Social,
Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : 23
Sex Ratio Rank : 550
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : D
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 215 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 518 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Water : Flouride in Groundwater above permissible limits
Challenges of the district : Our research with local communities
Unemployment is a major issue we are battling. Dungarpur
doesn’t fall under an industrial belt so the employment opportunities
are very limited.
Due to unavailability of jobs people are migrating to other places.
They leave behind their children and family. People are not able
to live in close knit families. Migration is another issue to
be resolved.
Brief About Dungarpur District
Location
The district is located in the southern part of Rajasthan.
The district Udaipur and Banswara lie in north and east of Dungarpur
district respectively. On south and west, it is surrounded by
the borders of the neighbouring state of Gujarat
Distance from Major
Cities
- Jaipur-425 kms.
- Udaipur-100 kms.
- Delhi-737 kms.
- Ahmedabad-160 kms.
- Mumbai-711 kms.
Climate and Rainfall
- The district has a dry climate with hot season, milder than
in the desert regions of Rajasthan.
- The maximum temperature in the district is between 40-45
degrees celsius.
- The minimum temperature is between 10-12 degrees celsius.
- The annual rainfall varies from 820 mm at Kanaba to 477
mm at Dhambola.
Major Crops and their Production
| Production:
1999—2000 |
| (Tonnes) |
| Paddy |
5,818 |
| Jowar |
332 |
| Bajra |
37 |
| Maize |
73,837 |
| Pulses |
15,460 |
| Sesamum |
48 |
| Groundnut |
8 |
| Sugarcane |
20,101 |
| Wheat |
32,114 |
| Barley |
1,967 |
| Gram |
10,946 |
| Rapeseed and Mustard |
114 |
Minerals
| Mineral
Production: 1999-00 |
| Tonnes |
| Stealite |
41,214 |
Infrastructure
Electricity
There are five grid sub-stations in the district with the capacity
of 22.1 MVA. As of March 2000, out of 846 villages 840 were electrified.
Water
There are three main rivers in the district viz., Mahi, Soni and
Jakham. Ground water in the district occurs under semiconfined
conditions about 5 metres below the ground level. The ground water
available in the district is found suitable for both irrigation
and drinking purposes.
Road Transport
The National Highway No.8 running between Delhi and Bombay passes
through the district. Most of the important towns and important
places in the district are well connected by roads with district
Headquarters. The total length of different categories of roads
in the district is about 1,451 kms.
Rail Transport
The existing railway line is a part of the Udaipur-Ahmedabad meter
gauge line and runs a distance of 42 kms. inside the district.
The main stations of this district on this line are Kotana, Dungarpur,
Bhawnath, Jagabor and Bechiwara.
Air Transport
The nearest air port is at Udaipur (100 kms.).
Communication Facilities
| (Nos.) |
| Post offices |
297 |
| Telegraph offices |
54 |
| Telephone exchanges |
33 |
| PCOs |
532 |
The district Dungarpur is named after 'the town of hillocks'
and the capital of the former princely state of Dungarpur. It
is located in the southern part of Rajasthan between 23o20' and
24o01' north latitude and 73o21' and 74o01' east longitude. The
town of Dungarpur itself is said to have been a Bhil ' Pal' or
a hamlet of 'Dungaria', a Bhil Chieftain whom Rawal Veer Singh
Dev caused to be assassinated in the fourteenth century. Whatever
may be the legend about the beginning of the settlements in the
district, there is no doubt that it formed the part of the territory
known in history as ' Bagar' or 'Vagad' with ' Vatpadrak',
present 'Baroda' (a village in Aspur tehsil) as its old capital.
The material remains of the Ahar civilization
discovered in Mewar region constitute remnants of the civilization
which may date back to 4000 year ago. From Ahar this culture extended
to other centres in the south-east of Rajasthan including parts
of present Dungarpur and Banswara district. Some more light it
thrown on the history of the region by the silver coins unearthed
in thousands from Sarwaniya village in Banswara State, which was
also a part of ' Bagar'. These coins trace the history of this
region as far back as 181 to 353 A.D. They also establish that
this territory was, then, ruled by Kshtrapas or Satraps of the
Saka, inhabitants of area lying between Iran and Afghanistan.
They entered Afghanistan and India sometime in the first century
of the Vikram Era However the Gupta rule over this tract cannot
be ascertained with exactitude. Thereafter, the territory may
have formed a part of the kingdom of Vallabi. Bagar is said to
have been invaded by the Arabs between 725 A.D. and 738 A.D. However,
their attacks were repelled and they were expelled from these
parts. From the time the parmars of Malwa came to rule Bagar,
we get a clear and continuous history of this area. In 12th century
A.D. , the Guhils of Mewar (Udaipur) established their suzerainty
in this area.
It is mentioned in the 'Khyats' that during the
times of Maharawal Veer Singh Dev, The Sixth descendant of Sawant
Singh of Mewar, the county in the vicinity of the present town
of Dungarpur was held by a powerful Bhil Chieftain Dungaria
who aspired to marry the dauther of a wealthy ' Mahajan' named
Sala Shah. The latter fixed a distant date for the wedding and,
in the meantime, conspired with Veer Singh to have the whole marriage
party including Dungaria assassinated while they were in a state
of intoxication. This was successfully carried out. Rawal Veer
Singh took possession of Dungaria's village and founded that town
of Dungarpur in 1358 A.D. The legend has tit that Veer Singh had
promised to the two widows of Dungaria Bhil to perpetuate their
memories by erection a monument in their honour. He is also reported
to have agreed to name to town after their departed husband. He
further laid down that in future, at the installantion of each
new ruler, a descendant of Dungaria would put the 'Tilak' on the
forehead of the ruler from the blood drawn from his finger.
Rawal Veer Singh was killed in the sack of Chittor
by Allauddin Khilji. He was succeeded by Bhachundi who erected
the Hanumat Pol. Rawal Gopinath who succeeded him is famous for
his victory over Ahmedshah, the Sultan of Gujarat in 1433 A.D.
and it was he who built the Gaipsagar lake at Dungarpur which
exists even today remains a beauty spot of this town. Rawal Somdasji,
the 13th ruler is famous for repelling the invasion of Sultan
Mahmood Shah and Gayasuddin. Maharawal Udai Singh I is also
noted for his bravery. He divided 'Vagad' into two parts. The
western portion, with the capital at Dungarpur, he retained for
his elder son Prithviraj and the eastern portion subsequently
known as Banswara, gave to his younger son Jagmal. It was in the
year 1529 A.D. that the two states became independent. Maharawal
Askaran's reign witnessed the arrival of the Mughals in this part
of the county for the first time. During his reign Akbar himself
visited these parts and Askaran attended his court. He acknowledged
the Mughal suzerainty and became a vassal of the Empire. Maharawal
Punjaraj was honoured by the Emperor Shahjahan, who conferred
on him the insignia of the 'Mahimaratib' and a grant of a Dedhahazari
Mansab' and 'Izzat' to 1,500 'Sawars in recognition of the services
rendered by him to the Emperor in his campaigns in the Daccan.
In the time of Maharawal Ram Singh, the Marahattas
invaded these parts. Maharawal Shiv singh the 25th ruler became
an ally of the Marahattas. It was in the time of Maharawal Jaswant
Singh II. That a treaty of perpetual friendship, alliance and
unity of interests was concluded with the British crown on 11th
December, 1818 A.D. according to which a tribute of Rs. 17,500
was to be paid annually to the British Government. Maharawal Udai
Singh II rendered loyal services to the British Government in
the Mutiny of 1857. He was succeeded by Maharawal Bijai Singh
in 1898 A.D. who was a very enlightened prince. Maharawal Lakshaman
Singh ascended the gaddi on the 5th November, 1918 A.D. and continued
to govern the State till its merger in the United States of Rajasthan
in 1948.
It was in 1945 that the 'Dungarpur Rajya Praja
Mandal' came into existence and a year later in 1946, a demand
was made for grant of responsible Government under the aegis of
the ruler. In March, 1948 the ruler announced the grant of responsible
Government. However, on the inauguration of the United States
of Rajasthan the local Government came to an end when the
administration of the State was handedover to ' Rajpramukh' of
the newly formed union of State and Dungarpur was constituted
as a district of the United States of Rajasthan.
Dungarpur district is situated in southern most part of Rajasthan
23.200 to 24.010 of latitude and 73.210 to 74.230 of longitude.
In East and North its borders on Banswara and Udaipur District
respectively while it adjoins the State of Gujrat in South &
West. Dungarpur District is the smallest district of the state
covering 385592 hacts only, which is 1.13% of the total area of
Rajasthan. The most of the part of Distrtict is hilly. The over
all land productivity is rated to be low for the whole district
with somewhat batter conditions found in its southern & western
corners
