CHAPTER V
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(d) |
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(f) |
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(g) |
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(h) |
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(i) |
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(j) |
(a) Old
–Time Industries and Industrial Development
For a long time, Amritsar has been one of the biggest trading centres in northern India. It was known for pashmina (the word pashmina has been derived from pasham, which means fine wool), silk goods, carpets and thick serge.
The
main reason for the development of Amritsar as a commercial center was its
importance as the main seat of the Sikh religion. It drew pilgrims in large
numbers from far and near. Amritsar, thus, provided a ready market for the
Kashmiri goods, I.e. woolen shawls and silk. The goods of the Kangra and Mandy
Hills also found their way here and were exchanged for the produce of the
plains.
Maharaja
Ranjit Singh’s frequent visits to the city, too, gave an impetus to the trade
of Amritsar, and the stationing of a good number of troops there created demand
for manufactured goods. Amritsar came to be known as one of the leading
commercial cities of the Punjab. The British also recognized the commercial
importance of the city and connected it by rail and road. The importance of
Amritsar as a center of brisk trade and commerce is more evident from the
amount of octroi collected from Amritsar than that collected from Lahore
(another important city of the pre-partition Punjab). During the time of Ranjit
Singh, out of the total annual octroi revenue of the whole kingdom amounting to
Rs.24,00,000 as much as Rs.7,00,000 was collected from Amritsar as against
Rs.50,000 from Lahore.1
Amritsar
was not only a leading center of trade, it was also famous for its various
industries. About 1833, quite a large number of famine-stricken Kashmiries
settled here. They were adept in making woolen shawls. They brought with them
instruments and techniques which greatly helped the local shawl industry to
develop on sound lines. They used to manufacture from coarse wool, a sort of
thick, warm serge which the Sikh horsemen wore in winter and during the rains.
They also cleaned the shawls brough from Kashmir for export to other parts of
India. Later, the Punjabi Muslims also took to pashmina-weaving. These weavers
worked as apprentices with Kashmiries for several years, and became skilled.
There was a large demand for shawls in various parts of the country. But, after
the death of Ranjit Singh, the entire trade declined owing to political
insecurity and indiscriminate taxation of the artisans of Amritsar. The shawl
industry, too, could not escape this blow.
1V.N Datta, Amritsar Pass and Present, p.132
Apart
from the pashmina work, silk goods were also manufactured in Amritsar. Raw silk
was imported from Bukhara and it was cleaned, sorted, carded and dyed at
Amritsar and then exported to different places in India. Spun and artificial
silks were imported from England, Japan, Italy and Switzerland. Later, on, wool
also came to be imported from Bukhara via worth 3 lakhs of rupees. In old days,
silk was considered to be a luxury and it was worn by princes, nobles and the
rich.
Amritsar
was also known for carpet-weaving. With the development of the pashmina
industry, the weavers also took to carpet-weaving which required inferior
varieties of raw wool. The products were so skillfully designed that they
became known far and wide. These were also exhibited in important exhibitions
held in India and abroad. A large number of carpets were exported to England,
the USA, France, etc. Towards the close of the nineteenth century, there were
about 150 looms at work at Amritsar.
Besides,
the above industries, acids and other chemicals, soap, gold thread, silver
thread, etc. were also manufactured in small quantities. Carving was done in
ivory, wood and metal. Though not much, wood-carving was done at Amritsar and
Tarn Taran. Utensils-making also formed as old and important industry of the
district. One firm had also started the cleaning of cotton with machinery which
was a new thing in those days. Jandiala Guru was famous for metalwares. Zinc
ornaments were also made in rural areas for the poor people. About the
beginning of the twentieth century, other industries, like the distilling of
spirits, ice-making, printing of textiles, tanning and weaving also came into
being.
Power-looms
were set up at Amritsar for the first time in 1919. These were operated, using
the woollen yarn. In course of time, some wool-spinning mills also came into
being. But, as the period from 1920 to 1933 was one of depression, the industry
could not flourish much. In 1939, with the outbreak of the World War II, the
industry got a great impetus, as the foreign imports stopped and the local
market had to depend on indigenous production. With the achievement of
independence in 1947, the industry got a further fillip and all-round progress
was made.
The
partition of the country in 1947 gave a temporary set-back to the industries of
the district, as it not only lost the skilled workers but also markets for the
outlet of products. But soon after, the scarcity of labour was overcome by
training the displaced persons who came from Pakistan. In order to rehabilitate
these people, industry was considered to be the best means of employment for
them. These people has great initiative and drive and lost no time in availing
themselves of this opportunity to start small-scale industries. Some of them
engaged themselves in the already existing industries of textiles, whereas some
others started the manufacturing of paints, plastic goods and rubber goods.
During the fifties, a large number of new industries sprang up and the already
existing units expanded.
In
1967-68, there were about 27 units in the large-scale sector and about 5,500
units in the small-scale sector, producing a large number of engineering goods,
wood and machine screws, panel pins, textile machinery, printing and
paper-cutting machinery, electric fans, chemicals and, above all, the textiles
– woolen, silken, cotton, etc. In the production of woolen fabrics, like
worsted, tweeds, blankets, shawls, etc. the district holds a prominent place in
the country.
The
industries have developed either in Amritsar proper or in its suburbs. Most of
these, especially textiles – cotton, woolen and silken – are at Chheharta and
Verka. There are also a Government Milk Plant at Verka and a distillery at
Khasa.
Amritsar
has benn known for industrial progress. After 1947, the State Government
recognized the importance of industries for the development of the State. It
has offered all sorts of help and given various facilities. The Department of
Industries, Punjab, gives financial assistance in the form of loans and
subsidies and grants to the industrialists under the Punjab State Aid to
Industries Act, 1935. The following table shows the amount of financial
assistance granted to the industrialists in the district during 1963-64 to
1967-68:
|
Year |
Number of units |
Loans |
Grants-in-aid and
subsidy |
Amount(in lakhs of
rupees) |
(Rs.) |
||
|
1963-64 |
136 |
2063 |
3825 |
|
1964-65 |
134 |
2.61 |
824 |
|
1965-66 |
321 |
29.97 |
3725 |
|
1966-67 |
177 |
9.37 |
6000 |
|
1967-68 |
156 |
5.46 |
1600 |
(Source: Director of Industries,
Punjab, Chandigarh)
Apart
from the financial assistance rendered by the Government, the industries also
got assistance in the form of loans from the Punjab Financial Corporation, Commercial
Banks and Co-operative Banks against security.
The
other measures taken by the Government for the development of industries in the
district are detailed below:
(1) Supply of Machinery on Hire-Purchase
Basis:- The National Small Industries Corporation is an
institution started by the Government of India for the development of
small-scale units in the country. It looks after the development of industries
at the national level. It helps the small-scale industries to acquire machinery
even on the hire-purchase basis and also helps to get raw materials for them.
The cost of the machinery and equipment is to be paid by the units on easy
installments.
(2) Supply of Raw Material:- The State Industries Department provides
facilities for the procurement and distribution of raw materials, e.g. copper
and zinc, to the industrialists according to the fixed quota. It also helps to
procure those raw materials which are required to be imported from abroad.
(3) Marketing Assistance:- Marketing assistance if also provided to the
cottage and small-scale industries. For this purpose, a number of emporiums
have been opened by the State Government. Industrial exhibitions are also
organized by the Government from time to time at suitable places for the
display and disposal of products of the cottage and small-scale industries.
(4) Quality-Marketing Scheme:- It was introduced during the Second Five-Year
Plan (1956-61). Under this scheme, the manufacturers of various goods are provided
either free or at very nominal charges the testing facilities, technical
guidance, manufacturing data, etc.
The
need for introducing the Quality-Marking Scheme was felt in order to improve
the quality of the products of the small-scale industries and to bring about
uniformity which was lacking before this scheme. The Government started the
scheme at its own level, because the small units were unable to install modern
equipment for testing raw materials, semi-finished products, finished products,
etc. Moreover, this step gave the third-party guarantee to the consumers.
The
following quality-marking centers have been set up in Amritsar under the
Quality-Marking Scheme:
(i) Quality-Marking Centre for Textile Goods,
Amritsar:- Started in 1956, the centre provides technical
assistance for the units in choosing the right type of raw material and in the
quality-marking of the goods. The centre has a well-equipped testing
laboratory, controlled by well qualified technical staff. The Controller of Stores,
Punjab, gets tested from it before placing orders with the private units.
The
progress of the centre, during the five years from 1963-64 to 1967-68, is shown
in the following table:
|
Year |
Value of the quality-marked goods (in lakhs of
rupees) |
Number of parties registered under the Quanlity
Marking Scheme |
Number of tests performed |
Value of goods tested for export (in lakhs of
rupees) |
|
1963-64 |
14.44 |
27 |
775 |
--- |
|
1964-65 |
23.09 |
40 |
1193 |
4.1 |
|
1965-66 |
25.09 |
25 |
3944 |
5.1 |
|
1966-67 |
19.70 |
13 |
3246 |
2.9 |
|
1967-68 |
27.4 |
2 |
2454 |
0.58 |
(Source: Quality-Marking Centre for
Textile Goods, Amritsar)
(ii) Government Quality-Marking Centre for
Engineering Goods, Amritsar:- To uplift the standard of engineering
products and to provide them with technical guidance and testing facilities and
also to make the producers and consumers quality-concious, the Quality-Marking
Centre for Engineering Goods was started at Amritsar in 1967. The center has
registered 35 units under the Quality-Marking Scheme. It also inspects goods on
behalf of the Indian Standards Institutions. The laboratory of the center is
well equipped with modern testing machinery. The center has also arrangements for
testing water-meters and pumping-sets.
In
1967-68, the center quality-marked goods worth Rs.2,02,237. The number of tests
performed during that year was 5,386. As many as 1,156 units received technical
guidance. The main items quality-marked include paper-cutting machines, paper
printing machines, dog-chucks, etc.
The
center provides for technical assistance for improving the quality of
engineering products through selection of raw materials and proper machines;
providing drawings and tolerances, and testing equipments and gauges; and
testing of finished and semi finished products; etc. The center is headed by a
Senior Technical Officer, who is assisted by Technical Assistants and other
staff.
(5) Common Facility Service Development
Schemes:- The following centres provide technical assistance and common
facility services for the various industries:
(i) Government Development Centre for Electrical
Appliances, Amritsar:- Established in 1963, the main
object of the center is to uplift the decaying electrical and mechanical
industry in the district. It provides technical and testing facilities for the
small-scale industrial units. It is equipped with modern machinery, mostly
imported. The center functions under a Senior Technical Officer, who is assisted
by technical and administrative staff.
The
progress of work done by the center, during 1964-65 to 1967-68, is shown in the
following table:
|
Year |
Processing charges realized (Rs) |
Value of goods processed (Rs) |
Number of units to which technical assistance
rendered |
Number of tests performed |
|
1964-65 |
517 |
17000 |
88 |
555 |
|
1965-66 |
7684 |
121000 |
712 |
1350 |
|
1966-67 |
12089 |
215000 |
1200 |
7902 |
|
1967-68 |
6193 |
92280 |
1093 |
8524 |
(Source: Director of Industries,
Punjab, Chandigarh)
(ii)
Heat-Treatment Centre, Amritsar:- The Centre renders useful service to
the industrialists. The service rendered by it, during 1964-65 to 1967-68, is
given below:
|
Year |
Processing charges realized (Rs) |
Value of goods processed (Rs) |
Technical assistance rendered |
Number of tests performed |
|
1964-65 |
2148 |
6000 |
--- |
--- |
|
1965-66 |
19193 |
80000 |
--- |
--- |
|
1966-67 |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
|
1967-68 |
5813 |
102000 |
55 |
3000 |
(Source: Director of Industries,
Punjab, Chandigarh)
(6)
Other Organisations for Development of Industries:- Besides the above-mentioned common facility
service development centres, there exist the following organizations for the
promotion of industries in the district:
(i) Amritsar Local Productivity Council,
Amritsar:- It is one of the 47 Local Productivity Councils
formed by the National Productivity Council (which was established by the
Government of India in February 1958) to generate the productivity. The
Amritsar Local Productivity Council, Regional Directorate, Ludhiana. It is
tripartite organization having members from among the employees, employers,
governmental and professional organizations.
The
council arranges conferences, talks, training courses in the fields of
business, commerce and industry; carries out audio-visual programmes,
productivity survey, implementation service, etc. The main aims of the council
are to improve the productivity and quality and to cut down wastage. To start
with, the council provided these for industries only. But now it has extended
its area of operation to the agricultural productivity and fuel efficiency. All
industrial units, organization, trade unions, educational institutions,
research institutions, other institutions, individuals, etc. can become the
members of this council.
The
council’s office at Amritsar conducts training programme on subjects, such as
material management, marketing management, marketing research, installation and
operation of a system of cost and budgetary control programme evaluation and
review techniques, work study, production planning, controlling of personnel
management, industrial relations, supervisory development, etc.
(ii) The Punjab State Small Industries
Corporation Ltd., Chandigarh:- The Punjab State Small Industries
Corporation was set up as a plan scheme under the Third Five-Year Plan. It
started functioning towards the close of 1962. The objectives of the corporation
are to aid, counsel, assist, finance, project and promote the interests of
small industries in the State. Its main functions comprise the procurement,
shortage and distribution of all categories of industrial raw materials,
whether imported or indigenous, e.g. ferrous and non-ferrous metals, coal,
molasses, yarn, oil, dyes and chemicals. Besides, it distributes raw materials
to those units, whose names are recommended by the Director of Industries,
Punjab, through its offices opened in various towns. The Corporttion’s office
was established at Amritsar in July 1968. It distributed raw matrials worth
Rs.43,85,761 during 1968-69.
2The remaining eight Local Productivity Councils
are established at Ludhiana, Batala, Jullundur, Sonepat, Faridabad, Jaipur, Srinagar
and Delhi.
(iii) Small Industries Service Institute, Ludhiana:- Set up by the Government of India in 1956, the
Small Industries Service Institute has its regional office at Ludhiana, which
has jurisdiction over the States of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and the Union
Territory of Chandigarh. The scope of the industrial extension service provided
for by the institute includes technical counseling, trading, preparation and
distribution of technical literature in the form of technical bulletins, drawings
and designs, and economic information service. The industrial management
advice, marketing and the rendering of common facilities in the workshop and
laboratories of the institute, and its Extension Centres are also included in
its scope.
As a result of the efforts of the
institute, the quality and the finish of the goods produced by several
industrial units in the district have improved.
(iv) Mechanical Engineering Research and Development Organisation,
Ludhiana:- The headquarters of the Mechanical Engineering
Research and Development Organisation are at Durgapur (West Bengal). It has
three centers,3 one of which is at Ludhiana. The centre at Ludhiana
was established in December 1965 in order to provide for regional centers at
the focal point of the concentrated engineering industries in the country to
assess their research and development needs and provide for engineering
technology, which is not otherwise available to them. Since this centre has
been set up to meet the requirements of the north-western regions, it also
renders facilities to the engineering industries at Amritsar.
The plan and programme at each
centre are formulated under the guidance of a Scientific Committee appointed by
the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur. The Committee
for the Ludhiana Centre is headed by the Technical Adviser, Government of
Punjab, Chandigarh.
The main objective of the
organization is to render help to the industries in removing their technical
difficulties and to establish sound production practices with an acceptable
quality of products.
In
a developing country such as India, the need of industrial training can hardly
be exaggerated. With a view to providing employment to the released military
personnel with avenues of employment, an industrial training programme was
initiated in India after the World War II (1939-45). Under this programme, the
Government of India established industrial training institutes in various parts
of the country to impart training in various trades, e.g. black smithy,
wiremanship and steel-metal.
3The three centers of the Mechanical Engineering
Research and Development Organization in the country are : Poona in the west,
Ludhiana in the north-west and Madras in the south.
After 1947, the concept of establishing industrial training institutes under-went a considerable change. It was realized that industrial training was necessary not only for creating employment opportunities, but also for supplying trained personnel to the industries of the country. This step led to an all-round expansion in the training programme.
The
industrial training programme in the Punjab also received an impet us under the
Government of India’s programme. The Department of Industrial Training,
Punjab imparts industrial technical and vocational training to boys and girls
through its various industrial training institutes and schools.
There
are three Government Industrial Training Institutes in the district at
Amritsar, Sirhali Kalan and Patti. These institutes provide training for the
students in engineering and non-engineering trades, as detailed in the
following statement:
Government Industrial Training Institutes in the Amritsar District
|
Serial
No. |
Name
and location of the institute |
Year
of establishment |
Course/
craft in which training is imparted |
Seating
capacity |
Duration
of the training course |
Minimum
qualifications required for admission |
Commencement
of the session |
|
1. |
Industrial
Training Centre, Dayanand Polytechnic Institute, Amritsar |
Originally
started in 1948, it was taken over by the Punjab Government of India in
November 1956 |
1.
Welder, Carpenter, Motor Mechanic, Painter, Moulder |
148 |
1
year |
Middle |
August |
|
|
|
|
2.
Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Machanic |
32 |
Ditto |
Matric |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
3.
Fitter, Turner, Wireman |
144 |
2
years |
Middle |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
4.
Electroplator, Electrician |
32 |
Ditto |
Matric
|
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
5.
Electrician |
96 |
Ditto |
Matric
with science |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
6.
Draftman (Civil), Surveyor, Mechanic Radio and Television |
64 |
Ditto |
Matric
with science and mathematics |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
7.
Stenography (English) |
32 |
1
year |
Matric
with English |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
8.
Book-binding, cutting and tailoring, hand composition and proof reading,
printing machine operator |
64 |
Ditto |
Middle |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
9.
Stenography (Punjabi) |
16 |
Ditto |
Matric
with Punjabi |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
10.
Stenography (Hindi) |
16 |
Ditto |
Matric
with Hindi |
Ditto |
|
2. |
Industrial
Training Institute, Patti |
1963 |
1.
Mechanic Tractor, Moulder, Carpenter, Plumber |
96 |
1
year |
Middle |
August |
|
|
|
|
2.
Fitter, Turner, Machinist (Compositor) |
112 |
2
years |
Middle
|
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
3.
Electrician |
32 |
Ditto |
Middle
with science |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
4.
Stenography (Punjabi) |
16 |
1
year |
Matric
with Punjabi |
Ditto |
|
3. |
Industrial
Training Institute, Sirhali Kalan |
1963 |
1.
Blacksmith, Carpenter |
64 |
Ditto |
Middle |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
2.
Fitter |
32 |
2
years |
Middle |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
3.
Electrician |
32 |
Ditto |
Matric
with Science |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
4.
Surveyor, Mechanic Radio and Television |
64 |
Ditto |
Matric
with science and mathematics |
Ditto |
|
|
|
|
5.
Stenography (English) |
32 |
1
year |
Matric
with English |
Ditto |
(Source: Industrial Training
Department, Punjab, Chandigarh)
Besides the above- mentioned institutes, there are three Government Industrial schools for Girls at Amritsar, Jandiala Guru Rayya which impart training in tailoring, cutting, needle work and embriodery. The Government Industrial School for Girls at Amritsar runs also the one-year teacher’s training course.
There are also three private recognized Industrial Schools for Girls at Amritsar, viz. Dayanand Polytechnic, sital Industrial School and R.B. Girdharo Lal Industrial School for girls, which impart training to the girls in various trades.
The other institution which impart
technical instruction in textile and garment technology, located at Amritsar,
are: the Government Institute of Garment Technology and the Punjab Institute of
Textiles. These institutions are meant for boys only.
(i) Government Institute of
Garment Technology, Amritsar:- Established in 1937, the institute imparts trainig to the matriculates
in Cutting and tailoring Diploma Course of three year’s duration. It was
upgraded to the level of National Trade Certificate Course in 1968 and was
affiliated to the State Board of Technical Education, Punjab, Chandigarh. The
institute runs the following courses:
(1)
Diploma
in garment Technology ( 3 year’s course) for matriculates and above.
(2) National Trade Certificate Course in Cutting, Fitting and Stitching Garments (one year course) for middle pass and above.
In the above courses, 21 per cent
seats are reserved for the Scheduled castes candidates, who are also awarded a
stipend of rS. 45 per month. Scholarships/ Stipneds of Rs.25 each per month are
also awarded to other students on poverty-cum-merit basis. No tuition fees are
charged. Hostel arrangements are also exist in the institute for the students
coming from outside.
(ii) Punjab Institute of Textile Technology, Amritsar:- the institute was established in
1920 with a view to imparting technical instruction in textile technology and
to produce technicians in order to help and develop the textile industry. It
runs a 3 year’s diploma course of National Certificate Standard, duly
recognized by the Director of Industries, Punjab, Chandigarh, and the
Government of india.
This institute impart intensive and extensive training in spinning , weaving technology and its allied subjects, e.g. drawing, design, dyeing, finishing, mail- planning, administration, motion study, trade economics, lobour laws and legislation. The number of students on the rolls of the Institute in 1967-68 and 1968-69 were 85 and 72 respectively.
(d) Industrial Areas and
Estates
The scheme for the establishment of
industrial estates was launched in the State in 1959. The Urban Industrial
Estate at Amritsar was established during the third Five- Year Plan to provide
suitable accommodation for the various industrial units. These estates has
constructed 50 sheds for housing small scale units. Out of these,35 sheds have
already been allotted to small-scale units. A large number of industrial units
in the district are situated at Chheharta on the Grand Trunk Road and extended
upto Khasa, which is about 14 Km from Amritsar. On the Batala Road, the
industrial units extended up to Verka.
There are three Rural Industrial
Estates in the District, established by the Industries Department, Punjab, at
Ajnala, Kathunangal and Lopoke. These estates have 8 sheds each.
Power is the most important factor in the economic development of a region. The sources of power in the district are electricity, diesel oil, petrol, crude oil and coal. Slowly and steadily, electricity is replacing the other sources of power. After the independence, gigantic programmes of execution of multipurpose river-valley projects were launched and electricity came to be known as an index of the measure of prosperity in any region. More and more people started discarding the age-old manual processes, used both in agricultural and industrial production.
Amritsar was electrified for the
first time in 1916, when the Municipal Committee, Amritsar, obtained a licence
to generate electricity. Diesel-generating or steam-generating sets were
installed in the Municipal Power-House. This system continued up to 1932-33,
when it was replaced by hydro-power, obtained from the Verka Grid Substation
and converted in D.C.
The Punjab State Electricity Board now feeds the whole of the Amritsar District which is divided into four divisions,viz. East Division, Verka ; Tran Taran Division, Tran Taran Division ; West Division, Amritsar ; and Jandiala Guru Division; Jandiala Guru. There are about 14 Operation Subdivisions in the district.the power to most of the Amritsar municipal area is supplied through the Amritsar Municipal Committee Power-House which obtains power in bulk from the Punjab State Electricity Board . part of the power, thus obtained, is converted from A.C. into D.C.
(f) Growth and Development of
Industries
Much before the rail and road communications developed, Amritsar had grown into a prominent commercial centre. It was regarded as a flourishing trade centre of northern India for the shawls and saffron on Kashmir and for other commodities. It was also the intention of the founder of this city, Guru Ram Das, that the people coming for a pilgrimage should devote themselves to the development of trade. With the foundation of the Golden Temple in the seventeenth century, greater stress was laid on the development of trade and, as such, a number of market were developed around the temple and, up to this day, these markets have not lost their significance.
Gradually, the traders of Amritsar
developed a bussiness acumen which enabled them to try new experiments. In
Amritsar, the textile industry gave a lead to other industries. The shawl
industry got an impetus during the regime of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. A large
number of shawls were exported to various European Countries. Similarily, the
silk industry was also developing. The World War I (1914-18) gave a fillip to
the industries of the district and a large number of these were set up to meet
the demand of the Defence Department. The World War II (1939-45) gave further fillip to the industrialfzation of
Amritsar. Thereafter, the Amritsar industries developed on a sound footing. By
1947, apart from textiles, silken, and rayon and cotton- certain engineering
and chemical industries were also set up. Though the partition of 1947 gave a
set-back to the industries owing to the migration of skilled labourers, yet the
position was retriveved by training up the refugees who migrated from Pakistan.
The post-partition era showed a tremendous progress in the development of
industries, though a period of about seven years after the partition was on e
of fluctuating fortunes and vicissitudes for the local industry.
Between 1955 and 1965, over 10
crores of rupees are said to have been invested in the various industries in
the district. Amritsar occupies the top position in the manufacture of
printing-machines and paper-cutting machines. The important industries working
in the rural areas are handloom-weaving, leather-tanning, shoe-making,
ban-making, rope-making, cotton-ginning, etc.
(g) Industries and
Manufactures of the District.
The present day industries in the
district may be categorized into three broad heads, viz, large-scale
industries, small-scale industries and village industries. A few industries, which
fall partly in the large-scale sector and partly in the small-scale sector,
have been dealt with among those in the large-scale industries. The particulars
of the different industries, viz, the number of units engaged, the annual
production and the average employment during 1962-63 to 1967-68 are given in
the Appendix on pages 218-225.
(i)
Large-Scale
Industries
Textiles.__
This is the most important industry of the district and is mainly
located in
the Amritsar city. It is said to have been established towards the close of the nineteenth century. At that time the main products of the industry were pashmina and daryai which were made from wool and silk respectively. Before the World War I (1914-18), the industry did not make any substantial progress, but the war gave it a fillip owing to a heavy demand for textiles. The first power-loom was installed in Amritsar in 1919. Later on the Swadeshi Movement started by Mahatma Gandhi also gave an impetus to the industry and a few handlooms were installed. Then came the depression of 1929-33 which hit the Amritsar industry as a whole and the textile industry was no exception. The World War II (1939-45) again gave it a fillip. But the partition of the country caused a great set-back to the industry as it was deprived of a large number of skilled workers and of markets. However, it soon retrieved its position.
The
textile industry fabrics manufactured from wool, cotton and rayon art silk. Out
of these, the most important is the manufacture of the woollen cloth, and after
this comes the cloth manufactured from silk rayon and artificial silk.