About Marathwada

Marathwada region consists of Aurangabad, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded, Osmanabad, Beed and Latur districts and are culturally well tied. The region is rocky and dry with low and uncertain rainfall, small landholdings and some landlessness.

The region lacks natural resources and is prone to drought. About 95% of agriculture is dry land farming and cotton is the major crop. The inherent susceptibility of cotton crop to pest and vagaries of nature make its cultivation a risky affair, resulting in many farmers falling prey to debt.

It is the least urbanized area in Maharashtra with 80% of the population living in rural areas. About 30% of the population in Marathwada region is below poverty level. Its per capita GDP is only Rs. 14,220 (US$ 316). The literacy rate is the lowest in the state - 65% with only 55% literacy among women. All eight districts in the region figure in the list of the 100 poorest districts in the country.

The Human Development Index (HDI) using the UNDP methodology for the year 2000 highlights the backwardness of the districts of Marathwada. Noting from the table below,  none of the Marathwada districts are in the list of above-the-State’s average attainment.

Human Development Index and Per-Capita District Domestic Product (PCDDP) -
Marathwada districts are highlighted

No Districts HDI 2000 Rank PCDDP (Rs.)

1998-99 (At Current Prices)

 Rank
01 Mumbai 1.00 2 45471 1
02 Mumbai (Suburban) 1.00 1 45471 2
03 Thane 0.82 3 33200 3
04 Raigad 0.70 6 31364 4
05 Ratnagiri 0.44 22 14354 25
06 Sidhudurg 0.60 9 20016 10
07 Nashik 0.51 13 20636 8
08 Dhule 0.36 30 11789 34
09 Nandurbar 0.28 32 11789 35
10 Jalgaon 0.50 14 16449 17
11 Ahmednagar 0.57 11 15251 22
12 Pune 0.76 4 28000 6
13 Satara 0.59 10 15563 20
14 Sangli 0.68 7 20411 9
15 Solapur 0.48 17 18097 13
16 Kolhapur 0.64 8 20925 7
17 Aurangabad 0.57 12 19365 11
18 Jalna 0.27 33 12047 33
19 Parbhani 0.43 24 13827 26
20 Hingoli 0.43 25 13827 27
21 Beed 0.47 18 15303 21
22 Nanded 0.37 29 13068 31
23 Osmanabad 0.38 28 12905 32
24 Latur 0.47 19 13677 29
25 Buldhana 0.41 27 13823 28
26 Akola 0.44 23 16069 18
27 Washim 0.36 31 16069 19
28 Amravati 0.50 15 17168 14
29 Yavatmal 0.22 34 13382 30
30 Wardha 0.49 16 16952 16
31 Nagpur 0.71 5 28878 5
32 Bhandara 0.46 20 14467 23
33 Gondiya 0.46 21 14467 24
34 Chandrapur 0.41 26 19325 12
35 Gadchiroli 0.21 35 17140 15
  Maharashtra 0.58 22763

Source: Human Development Report of Maharashtra.

Map showing location Marathwada in India:

 
  Quick Facts
   
 

Location: Roughly 400km southeast of Mumbai

Major city: Aurangabad

Approximate area: 64,818 sq km

Languages: Marathi, Urdu, and Hindi

Literacy: 65% (Census 2001)

Per capita GDP: Rs 14,220 (US$ 316)
 
   
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