RESOURCES

Identification of resources available, their present utilization levels and evaluaiton of the scope for further exploitation through appropriate channels are key elements for any developmental planning schemes. In this chapter an attempt is made to highlight the status availability of various resources on which the assessment of Industrial potential in the district can be based and the possible lines of activity be suggested. These resources are classified broadly as Human and Material resources here.

a)HUMAN RESOURCES:-

POPULATION:-

The population of the district as per 2001 census is 24,79,347. The males form 12,46,287 and the females 12,33,040 nos. The number of SCs in the district are 4,71,075 and form 190% and the STs population is 4,21,489 which is 17% of the population of the district. The total SC/ST population of 8,92,564 works out to 36% of the total district population. It is one of the highest percentages of the district. The urban population of the district is only 24%. The rural population is around 76%.

LITERACY:-

The number of literates as per 2001 census is put at 11,15,706 in the district with a rate of 45%.

b) MATERIAL RESOURCES:-

AGRICULTURE

The southern part of the district consisting of Nirmal, Luxettipet, Khanapur and surrounding mandals is fairly developed agriculturally, owing to the availability of irrigation facilities there. The total cropped area of the district is 5.93 lakh hectares which constitute 37% of the total geographical area. The principal crops of the district are Jowar, paddy, Cotton, Wheat, Maize, Chillies, Sugarcane and Soya.

LAND UTILISATION

About 43% of the total geographical area of the district is covered with forests and the net area sown is only around 35%. The follow lands and current follow constitute around 11% and an equal amount of land account to pastures, barren lands and cultivable waste etc.

CROPPING PATTERN

Cotton occupies an important place in the agriculture sector of this district. Adilabad has got 27% area under cotton in all the Telengana districts put together and 16% of the area under cotton in the entire state. However the yields are not in accordance with the above ratios, which accounts to only 11.76% cotton production of Telengana districts and only about 5% of the states total cotton production. The Regional Agricultural Research Station situated at Adilabad is conducting research on cotton in modern cultivation and pest management techniques to advise the farmers for better yields achievement.

IRRIGATION

Irrigation is the backbone for agriculture. Agriculture depends on the irrigation facilities available. Though the rivers all along its border surround the district of Adilabad, the irrigation facilities to cater to the lands of the district are rather limited. The Kadam project was the mainstay with an area of 55,000 acres being irrigated under it to the village of Luxettipet and Khanapur mandals. The other streams, and all put together an equal acreage in the district. The irrigated are constitute just 11.5% of the total cropper area in the district. The other important irrigation projects are across the river Swarna in Nirmal Taluq and Sirala project across river. The other sources of irrigation are tanks, wells and canals. Due to the high percentage of slopes and the forest and hilly terrains the irrigation projects are hampered in the district. Small projects of lift irrigations and bundings could be given a though to irrigate local areas in a small and medium scale for meeting the irrigation needs of the district.

There is scope for bringing large areas of cultivable lands under irrigation though several surface water schemes. The present level of 17% irrigation of the cultivable area under minor, medium and major irrigation projects which is the lowest in the state needs to be improved for achieving higher yields and creating fresh employment in the agriculture sector.
There is good news in the APSIDC Nirmal division completing 31 lift irrigation schemes by 31.3.99 with a cost of 581 lakhs on various streams and canals to cover an extent of about 5000 ha. The surveys of the ground water department for identifying sites for construction of dug wells, bore wells and tube wells under IRDP, SCAP AND STAP, the Government sponsored programmes.

In addition, water conservation and optimal utilization techniques like drip and spinklers irrigation are being popularised by the departments like Agriculture and Horticulture, department etc.
The NABARD is making all out efforts to support and strengthen the irrigation sector by gearing up to meet the minor irrigation sector needs at a reduced rate of interest on refinance for all agencies.
The enactment of legislation of AP Farmers Management of Irrigation Systems Act, 1997 with a view to make the sues to have management and maintenance of LI&GW schemes for more effective utilization of sources and the other efforts by way of sponsored programme shall bring the much needed boost to this very vital sector and thereby bring development to this district.

MINERAL RESOURCES

The Adilabad district consists of Archarean terrian Sdemantary terrain and Deccan Traps. The sadmentary terrian is the reserve for mineral deposits which is exposed in parts of Adilabad, Jainath, Bela, Kerameri, Wankidi, Asifabad, Rebbena. Thiryani Tandur, Bellampally, Kasipet Mandamarri, Jaipur, Chennur Mandlas. The rich coal belt extending from North of Godavari to Thiryani Mandals in the sedimentary terrians.
There are approximately about 600 million tonnes of coal and 100 million town of lime stones is available available in the District. The limestone reserves in the District is mainly used in Cement Factories and partly in Sirpur paper Mills after calcination. There are five cement units in the District. They are M/s. Orient Cement located at Devapur village of Kasipet mandal with a capacity of about 1.20 million ton per annum M/s. ACC is located in Mancherial with a capacity of 0.3 million tonnes per annum M/s. C.C.I. is located in Adilabad with a capacity of 0.3 million tones per annum. But it is not workign since Sept.1988 due to financial problems. M./s Annapurna Cements and M/s. Someshwara Cements are located at Asifabad. Both of them are mini cement plants with a capacity of 200 and 300 TPD respectively. Both the units are not working and become sick for the last one and half year. M/s. SCC is the sole exploiter of the coal mines.
There are eight stone ware pipe units located in between Mancherial and Rebbena. The Chief raw material required by the stone were pipe plants are coal and with clay, which are available in the distric.t There are 14 mining leases existing for white clay. The managements mineral mined form the District is used in Ferro Manganese Plants of Karanataka, Maharashtra and Kerala.

FISHERIES

Adilabad district is fully endowed with rich water potentialities suitable for fish culture on modern intensive methods. The district has natural boundaries of potential rivers like Penganga on north-west, Wardha on north. Pranahitha on the east and Godavari on eastern side. There are 1414 water sources having water spread of 28966 hectors envisages rich sources for fish culture.

There is 55946 hectors water spread area having the potentiality of producing 0.60 lakhs tones of as against the existing production of 0.15 lakh tones of fish production by increasing 4 times of its current size as per vision 2020. Therefore 0.55 lakhs fishermen population in the district out of which 0.25 lakhs fishermen actively engaged in fishing operations. So far 153 fishermen cooperative societies organized with 7822 fishermen members enrolled.