Extent of land degradation and status of wastelands in Rajasthan (NW India) with a focus on the Bhilwara District

Geographically, the Rajasthan is the largest state of India. The mapping of degraded and wasteland, its distribution and district base statistics are very important for land resource assessment and management. This paper deals with the status of land degradation affecting different kind of soils and under different management options. The study further illustrates the regional example of the Bhilwara district. The pressure on land resources has increased manifold with the increasing human and animal population. Western part of Rajasthan is severely affected by wind erosion (56%) and south-eastern part is affected by water erosion (42%) and salinity and sodicity (2%) affected area is scattered throughout the state. The area is characterised by a marked temperature range with strong diurnal variations, a typical phenomenon of the warm-dry continental climate. Desertification ranks among the greatest environmental challenge for the ecosystems in this region, and twelve districts of Rajasthan are already affected by severe desertification. Wind erosion is the major cause of soil degradation in western Rajasthan, whereas water erosion affects mostly south and eastern Rajasthan.