Rajasthan Towards Industrial Development:
Rajasthan is the land of many industrial houses. It has given birth to many big industrialists as steel king, Laxmi Niwas Mittal, Birla, Dalmia, Singhania, Bangar, Poddar etc. They have earned a great name and fame in India and abroad. The government has laid a special emphasis through five years plans on the development of basic infrastructures and social structure. There are central government enterprises too in the state.
The backward districts of the state have been benefitted by the Central government subsidy scheme. The State Government has been making all efforts to attract the entrepreneurs from within India and abroad.
On 23rd and 24th Sept., 2000 the Rajasthan government organized in Jaipur the International Rajasthani Sammelan 2000, on the occasion of the Swam Jayanti of the state. The big industrialists are now attracted to invest in Rajasthan with a big change in the infrastructure of the state. Besides the state is rich in human and natural resources required for the industrial development.
If the mineral based industries are developed in the State, Rajasthan can be one of the industrially developed states of India.
Share of Industries in the State Gross Domestic product has increased from 27.8% in 2000-2001, to 29.7% in 2005-2006 though it has not shown much satisfactory progress in the later years.
Industrial Growth Rate:
In 2005-2006, the percentage growth rate of the mining and investment sector was 12.09% but the global recession of 2008 did affect adversely the economy of Rajasthan too.
Effect of Global recession on Rajasthan:
The Gross State Domestic product which was 6.70% in 2005-2006, fell to 5.48% in 2008-2009, at the constant prices. In the financial year 2008-2009 the mining and investment growth rate fell to 3.21%.
Registered Factories:
Their number has risen in the state from 9665 in 1987 to 10001 in 2007.
Development of small industries:
The State government has paid a special attention to develop the small industries and thereby to generate employment opportunities. In 1975-1976 the registered units of small industries in Rajasthan was 20102 and it touched the figure of 3.20 lacs in 2008-2009. The number of persons employed in small industries has arisen to 13.16 lakhs from 1.76 lakh in 1975-76. The capital investment has increased to Rs. 8888.21 crore from Rs. 72.37 crore in 2008-2009.
Khadi and Gramudyog:
In order to promote the Khadi and Gramudyog in the state, Fashion For Development Yojana is in operation. There has been an improvement in the quality of Khadi textile. In 2008-2009 the production of Khadi was valued at Rs. 18.14 crore and, of Gramoudyog at Rs. 301. 79 crore.
Industrial Production:
Presently Rajasthan has units of cotton and synthetic fibres, woollen, sugar, cement, television and tyre tube factories, vegetable oil mills. Engineering industrial units, large and medium minerals based units. Rajasthan imports mainly emerald, ornaments, textile, mechanical goods, readymade garments. Handicrafts, chemicals, agricultural products, minerals based goods.
There are 36 industrial products in Rajasthan. A few statistics for the industrial products in 2008 are as vegetable oil 57480 tons, edible oil – 120866 tons, cotton textile – 20340 lakh metre, synthetic thread 536.60 lakh kg. Urea – 371883 tons, sulphuric acid – 594045 tons, cement 101.20 lakh tons, water meter 89592 etc. The above facts prove that Rajasthan is progressing fast in respect of industrial development.
