IAPRS & SIS, Vol.34, Part 7, *Resource and Environmental Monitoring", Hyderabad, India, 2002
All these 63.85 million ha are highly degraded lands in the
country. Apart from this, the process of degradation exist in
Table:8 Degraded Lands in India
CATEGORY AREA (M HA)
| SEVERE & EXTREME (WASTELANDS) 63.85
MODERATE (FALLOW LANDS) 13.76
SLIGHT TO MODERATE 67.49
(SINGLE CROP- KHARIF, FALLOW)
TOTAL 145.10
the agricultural lands such as single cropped areas and fallow
lands. Based on the statistics generated under land use / land
cover project and the wasteland inventory project, it is
estimated, about 145 million ha are under degraded land i.e.
63.85 M ha under severe extreme degraded lands, 13.76 M ha
under moderately degraded lands and 67.49 Mha under slight
to moderate degraded lands (table 8).
6.0 ABC Categorization of Wastelands
Since there is financial and time constraints, it is obviously not
possible to develop all the wastelands / degraded lands in a
short period. Therefore, it is essential that the MRD may
concentrate on certain wastelands which require aggressive
intervention through Government funds for development.
Keeping this in view, a road map needs to be designed with
properly marked off milestones and sign posts in the field of
watershed / wasteland management.
For suggesting a proper and focused management the
wastelands / degraded lands were classification into following
ABC categories considering the priorities and other
developmental strategies. (Figure 4)
WASTELANDS
— + rm — — —
Categ ory Leg
| (High Capital & (Govt. Intervention | (Second Generation
| Modern Tec.) Required) | issues)
Must (B Catalytic
action (B,)
Managerial
Strategies (B;)
" y
{ ; l
[z] [»]
| B,V is most important area where MRD would like to concentrate |
[ CATEGORISATION OF WASTELANDS FOR DEVELOPMENT
F131 [71
MER v) [s] [»]
EX Essential; ]
[s]
[ D : Desirable; |
A - Those lands which requires high capital, modern
technology and long term implementation strategies. These
lands are like cold snow clad deserts, hot desert etc.
B - Those lands which require direct Government Action —
predominantly in the form of subsidy, grant etc., and aim at
environmental improvement on community basis. In this
category backward forward linkages etc., are required.
This *B" category can be further sub-divided into 1, 2 & 3
categories.
B1 category is one where governmental intervention becomes
a must on account of the poor response, low absorption
capacity etc. These land need special attention the role of the
other players are limited and they do not have a meaningful
role in this field.
B2 category is for those lands where some infrastructure is
development. There is a potential for response and where
some sort of linkages, awareness etc., are already in existence
and therefore these lands can be developed by inducing
catalytic action arranging availability of inputs by involving
other players and putting in place appropriate backward and
forward linkages with asset creation and individual livelihood
systems being brought to center stage.
B3 categories are those where proper managerial strategies are
required.
In all these B1, B2 and B3 categories a further classification of
V, E, D i.e., vital, essential and desirable categorization is to
be done.
C - Those lands which are on the threshold of a new economic
order at a local level where resolution of second generation
issues and addressing sustainability concerns are required.
Table 6 : State-Wise Wastelands Of India (Area in ha.)
Total Geog. | Total W.L. 9b to
S. State area of dist. | area in dists. | total
No. covered Covered geog.
Area
1 Andhra Pradesh 27506800 5175019 18.81
2 |Arunachal Pradesh 8374300 1832625, . 21.88
3 Assam 7843800 2001917] ^ 25.52
4 |Bihar 17387700 2099755 12.08
5 Goa 370200 61327 16.57
6 Gujarat 19602400 4302128| 21.95
7 Haryana 4421200 373398 8.45
8 Himachal Pradesh 5567300 3165900, 56.87
9 Jammu&Kashmir* 10138700 6544424| 64.55
10 |Karnataka 19179100 2083928 10.87
11 |Kerala 3886300 144818 3.73
12 |Madhya Pradesh 44344600 6971375 15.72
13 |Maharashtra 30769000 5348908 17.38
14 |Manipur 2232700 1294862 58.00
15 |Meghalaya 2242900 990438| 44.16
16 |Mizoram 2108100 407168 19.31
17 |Nagaland 1657900 840410} 50.69
18 |Orissa 15570700 2134171 13,71
19 |Punjab 5036200 222840 4.42
20 [Rajasthan 34223900 10563911 30.87
21 |Sikkim 709600 356958| 50.30
22 |Tripura 1048600 127603 12.17
23 |Tamil Nadu 13005800 2301390 17.70
24 |Uttar Pradesh 29441100 3877280| 13.17
25 |West Bengal 8875200 571848 6.44
26 |Union Territory 1097300 57430 5.23
TOTAL: 316641400| 63851831 20.17
