Land is a finite resource and its demand for diverse purposes is increasing day by day. There are large areas of utilizable but wasteland resources. Moreover, the pressure of commercialization is increasingly forcing out productive land resources for nonagricultural uses. Considering the importance of land use and policy, the Government of Karnataka brought out a document on land use policy recently (GoK, 2003).

Figure 2

The Table 2 and Figure 2 shows the Changes of Land use pattern in 2003-04 and 2017- 18 in the state of Karnataka. The divisions are categorized as Forest, Nonagricultural land, Barren land, Cultivable waste, permanent pasture, Trees and Groves, Fallow land and Net sown area. The total geographical area covered in 2003-04 is 19049836 hectares which decreased to 19048466 hectares in 2017-18. There are various positive and negative changes seen in the overall land use pattern and the highest change is seen in Non-agricultural land i.e. 0.8% (increased from 7.0% in 2003-04 to 7.8% in 2017- 18) followed by Net sown area i.e. 0.2% (increased from 51.6% in 2003-04 to 51.8% in 2017-18) and Barren land i.e. 0.1% (increased from 4.1% in 2003-04 to 4.2% in 2017-18). Negative changes are seen in Fallow land i.e. -0.5% (decreased from 12.3% in 2003-04 to 11.8 % in 2017-18) followed by Trees and Groves i.e. -0.2% (decreased from 1.6% in 2003-04 to 1.4% in 2017-18), Permanent pasture i.e. -0.2% (decreased from 5.0% to 4.8) and Cultivable waste i.e. -0.1% (decreased from 2.2%in 2003-04 to 2.1% in 2017-18). There is no change in case of Forest. The reasons behind these changes are urban growth, lack of irrigation facilities, converting the forest area into settlement areas and industries, excessive use of fertilizers etc.

Figure 3

Forest is a piece of land with many trees. These are very important and grow in many places around the world. They are an ecosystem which includes many plants and animals. Temperature and rainfall are the two most important things of forests.

The Table 3 and Figure 3 represent the Changes in area under Forest in 2003-04 and 2017-18 in the state of Karnataka. The state is categorized into 4 divisions- Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalburgi and Mysuru. The entire state covered a total geographical area of 3070330 hectares i.e. 16.1% in 2003-04 and it increased to 3073376 hectares in 2017-18. A positive change is seen in Kalburgi division i.e. 0.1% (increased from 1.3% in 2003-04 to 1.4% in 2017-18). A negative change is seen in Bengaluru division i.e. -0.1% (decreased from 3.4% in 2003-04 to 3.3% in 2017-18), because of urbanization. There are no changes in forest cover in Belagavi and Mysuru divisions i.e. 0.0%.

Figure 4

Non-agricultural land means land upon which no agricultural activities are conducted and from which no agricultural products are derived. These lands is never eligible to receive an agricultural assessment.

The Table 4 and Figure 4 shows Division Wise Changes in Non-Agricultural land in 2003-04 and 2017-18 in the state of Karnataka. The state is categorized into 4 divisions- Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalburgi and Mysuru. The entire state covered a total geographical area of 1331643 hectares i.e. 7.0% in 2003-04 which got increased to 1479580 hectares i.e. 7.8% in 2017-18 accompanied by a total change of 0.8%. The highest change is seen in the Kalburgi division i.e. 0.4% (increased from 1.1% in 2003-04 to 1.5% in 2017-18) followed by Bengaluru divisions i.e. 0.1% (increased from 2.6% in 2003-04 to 2.7% in 2017-18) , Mysuru divisions i.e. 0.1% (increased from 2.1% in 2003-04 to 2.2% in 2017-18) and Belagavi divisions i.e. 0.1% (increased from 1.2% in 2003-04 to 1.3% in 2017-18). The reasons behind these changes are urbanization, lack of irrigation facilities, use of excessive fertilizers which again detoriated the quality of land for use of agriculture, etc.

Figure 5

2003-2004 and 2017-2018 in Karnataka

Figure 6

Cultivable waste land includes all land available for cultivation or taken up for cultivation once, but not cultivated during the current year and the preceding five years or more in succession.

The Table 6 and Figure 6 shows Division Wise Changes in Area under Cultivable waste in 2003-04 and 2017-18 in the state of Karnataka. The state is categorized into 4 divisions- Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalburgi and Mysuru. The entire state covered a total geographical area of 421263 hectares i.e. 2.2% in 2003-04 which decreased to 399315 hectares i.e. 2.1% in 2017-18 accompanied by a total change of -0.1%. The graph shows a negative change in Mysuru divisions i.e. -0.1% (decreased from 1.0% in 2003-04 to 0.9% in 2017-18). There are no such changes in the areas under cultivable waste in Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalburgi divisions i.e. 0.0%. The reason behind this reduction is less agricultural activities which reduced the increment of cultivable waste in Mysuru divisions.

Figure 7

Permanent pasture means non rotational land used for grass production (sown or natural) on a permanent basis (five years or longer).

The Table 7 and Figure 7 shows Division Wise Changes in Area under Permanent Pasture in 2003-04 and 2017-18 in the state of Karnataka. The state is categorized into 4 divisions- Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalburgi and Mysuru. The entire state covered a total geographical area of 952204 hectares i.e. 5.0% in 2003-04 which decreased to 905072 hectares i.e. 4.8% in 2017-18 accompanied by a total change of -0.2%. There are negative changes seen in the Bengaluru divisions i.e. -0.1% (decreased from 2.6% in 2003-04 to 2.5% in 2017-18) followed by Mysuru divisions i.e. -0.1% (decreased from 1.5% in 2003-04 to 1.4% in 2017-18). There are no changes seen in Belagavi and Kalburgi divisions i.e. 0.0% during the year 2003-04 and 2017-18. The reason behind this decrement is converting the lands into settlements and rapid growth of urbanization.

Figure 8

Grove is a group of trees that grow close together, generally without many bushes or other plants underneath.

The Table 8 and Figure 8 shows Division Wise Changes in Area under Trees and Groves in 2003-04 and 2017-18 in the state of Karnataka. The state is categorized into 4 divisions- Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalburgi and Mysuru. The entire state covered a total geographical area of 304718 hectares i.e. 1.6% which decreased to 271142 hectares i.e. 1.4% accompanied by a total change of -0.2%. There are negative changes seen in Bengaluru divisions i.e. -0.1% (decreased from 0.6% in 2003-04 to 0.5% in 2017-18) followed by Mysuru divisions i.e. -0.1% (decreased from 0.8% in 2003-04 to 0.7% in 2017-18). There are no changes seen in Trees and Groves in Belagavi and Kalburgi divisions i.e. 0.0%. The reason behind this change is urbanization, conversion of forest areas into settlements, rapid urban growth etc.

Figure 9

Fallow land is all arable land either included in the crop rotation system or maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition, whether worked or not, but will not be harvested for the duration of a crop year.

The Table 9 and Figure 9 shows Division wise Changes in Area under Fallow Land in 2003-04 and 2017-18 in the state of Karnataka. The state is categorized into 4 divisions- Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalburgi and Mysuru. The entire state covered a total geographical area of 2344041 hectares i.e. 12.3% in 2003-04 which decreased to 2254125 hectares i.e. 11.8% in 2017-18 accompanied by a total change of -0.5%. The highest change is seen in Mysuru divisions i.e. 0.2% (increased from 2.0% in 2003-04 to 2.2% in 2017-18) followed by Bengaluru divisions i.e. 0.1% (increased from 3.3% in 2003-04 to 3.4% in 2017-18). Negative changes are seen in Belagavi divisions i.e. -0.5% (decreased from 3.1% in 2003-04 to 2.6% in 2017-18) and Kalburgi divisions i.e. -0.3% (deceased from 3.9% in 2003-04 to 3.6% in 2017-18).

Figure 10

Net sown area is the total area sown with crops and orchards. It represents an area in which total crops are grown only once in a year.

The Table 10 and Figure 10 shows Division Wise Changes in Area under Net Sown Area in 2003-04 and 2017-18 in the state of Karnataka. The state is categorized into 4 divisions- Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalburgi and Mysuru. The entire state covered a total geographical area of 9837620 hectares i.e. 51.6% in 2003-04 which increased to 9874158 hectares i.e. 51.8% in 2017-18 accompanied by a total change of 0.2%. The highest change is seen in Belagavi divisions i.e. 0.5% (increased from 16.7% in 2003-04 to 17.2% in 2017-18) followed by Kalburgi division i.e. 0.5% (increased from 14.7% in 2003-04 to 15.2% in 2017-18). A negative change is seen in Bengaluru divisions i.e. -0.8% (decreased from 11.2% in 2003-04 to 10.4% in 2017-18) and Mysuru divisions i.e. -0.1% (decreased from 9.1% in 2003-04 to 9.0% in 2017-18).