EXECUTIVE SUMMERY
UGC Minor Research Project
“SPATIO – TEMPORAL PATTERN OF SEX RATIO IN SATARA DISTRICT OF MAHARASHTRA: A GEOGRAPHICAL
PERSPECTIVE”
Principal Investigator – Mr. B.J.Kale Co- Investigator – Dr. D.G. Gatade
INTRODUCTION:
Population geography is one of the advanced and distinct branches of human geography. Study of the population deals not only with the population size and growth but also with composition. Sex composition is one of the most significant physical and qualitative aspects of the population.
Among the various components of population composition, sex composition holds a prime place for the population geographers. The separate data for males and females are important for various types of planning and for the analysis of other demographic characteristics such as notality, mortality, migration, marital status, economic characteristics etc. the balance of sexes affects the social and economic relationships within a community.
Sex ratio is an index of the socio-economic conditions of an area. It is an important tool for regional analysis. It has a profound effect on the demographic structure of a region. It is an important feature any landscape. It is a function of three basic factors: Sex ratio at birth, Sex ratio at death and sex selectively among migrants (Ghosh, 1987, p.97).
Satara district has frequently referred to as a traditional area of out migration to Bombay. Since migration in sex and age selective, it has affected the demographic characteristics of the area. One of the most striking features about the Satara district is the inequality in the number of males and females as it indicated by the fact that the sex ratio (i.e. females per thousand males) in Satara district is the fourth highest in Maharashtra (986). The other district having a high sex ratio over 986 are Ratnagiri (1123), Sindhudurg (1037) and Gondiya (996). All other district of Maharashtra state have a sex ratio of below 986.
Though a high sex ratio is characteristics of Satara district as a whole there are bound to the intra regional variations. Hence an in-depth study of the spatial variation of the sex ratio in satara district is undertaken on the basis of the data for eleven talukas in the study region. The analysis is carried out for the census year of 2011 for the following reasons.
i) This would enable one to see if there were some continuing spatial patterns of sex ratio in the study region.
ii) The analysis would help to identify talukas, which have consistently high sex ratio. Such talukas could then be taken up for a more detailed study of the socio-economic implications of high sex ratio.
The present study would be in the nature of micro-regional analysis.
DATABASE AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
The entire project work is based on the secondary data. The secondary data is mainly derived from the District Census handbook of Satara 1981,1991,District Census C.D. of Satara 2001 & 2011, Socio-economic Review and District Statistical Abstract of Satara, March 2011.Census of India, 2011, Provisional Population Totals, Paper – 2, Volume. 1 of 2011, Rural – Urban Distribution Maharashtra Series, 28, The Handbook of Basic Statistics of Maharashtra State, 1991 and 2001.
Sex ratio at taluka level and for district as a whole for the different component of population (i.e. total, rural, urban, 0-6 years age groups, scheduled caste, scheduled tribes, total workers, cultivators, agricultural labours, workers in household industries) has been computed
CONCLUSION:
The Satara district is one of the districts of the Maharashtra state. It extends from 170 05’ north to 190 11’ north latitude and 730 33’ east to 740 54’ east longitude. The study region covers an area of 10484 km2 with 3003741 population according to 2011 Census. It consists of 11 talukas, 14 towns and 1167 villages as per 2011 census. Physiographically the region may be divided into three units: i) Hills and Ghats ii) Foot hill zone iii) plain area.
Sex structure is the basic characteristics or the biological attribute, of any demographic group and affects not only its demographic but also its social, economical and political structure for they influence birth and death rates. Internal and international, marital status composition, manpower, the gross national power, planning regarding educational and medical services and housing etc.
In the study region the sex ratio is continuously becoming high and low but generally the direction of the sex ratio is decreasing.
The total sex ratio of the study region in 2011 was 986 but this sex ratio is high as compared to Maharashtra state (925). The highest sex ratio is found in Jaoli taluka (1068) and the lowest sex ratio is found in Mahabaleshwar taluka which is completely hilly region, less development of agriculture field, less improvement in industrial and urbanization activities. Migration is one of the most important or main cause of less sex ratio found in these talukas. According to 2011 Census the total rural sex ratio of the study region was 995. The highest sex ratio is found in Jaoli taluka (1070) and the lowest sex ratio is found in phaltan taluka (937). Because in this taluka the male population is always migrated for the employment from the surrounded area. In the study region the total urban sex ratio was 959. The highest total urban sex ratio is found in Jaoli taluka (1014) the satara and karad urban areas the development of business is well development. Lowest sex ratio is found in Mahabaleshwar taluka (848). In the Mahabaleshwar taluka the development of urbanization is not slow, less improvement in business and industrial activities are responsible for them.
Mr. B. J. Kale Principal,
Principal Investigator Sadguru Gadage Maharaj College,
Karad
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