Location and Condition

The Bundelkhand region lies between 23° 10' and 26° 27' [North] Latitude and 78°4' and 81°34' [East] Longitude. It comprises seven districts of Uttar Pradesh and six districts of the Madhya Pradesh.

Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh comprises seven districts Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Banda, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Chitrakoot with total area of 29418 sq km, which is 12.21% of the total geographical area of the Uttar Pradesh. In the days of great Bundela King Chhatarsal the region was bounded by river Yamuna in north, the Narmada in south, the Chambal in west and the Tons in the east.

Geographically, the Bundelkhand region is part of central zone of India with number of northbound perennial rivers Sindh, Pahuj, Betwa, Dhasan, Ken, Baghein, Paisuni and Tons, etc., with numerous tributaries with drain water form the constituent districts flowing into the Yamuna river.

A total of 25.14% population of the area belongs to Schedule Castes and 0.02% to Schedule Tribes. The tribes like Kol and Saharia are included in the SC population. 82% of the total SC population is in the rural areas. Generally social and gender discrimination and feudalism are predominant factors in the society.

Agriculture and allied activities are the primary sources of the livelihood in the area. According to the census 2001, there are 32,43,042 workers in the region out of which 68.58% are main workers [67% male and 33% female] and 31.42% are marginal workers [33% males and 67% females]. Cultivators and agriculture labour are 74.55% of the total workers in the region. More than 80% of the farmers are small and marginal and generally, the agriculture is dependent on the rain. Cropping intensity is only 119 and it reflects the general condition of the workforce dependent on the farm-based activities.

Condition of the Region

1. In spite of the average rainfall over a period of time drought or drought like situation seems synonymous especially in case of the Bundelkhand.
2. The macro level data are also indicating the situation of the people of the Bundelkhand region. By and large the agriculture pattern is single cropping and most of the cultivable area cultivated during rabi season. Though the livelihood of about 75% of the population is directly dependent on the agriculture and allied activities, hardly 20% of the net sown area has been cultivated during kharif season. In absence of proper irrigation facilities about 60% of the gross cropped area remains un-irrigated.
3. According to the available information net cultivable area has been increased to 67% of the reported area from less than 50% in the early 50s. Gradual decrease in the area cultivated during the kharif season is also easily visible. It was around 33% of the gross cropped area in the year 1977-78 and reduced to 26% in the year 1993-94 and it was only 23% in the year 1998-99. There is no significant increase in the jaid. Though there is an increase in the net sown area and irrigated area about 85% of the cropped area in kharif and 55% in rabi season remain unirrigated. Kharif crop is normally dependent on the rain but the erratic rainfall, soil conditions and non-availability of the supplementary sources of irrigation affecting the crop adversely.
4. Though the agriculture is primary sector and it is contributing about 28% to the GDP at national level but for the small and marginal farmers of the Bundelkhand region it is matter of subsistence and survival. About 75% of the farmers are small and marginal with average land holding of up to 2 hectares and most of them can only think for the subsistence. Their survival is by and large dependent on the combination of produces of their own land and daily wage earning. Increasing cost of the agriculture inputs [mainly because of changes in agriculture practices and adoption of high water consuming varieties] is another critical component that is responsible for increasing vulnerability of the small and medium cultivators. Agriculture is normally rain based in the area and farmers were using traditional seeds but with changes in practices most of them have started using hybrid seeds which are normally high water consuming. Small and marginal farmers are generally resource less and they are highly dependent on the external sources [inputs-fertilizer, seeds, pesticides, water, pump, thrashing etc.
5. Livestock are one of the integrated components of the Indian agrarian economy and Bundelkhand also was very rich in terms of the livestock. But the posture land is reducing gradually. But gradual decrease has been reported in the posture land. In the year 1977-78 the permanent posture land was 9033 hectare [0.30% of the reporting area], which was, reduce to 5401 hectare [0.18%] in the year 1898-99.
6. Historically Bundelkhand region has been known for lakes, ponds, tanks, bavdis, wells, etc. These water sources contributed to enriching the underground water, increasing the level of water in wells and increasing soil moisture to allow healthy vegetation. Construction of ponds in every village was a traditional practice and different ponds were constructed for the different uses. Ponds for the collection of the rainwater, for the irrigation, for providing drinking water for the animals, etc. After the independence hardly any attention had been given by the local or state administration on the proper maintenance of the traditional water resources of the Bundelkhand. Rather the policy of leasing of the ponds to the private persons has contributed towards the distortion of such resources.  At some places the local landlords occupied the ponds and most of the ponds were allotted to the local influential persons.
7. All the major reservoirs, lakes and remaining ponds are worst affected by the silting and hardly any regular measure have been adopted by the state agencies to take care of these resources.  The silting has covered more than 3/4th of the area of the resources and their capacities have been reduced. Massive deforestation, encroachments of the catchments areas, and no efforts for the catchments area treatment has also responsible for the deterioration of the traditional water resources.
8. Scarcity of the drinking water is a common problem in most of the villages in the region.

Bundelkhand Region Specific Problems

Bundelkhand region is experiencing regular drought, which hinders all processes of development and growth in the region. The increasing vulnerability and marginalisation has imbalanced the village economy. In this condition, the villagers' rights and entitlements also denied. Service providers, line departments functionaries, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) members and functionaries, bank functionaries are also not properly serving in favour of poorest community groups. These all factors further forced villagers for migrating, committing suicide, put on their children into work, etc.