Information About Beed District
Introduction:
Beed district was one of the Marathi-speaking districts of the former Hyderabad State. In 1956, during the formation of the bilingual state, it was part of Marathwada. After the establishment of Maharashtra State in 1960, it was incorporated into Maharashtra. Later, in August 1982, Marathwada’s regional division and Beed district were reorganized, and 43 villages along with 11 settlements from the Renapur region of Ambajogai tehsil were included in Latur district.
Location:
Beed is one of the eight districts of the Marathwada region, situated centrally in Maharashtra. It lies between latitudes 18°28’N to 19°28’N and longitudes 74°48’E to 76°45’E. The district headquarters, Beed city, is located on the left bank of the Bindusara River. It is bordered by Jalna to the north, Aurangabad to the northwest, Ahmednagar and Osmanabad to the south, Parbhani and Latur to the east, and Ahmednagar to the west. The district spans 268 km from east to west and 127 km from north to south. It has a trapezium-like shape, with nearly parallel northern and southern sides. The total area of the district is 10,638.55 square kilometers, accounting for 3.45% of Maharashtra’s total land area.
For administrative convenience, Beed district is divided into five revenue subdivisions: 1.Beed, 2.Patoda, 3.Majalgaon, 4.Ambajogai, 5.Parli. Each subdivision has a separate deputy collector’s office. The district comprises 11 talukas and 11 Panchayat Samitis, excluding urban areas. There are a total of 1,354 villages and 1,020 Gram Panchayats, including 831 independent and 189 group Gram Panchayats. Additionally, there is one Nagar Panchayat (Municipal Council), and the state government has recently approved Nagar Panchayats for Ashti, Patoda, Shirur Kasar, and Wadwani.According to the 2011 Census, Ashti and Kej talukas have newly been designated as urban areas, bringing the total number of urban areas in the district to eight. Among them, Beed is an ‘A’ class municipal council, Parli-Vaijnath, Majalgaon, and Ambajogai are ‘B’ class municipal councils, and Gevrai and Dharur are ‘C’ class councils. Kej is the only Nagar Panchayat in the district.
There are ten Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) in Beed, located in Beed, Gevrai, Majalgaon, Ambajogai, Dharur, Kada, Shirur-Patoda, Parli Vaijnath, and Wadwani talukas.
Climate and Rainfall:
The district experiences three main seasons:
- Monsoon (June to September) – Though temperatures remain high, the rainy climate brings some relief.
- Winter (October to February) – The climate is dry and cold, with occasional cold waves from November to January.
- Summer (March to May) – The weather is hot and dry.
Rainfall in Beed is generally low and inconsistent, often causing drought conditions. The monsoon usually starts in mid-June and lasts until the end of September, sometimes extending into October. The district receives an average annual rainfall of 666.36 mm, with lower-than-average rainfall recorded in Ashti, Patoda, Shirur Kasar, Beed, Kej, and Dharur talukas. In contrast, Gevrai, Majalgaon, Wadwani, Parli, and Ambajogai receive above-average rainfall.
In 2015-16, the district recorded an average rainfall of 407.11 mm, with Wadwani taluka receiving the highest and Gevrai the lowest rainfall.
Geology:
Beed district’s geological structure is classified as follows:
- 99% of the district’s land consists of hard igneous basalt rocks with low water retention capacity (1-3%), mainly dependent on rock fractures and joints.
- 1% of the land consists of alluvial deposits, which are more conducive to groundwater availability (5-10%).
Geography:
The Balaghat range extends from western Ahmednagar to the eastern border of Beed district, dividing it into two parts: 1.Gangathadi (Northern Flat Land) – Located along the banks of the Godavari River.2.Hilly Terrain (Southern Highland Beed) – Includes the Balaghat plateau, where the elevation is higher in the north and slopes gently toward the Manjara River in the south.
Beed district can be classified into three broad geographical zones:
- Northern Lowland Region – A gradually sloping area from west to east, with small hills between the Godavari and Sindphana river basins.
- Southern Highland Region (Balaghat Plateau) – A steeper terrain featuring major hill ranges.
- Sina Basin Region – Covers most of Ashti taluka, characterized by rolling hills and elevations ranging from 600-750 meters.
The district has five main rivers: Godavari, Manjara, Sina, Sindphana, and Wan.The groundwater table varies, with well depths ranging from 10-20 meters.In winter, the water level stabilizes at 5-6 meters, while in summer, it drops to 12-15 meters.
History:
Beed is an ancient city with uncertain origins. Some believe it was established by the Yadavas of Devagiri (1173-1317 CE), later coming under the rule of the Nizams of Hyderabad during British rule. In 1948, during Operation Polo, Hyderabad State was annexed to India. Beed remained part of Hyderabad State until 1956, after which it was merged into Bombay Province, and later became part of Maharashtra in 1960.Some sources claim that Beed was known as Durgavati during the Mahabharata era and later renamed Champavati Nagar.Under the Chalukya, Rashtrakuta, and Yadava dynasties, it was an important center before coming under Muslim rule.Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq built a fort and several wells here, and the name “Beed” is believed to have originated from the Arabic word “Bir” (meaning “well”).Some scholars suggest that the name may have been given by a Yavana (foreign) ruler, but most historical evidence links it to the Tughlaq era.
Groundwater Assessment (2023-24):
Out of 48 watersheds, 40 are classified as safe, while 8 are partially exploited.
Groundwater
Groundwater quality is affected by the concentration of dissolved gases, ions, soil layers, and minerals.Beed has a district-level NABL-approved water quality laboratory, with four sub-divisional labs at Gevrai, Majalgaon, Parli, and Patoda.The Groundwater Survey and Development Agency (GSDA) has proposed conservation projects.Recharge shaft projects were implemented in 358 villages in 2022-23, with 2,144 structures completed under the Jal Jeevan Mission.Limited groundwater storage, seasonal fluctuations, and drought conditions necessitate rainwater harvesting, efficient irrigation systems, and artificial recharge techniques.Beed district is rich in history, geographical diversity, and natural resources, though it faces challenges related to water scarcity and climate variability. Sustainable water management practices are crucial for its long-term development.
Unique Geological Features:
Khazana Well (Treasure Well) – Built in 1572, located 5 km south of Beed city.Measures 50 feet in diameter and 23.5 meters deep.