Growth of Non-Agricultural Uses on Arable Land in Punjab (India): A Case Study from the Jalandhar District Singh Sucha Assistant Professor in Geography, University School of Open Learning, Panjab University, Chandigarh Online published on 2 September, 2019. Abstract Growth of non-agricultural uses is a prominent feature of many areas especially periphery of the urban centers and along the major roads in India. Punjab has been noticing such encroachments on arable land in response to the rapidly growing urbanization, industrialization and network of transportation. The state has lost thousands of acres of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses since 1991. One such area of the state is Jalandhar-Nakodar Bypass of Jalandhar district which has seen noticeable growth of non-agricultural uses on vast tracks of fertile agricultural land. Thus the proposed research focuses on the spatio-temporal analysis of growth of non-agricultural uses on agricultural land along with the determinants affecting such conversion and its impact on the food insecurity in the study area during 2001–2016. The study is based on both secondary and primary sources of data. Geo-referenced maps showing spatio-temporal changes in the conversion of arable land have been prepared using ArcGis 9.2 software. The study finds that there are four purposes for which agricultural land has been converted. These areresidential followed by Commercial, Industrial and Institutional. It is found that except the urban periphery housing colonies, all other built up areas are unplanned, uncontrolled and not approved by PUDA. The major reasons for the arable land conversion were urbanization, expansion of transportation network, industrialization, declining farm incomes and absence of strict land use conversion policy. The decline in agricultural land along with stagnation in cropping intensity, gross irrigated area, productivity and low farm incomes would lead to food insecurity in the state in the long run. Top Keywords Conversion, Arable Land, Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, PUDA, Food Security. Top |