be easily generated are inexpensive and possible at the present level of India s economic development. Dube R.S. (1979) studied Population of Rewa Plateau is a fine attempt to analyze critically the growth and distribution of population in the Rewa Plateau in Madhya Pradesh. Panibhusan Ray (1979) studied methods of describing growth of population. K. Srinivasan and S. Mukerji (1983) have studied Fertility and Family Planning, Migration and Studies of Special Population Groups Kailash Matho (1984) worked on literacy in India. Kolekar P.S. (1984) studied population and food supply in the western Sangli district. Biswajit Banerjee (1986) studied Rural to Urban migration and urban labour market. In his study labour migrants in Delhi and also examines the economic selectivity and the articulated motives of migrants. Gaikwad D.D. (1988) analyzed Population Aspects of Sangli District: A Spatial Interpretation. Malini Karkal and Divya Pandey (1987) studied on Woman and Population. The critical analyse of studies on population from a feministic perspective. Karande H.Y. (1990) studied Distribution of Population and Socio-economic facilities in Khanapur Taluka of Sangli District. B.N.Ghosh (1993) presented the study on Population Economics: An analysis of human resources development. He studied 9

10 population growth and economic development. Pardeshi P.B. (1993) studied Population Geography of Solapur district. Kore N. (1993) analyzed The study of population and some aspects of agriculture in Nanded district. Thus, many articles and research papers are published on the population growth, distribution and structure. In this context the work published by Ghadge K.N. (1994) analyzed The impact of economic development on population characteristics in Pune division. Jare Y.M. (1994) studied Geographical study of some aspects of population in Maharashtra. Shrivastri R.K. (1995) studied Progress and performance of each family planning methods in Seoni district in (M.P.). Kale B.J. (1996) analyzed Spatio temporal changes in distribution and growth of population in Satara district. Sunilkumar Munshi (1996) analyzed Some thoughts on the problems of development of Population Geography. Hemlata Joshi (1996) analyzed Demographic Profile of Banswara A Predominantly Tribal district of Rajsthan. Bireswar Banerjee (1997) has studied Population explosion, food security and sustainable development. Jayati Hazra (1997) analyzed Woman and Literacy ; Ramkumar Tiwari (1997) studied Rural population and food production in Jharkhand region. F. Z. Jamalin (1998) studied Population pressure in Nimar, Madhya Pradesh. Rajan (1998) analyzed status of human development in West Bengal. Rajmani Tripathi (1999) studied Socioeconomic profile of scheduled cast population in India. Bhole A. S. and Bhangole S.D. (1999) studied Role of Emigration of Tribal Population in Utilization of Resources in Jalgaon District. Bimal Barah (2002) analyzed Sex composition of population in Assam. Salunkhe R. R. (2003) studied Regional distribution of 10

11 population in Maharashtra. Prakash O. M. (1970) has mapped tahsil and district level data of Uttar Pradesh to analyze The pattern of density and distribution of population. Mitra and Singh (1971) examined the Distributional pattern of population in the Brahmputra valley. Ghosh (1970) and Kumar (1971) have separately studied the Distribution pattern of Bihar s population in the context of intra-state variation in physio-economic set-up. Shastri P. S. (1974) made Use of potential model to exmine the distribution of population in Vidarbha. Shinde S. D. and Shrikhande S. S. (1981) made a Spatial analysis of rural population in Maharashtra state. Many foreign scholars have studied the growth, distribution and structure of population. The discipline of population studies took roots and Kingsley Davis, a demographer published his work on population in India and Pakistan, which was based on the census reports from 1872 to (Bhende A. and Kanitkar, 1985), John Graunt is said to be the father of Demography or population studies. His publication titled Natural and political observations made upon the bill of Mortality was published in Sir William Petty made valuable contribution to the study of population studies. Edmund Holley, who was an astronomer made valuable contribution to the development of population studies. The first empirical life table was designed by Holley in Gregory King an Englishman made important contribution to population studies by estimating the population of England and Wales. John Sussmilch, Lutheran Clergyman made major contribution to the study of population by writing a book The Devine Order, Sussmilch has tried to estimate the population of the world. 11

12 In 1755, Benjamin Franklin published his work on population s studies. Thomas Mathus published An essay on the principle of population. This is the major contribution to the population studies. 1.9 Chapter Outline The present study Regional pattern of growth and structure of population in Maharashtra has been divided into nine chapters. The first chapter is introductory, wherein the importance of population studies, statement of the problem, methodology, limitations, scope, and review of literature and chapter outline of work are considered. The second chapter deals with the physical and non physical determinants of the region. Section- I includes the location of study region, physiography, drainage system, climates, soils, forest, mineral resources and Section- II includes agricultural land use, irrigation, transport network, industrial concentration and levels of economic development in Maharashtra. The third chapter deals with the growth of population since The spatio temporal growth of population during the period is investigated. The district wise, administrative region wise, age wise and male, female growth of population is presented. Growth of S.C. and S.T. population is presented, rural and urban population and spatial pattern of growth of rural and urban population, correlation analysis and projected population is also presented in this chapter. The fourth chapter presents the distribution, density and concentration of population. It covers district wise, administrative region wise, religion wise, age wise and male, female distribution of population during the It covers the distribution of S.C. and S.T. rural and urban population. The chapter also includes density 12

13 of population. Spatial pattern of density is general, rural and urban population. Agricultural, Physiological, nutritional density and concentration of population for the period are investigated. The fifth chapter includes sex-composition of population. It includes trends of general, rural and urban sex ratio. The district wise and administrative region wise sex ratios are presented. The spatial patterns of rural and urban sex ratio have also been included in this chapter. The sixth chapter is concerned with occupational structure of the population. The urban and rural classification of workers and male female classificaion of workers in various activities is analyzed. The seventh chapter deals with the district wise rural, urban, male and female literacy rate. The eighth chapter includes the study of migration in the state. It deals with the meaning of migration, in and out migration and changes in migration at district level. Summary has been presented at the end of each chapter and conclusions and suggestions have been recorded at the end of this study in chapter nine. References 1) Bhandari L. and Kale S. (2007), Indian States at a Glance, Maharashtra, Facts and Figures. P. 49 2) Bhende Asha and Kanitkar (1985), Principles of Population Studies, Himalaya Publishing House, Mumbai. P.- 2, 3 3) Chopra Girish (2006); Population Geography, Commonwealth Publishers, New Delhi. P.-1 4) Garnier Beaujeu (1969), Geography of Population, Free press of Glance. 5) Sandarbh Maharashtra; State and District at a Glance (2004), Vol. I, Intellectual Book Bureau, Bhopal P

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