Geospatial Technology based approach for the tribal area development of Ganderbal District, Jammu and Kashmir-India

Abstract

The tribal area of Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir was studied for its geography, regional status, and development opportunities. The study used Geospatial technology, field surveys, existing data, satellite imageries, and census of India data. Geologically, the region has a diverse topography including river flows, mountain peaks, meadows, rich vegetation, glaciers, lakes, etc. The Gujjar and Bakerwal is a dominant tribe in the region and comprises about 46% of the total population. The literacy rate of the area is low compared to the neighboring non-tribal region which stands at approximately 21% lower and the female literacy is comparatively low with respect to male literacy. The study found a moderate to low economy in the area and the number of workers stands at 26% of the total population. Apart from the lack of awareness and motivation, low income plays a significant role in the low education rate. The study found a considerable change in the land use of the region from the year 1985 to 2020. The waterbodies show a decrease of 28.28% whereas the Perennial Snow shows a decrease of 31.71% and the forest area is showing a decrease of 30.55%. Further, Built-up has shown an increase of 44.97%, cropland has shown an increase of 56.30%, Scrubland/ Rock mass has shown an increase of 38.95%, and Grassland has shown an increase of 33.74 percent. The study suggests that the integration of scientific and non-scientific assessments and the use of geospatial applications will bring a broad understanding of tribal area development planning. The integrations can be dynamic for real-time assessments and therefore analyzing the present crisis, consequences, and mitigation policies.