Deviation Between Net Sown Area and Irrigated Area in the Nagar Kulik Interfluve, Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal: An Assessment

Abstract

The Net Sown Area (NSA) represents the total cultivated area during the reference year without considering the number of times it has been cultivated in a year (Agricultural Census Division). Area sown more than once in the same year is counted only once. Irrigation is a basic facility for the crop production. Normally there is a deviation between Net Sown Area and Irrigated area that means any area having higher net sown area may be deficit by the irrigation facility. The regional disparity in distribution of net sown area as well as the irrigation facility is a common phenomenon though the relation normally positively proportional. The magnitude of relation varies over the time and space. In the study area the disparity has been found both in the NSA and irrigation facility among the 126 villages. Quantitative analysis has been applied to analyse the disparity in the two variables separately and jointly too. Firstly, univariate analysis has been done to analyse the individual deviation and then to understand the joint effect of the considered variable, bivariate analysis has been conducted. Fourth quadrant plotting of Z-score of NSA and Irrigated Area may be helpful to detect the villages which are lagging behind by the distribution of NSA or by irrigation facility. Quadrant analysis is also beneficial to detect the regional disparity raised by the considered two variables which in term adjuvant to draw planning proposal at village level. To reduce the regional disparities proper planning proposals are required. Identification of villages lagged behind by getting irrigation facility are required first to be facilitated by irrigation facility. Next to find out the villages having sufficient net sown area but the potentiality to expand the net sown area is required to identify. The present methodology may help to find out both types of villages which are needed attention for irrigation and net sown area to reduce the small scale i.e. village level regional disparity. The Present study is confined on Nagar-Kulik Interfluve of Uttar Dinajpur District. Therefore, this paper has taken as an attempt to identify the problems of the NSA of the Interfluve and also to give some suggestions