(ii) Area Under Fodder Crops

The grazing facilities which were available in the past have considerably decreased. The permanent pastures and grazing lands where cattle were grazed have been utilized for agriculture. With the deterioration of grazing facilities, fodder crops have gained much importance. The area under such crops was 60,720 hectares in 1988-89. The important among the fodder crops are jowar (chari), guara, berseem, Oats (javi) and other fodder crops.

The following table gives the area under fodder crops in the district during 1977-78 and 1981-82 to 1988-89 :-

1981-82 Area under fodder crops in the district during 1977-78 and 1981-82 to 1988-89

Fodder Crops	Year							(Area in hectares)
	1977-78	1981-82	1982-83	1983-84	1984-85	1985-86	1986-87	1987-88	1988-89
Kharif Crops
Jowar (chari)	25,784	23,025	9,008	20,887	17,763	28,644	28,574	26,172	22,760
Guara	1,551	1,889	30,145	46,357	36,224	1,751	1,274	2,733	1,120
Other Fodders	3,223	---	56,643	12,487	16,194	3,591	3,775	4,156	10,818
Total	30,568	24,914	95,796	79,731	70,181	33,992	33,623	33,061	34,698
Rabi Crops
Berseam	10,815	13,457	---	---	---	15,343	15,002	15,175	15,749
Oats (Javi)	591	3,141	4,910	5,048	5,427	5,963	6,823	8,706	9,574
Other Fodders	9,309	11,499	16,190	19,453	14,773	1,310	1,107	1,068	907
Total	20,715	28,097	21,100	24,501	20,200	22,616	22,932	24,949	26,230
Grand Total	51,283	53,011	1,16,896	1,04,232	90,381	15,608	56,555	58,010	60,928

(Source : Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda)

(iii) Dairy Farming

Dairy occupies the foremost place as a subsidiary to the agrarian economy of the district. There is hardly a household in rural area that does not own a few milch cattle. Dairies, small and big, are found all over the district because milk is an important dietic component for a Punjabi. Persons engaged in dairy need assured market, guaranteed price and regular lifting of milk from their doorsteps. The setting up of milk plant at Bathinda has led to a built-in system for collection of milk from the rural milk producers. Buffaloes and cows constitute the main source of the supply of milk.

According to Livestock census of 1977, there were 2,45,400 cows and 2,73,800 buffaloes in the Bathinda District.

(iv) Sheep Breeding

Sheep rearing is generally pricked up by the weaker sections of the society. The district is at the top in this field because some small and marginal farmers have also adopted it as their subsidiary occupation to supplement their income. The climate of the district is conducive for sheep rearing and certain poorer section of the people traditionally take to the occupation.

The number of sheep and goats in the district was 1,29,900 and 1,08,100 respectively, according to 1977 Livestock Census.

(v) Poultry Farming

The eating habits of the people have changed considerably from vegetarian food to non-vegetarian food over past few years. The government is also laying great emphasis for the development of poultry. The poultry service centres functioning at Mansa and Rampura Phul are providing extension services to the poultry farmers of the district. According to the Livestock Census of 1977, there were 1,75,300 poultry birds in the district.

(vi) Fisheries

The operation of fish-culture on scientific and technical lines in the Bathinda District had started with the implementation of the First Five-Year Plan. In order to assess the potentiality of fish-culture, a village to village survey of the district was conducted during the years 1963-64 to 1980-81.

The District Fisheries Officer, Bathinda is in charge of the fisheries in the district and its office was established during 1974-75. He is functioning under the administrative control of the Assistant Director Fisheries, Firozpur Circle, Firozpur. The District Fisheries Officer, Bathinda is assisted by 2 Fisheries Officers (One each posted at Mansa and Nathana), 1 Clerk and 4 Fishermen, besides Class IV staff.

The main activities of the department in the district are conservation of fisheries’ resources and development of fish-culture in ponds and tanks, auctioning of the notified waters, canals and stocked ponds, survey of new ponds suitable for fish-culture and stocking thereof, production of fish seed of stockable varieties by induced breeding, providing assistance for adoption fish-culture to the interested persons especially weaker sections.

The fisheries resources of the district are running water and impounded water. The running water resources constitute the Ghaggar River and canal within the boundary of the hectares water area was available for fish-culture in the district.

During 1988-89,the area stocked with fish was 109.03 hectares and income from fisheries in the district was Rs. 25,565. Fish ponds brought under fish culture during 1988-89 were 102 and subsidy given to the farmers for adoption of fish culture was Rs. 44,100 lakhs during the same year.

(vii) Animal Diseased and Veterinary Hospitals Animal Diseases

Animals suffer from a number of diseases in the district. Tick-born diseases have been responsible for heavy morbidity and death of livestock. Exotic and cross-bred cattle are particularly susceptible to these diseases. The most common among the sheep and goats are as under :

Rinderpest (mogh wah) foot and mouth diseases (muh-khur), haemorrhagic septicaemia (gal ghotu), black-quarter (phersujna) and parasite diseases. Among the sheep and goats, goiter and liver diseases are found. Surra among the equines and camels is found.

Veterinary Hospitals. – Both curative and preventive measures are taken by the technical staff of the Veterinary Department working in different veterinary hospitals/dispensaries in the district.

In 1988-89, there were 66 veterinary hospitals and 86 permanent outlying dispensaries in the district which treated 2,04,244 cases (sick animals). To prevent the diseases, as many as 3,58,712, vaccinations were performed/inoculated to the animals. Besides, under the artificial insemination, 40,677 cows and 14,528 buffaloes were covered. The list of veterinary hospitals and dispensaries in the district, as on 31 March 1989, is given in the following table :-

________________________________________________________________________

Veterinary Hospitals Permanent Outlying Dispensaries

________________________________________________________________________

1. Bathinda 1. Gulabgarh

2. Behman Dewana 2. Dan Singh Wala

3. Kot Shamir 3. Jandan Wala

4. Baluana 4. Kili Nihal Singh

5. Nahian Wala 5. Balahar Binjoo

6. Mehma Sarja 6. Kot Fattah

7. Teona 7. Maisar Khana

8. Virk Kalan 8. Pathrala

9. Ghudda 9. Nandgarh

10. Sangat 10. Bandi

11. Jeeda 11. Laleana

12. Sema 12. Chathe Wala

13. Salabat Pura 13. Ganga

14. Mehraj 14. Jodhpur Pakhar

15. Talwandi Sabo 15. Swaitch Kamaloo

16. Maur 16. Bhagi Bander

17. Raman 17. Behman Jassa Singh

18. Rajgarh Kube 18. Chak Ruldu Singh Wala

19. Siekhpura 19. Naruana

20. Siengo 20. Bhaini Ghuhar

21. Malkana 21. Mandi Kalan

22. Pacca Kalan 22. Kotha Guru

23. Raike Kalan 23. Raiya

24. Natheha 24. Kaloke

25. Phul 25. Bhaini

26. Bhucho Mandi 26. Ghanda Bana

27. Poohla 27. Karar Wala

28. Nathana 28. Rampura

29. Kalyan Sikha 29. Raiya

30. Chak Fateh Singh Wala 30. Maizia

31. Lehra Mohabat 31. Raila

32. Rampura Phul 32. Hodla Kalan

33. Balian Wali 33. Saide Wala

34. Dhade 34. Sadda Singh Wala

35. Badiala 35. Jawaharke

36. Chowke 36. Hero Kalan

37. Bhagta 37. Raipur

38. Bhai Rupa 38. Bhagwanpura

39. Alike 39. Bhaini Bagha

40. Jalal 40. Ramgarh Shahpurian

41. Dhapali 41. Reond Kalan

42. Malooka 42. Gurraddi

43. Mansa 43. Bakhshi Wala

44. Bhikhi 44. Chak Bhaika

45. Joga 45. Kulrian

46. Khiala Kalan 46. Sangha

47. Phaphre Bhaike 47. Kanakwal Chehlan

48. Jhunir 48. Bhodi Pura

49. Mirpur Kalan 49. Alisher Khurd

50. Bajewala 50. Kot Lallo

51. Behniwal 51. Kishangarh

52. Fatta Maloke 52. Sardulgarh

53. Bhame Kalan 53. Multania

54. Budhlada 54. Sivian

55. Boha 55. Bhokhra

56. Baretta 56. Deon

57. Vareh 57. Siryewala

58. Ubha Barj Dhillwan 58. Poohli

59. Bachhoana 59. Datewas

60. Gobindpura 60. Borewal

61. Sardulgarh 61. Tahlian

62. Moffer 62. Rangrial

63. Kushla 63. Dodra

64. Bangi Deepa 64. Kutiwal

65. Dalel Wala 65. Kalloh

66. Khaire Kalan 66. Jassi Pau Wali

67. Jhumba Bhaike

68. Bahoyatri

69. Malwala

70. Bangi Ruldu

71. Bibi Wala

72. Jassi Bag Wali

73. Tung Wali

74. Gobindpura

75. Aklia Jalal

76. Kesar Singh Wala

77. Dyalpura Mirza

78. Gumti Kalan

79. Jethuke

80. Nangal Kalan

81. Atla Kalan

82. Kheeva Khurd

83. Sangreri

84. Gurne Kalan

85. Ahmandpur

86. Alampur Mandran

________________________________________________________________________

(Source : Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, Bathinda)

(e) Forestry

The Bathinda District falls under the jurisdiction of the Divisional Forest Officer, Bathinda, whose office was established in September 1961. The jurisdiction of the division extends to the entire area of the district. Bathinda Division has been divided into five ranges, viz. Bathinda, Talwandi Sabo, Rampura, Mansa and Bir Talab Range. On 31 March 1989, Divisional Forest Officer was assisted by 1 Deputy Divisional Ranger, 2 Forest Rangers, 2 Deputy Rangers, 16 Foresters, 78 Forest Guards, 1 Superintendent, 1 Assistant, 8 Clerks, and 1 Jeep Driver, besides Class IV employees.

(i) Importance of the Forestry in the Economy of the District. – The district is very close to Rajasthan desert and is known for high velocity dust-storms and shifting of sand dunes. The district has a very hot summer. Therefore, higher importance attaches to forestry in this district than any other district of the State. The plantation of trees has manifold the wind velocity and thus lowers the capacity of wind to carry away the soil. The Rajasthan desert is also gradually shifting towards the district. Afforestation is the only way to check this shifting. There are also several other indirect benefits from forests, as they increase the humidity of air and stabilize the temperature.

In the recent energy crisis, there is a marked increase in the demand of fuel wood. Wood is also required for furniture making, house construction, agricultural implements, wooden boxes, etc. Tall grasses especially kana is required for thatching. Grass and tree levels are used as cattle feed. Thorny bushes and branches of trees are extensively used for fencing of fields. Keeping in view these needs, it was decided to bring more Government lands under the control of Forest Department for raising fuel and economic plantation. Therefore, railway strips and the strips of national highways were put under the charge of Forest Department. In 1966, Government decided to transfer the areas of the strips along all P.W.D. roads and canals to the Forest Department for afforestation.

Plants like shisham, neem, kikar, siris, eucalyptus are raised in a number of forest nurseries for the raising of plantation in different forest areas. The plants from these nurseries are also supplied to the public.

(ii) Area Under Forests. – Soon after the transfer of various strips to the Forest Department, the area were got demarcated as protected forests under Section 29 of the Indian Forests Act, 1927. Systematic plantation work was started under the provision of Second Five-Year Plan when a scheme for strip plantations was prepared for carrying out planting along roads, rail and canal strips in the territory of PEPSU. It was under the provision of this plan that planting was done from 1956-57 onwards on these strips. Later on, a plantation scheme to cover the entire Punjab State was included in subsequent Third Five-Year Plan and Fourth Five-Year Plan. The Forest Department carried out planting work to cover most of the blanks strips by tree crop.

In 1988-89, the total area under forests in this district was 10,188 hectares which was divided into five ranges. The range wise area during 1988-89 in the division is as under :

SN	Name of Range	Total Area
1.	Bathinda	2,731
2.	Talwandi Sabo	2,620
3.	Rampura	2,315
4.	Mansa	2,458
5.	Bir Talab	64.40
	Total	10,188

The forests are categorised into three classes, viz. Protected Forests, Forests under Section 38 of Indian Forests act and Unclassed Forests. The category-wise classification of the existing forests of the district is given in the following table :-

Particulars	Area (hectares)
(A) Protected Forests
(a) Demarcated Protected Forests		261
(b) Undemarcated Protected Forests
(i) Canal-side Forests	5,764 }
(ii) Road-side Forests	2,067 }	9,103
(iii) Forests along the sides of Railway Line	1,272 }
(B) Forests Under Section 38 of Indian Forests Act	---	---
(C) Unclassed Forests		760
Total		10,124

Forest Produce. – Forest produce has been classified into types, viz. major forest produce and minor forest produce. Firewood and timber fall under the classification of major forest produce, while grasses fall under minor forest produce. Some revenue is also collected from the sale of saplings, stumps, etc. It is also included under minor forest produce for convenience. The annual income obtained from the sale of forest produce from 1977-78 to 1988-89, was as under :

Year	Major Produce (Rs)	Minor Produce (Rs)
1977-78	13,51,645	1,30,671
1978-79	17,67,600	97,075
1979-80	16,52,805	1,29,791
1980-81	12,63,690	1,23,791
1981-82	46,55,305	1,35,091
1982-83	37,63,700	4,78,556
1983-84	27,01,660	5,70,475
1984-85	17,61,471	5,02,972
1985-86	5,16,658	7,31,931
1986-87	18,01,786	9,11,666
1987-88	13,24,124	4,98,995
1988-89	14,97,979	4,46,222

(Source : Divisional Forest Officer, Bathinda)

(f) Floods

The area of Bathinda District is not much affected by floods. Floods are caused by overflowing of rivers or excessive rains. There is no major river flowing in the district. However, the Ghaggar River runs through the southern strip of Mansa Tahsil. It enters Mansa Tahsil at village Hengna and leaves it near village Rorki. The main volume of water into Ghaggar comes through a depression called Sunam Cho. The volume of water in the river is considerable during the rainy season and causes damage in the low-lying areas along its banks. The general drainage of the district was towards Ghaggar and the result was that flood water flowing from the surrounding areas of Firozpur, Faridkot and Sangrur districts found its way through the district. Floods were causing great damage either sides of the drainage. The government provided relief to the flood affected people in the shape of compensation/gratuitous grants and taccavi loans, remission or postponement of land revenue abiana etc. But, the flood affects have decreased considerably owing to certain corrective steps of Drainage Department. The department has been executing various flood control and drainage schemes under the master plan on flood control. The department has constructed some drains. These drains are helpful in controlling floods, to lower the water table of waterlogged areas, to make the land cultivable and to clear the blockages in the natural depressions which were formed prior to the canalization of the main chos and excavation of drains with the construction of canals/distributaries and roads without providing proper drainage work. The following table shows the damage caused by floods and heavy rains in the district during 1978 to 1987 :-

Damage caused to private property and area under crops, produce and its value due to floods during rainy season in the Bathinda District, 1978 to 1987

Year	Number of Villages/towns affected	Area affected (sq. km)	Human lives lost (number)	Cattle heads lost (number)	Houses damages	Area affected (hectares)	Value (000’Rs)
1978	80	81	--	--	278	8,101	12,085
1979	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
1980	52	8	--	7	896	834	417
1981	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
1982	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
1983	45	--	--	--	2,056	28,113	27,072
1984	33	28	--	--	714	2,797	5,356
1985	520	608	13	109	42,500	29,896	82,791
1986	28	116	--	--	--	11,628	--
1987	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

(Statistical Abstracts of Punjab, 1979 to 1987)

APPENDIX I

Area under principal crops in the Bathinda District, 1977-78 and 1981-82 to 1988-89

(Thousand hectares)

Crops	1977-78	1981-82	1982-83	1983-84	1984-85	1985-86	1986-87	1987-88	1988-89
Cereals
Rice	3	11	13	25	55	46	44	39	31
Jowar	0.1	0.4	0.3	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)
Bajra	42.6	18.6	9.7	11.6	19.4	9.1	7.2	2.1	4.1
Maize	9	5	4	3	3	2	2	1	1
Wheat	226	263	295	309	296	303	325	319	329
Barley	5.9	23	24.4	19.8	13.0	13.4	9.1	8.8	12.4
Pulses
Gram	128	122	71	56	59.2	60.8	58.8	34.7	39.5
Mash	0.08	0.05	.02	.03	.04	0.02	0.02	--	--
Moong	0.69	2.03	1.70	2.02	2.49	3.79	3.97	1.46	2.15
Massar	.36	0.58	0.62	0.42	0.26	0.24	0.24	0.22	0.19

Crops	1977-78	1981-82	1982-83	1983-84	1984-85	1985-86	1986-87	1987-88	1988-89
Oilseeds
Groundnut	1.9	0.7	0.5	0.4	0.6	1.2	1.4	1.8	0.6
Rape and Mustard	42.6	26.6	17.4	20.1	33.2	36.5	26.6	30	26
Sesamum	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)
Linseed	--	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)	(a)
Other Crops
Sugarcane	3	2	2	2	1.9	1.7	2.0	2.0	1.7
Dry Chillies	0.39	0.24	0.32	0.33	0.16	0.23	0.26	0.14	0.11
Tobacco	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Potatoes	0.3	0.5	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3
Cotton (American)	166.7	206.2	234.4	235.2	178.8	214.4	217.2	247.8	257.6
Cotton (Desi)	27.9	20.2	20.6	21.4	19.6	27.3	22.9	16.5	14.7

(Statistical Abstract of Punjab, 1978 to 1989)

(a) Denotes less than 50 hectares.

APPENDIX II

Production of principal crops in the Bathinda District,

1977-78 and 1981-82 to 1988-89

(Thousand metric tonnes)

Crops	1977-78	1981-82	1982-83	1983-84	1984-85	1985-86	1986-87	1987-88	1988-89
Cereals
Rice	9	36	47	96	185	153	151	127	95
Jowar	0.1	0.3	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Bajra	52	24	10	11	19.2	7.7	6.7	1.7	4.4
Maize	14	8	6	2	2	3	4	1	.60
Wheat	519	768	826	701	830	948	820	963	10.40
Barley	8	47	35	27	19	24	17	17	30
Pulses
Gram	112	62	36	30	30.6	54.8	40.2	11.8	40.5
Mash	0.1	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Moong	0.5	06.	1.4	1.8	2.4	3.4	3.8	1.1	2.2
Massar	0.2	0.4	0.4	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1

(Thousand metric tonnes)
Crops	1977-78	1981-82	1982-83	1983-84	1984-85	1985-86	1986-87	1987-88	1988-89
Oilseeds									0.6
Groundnut	3	1	(c)	--	1	1	1	1	1
Rape and Mustard	24	13	11	17	36	32	18	29	25
Sesamum	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Linseed	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Other Crops
Sugarcane	15	11	10	12	5	10	11	9	8
Dry Chillies	0.3	0.1	0.4	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.1	0.1
Tobacco	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Potatoes	6.6	10	4.0	4.0	--	--	--	4.4	5.4
Cotton (American)	65.35	74.03	73.84	49.15	80.99	93.26	116.42	124.64	119.02
Cotton (Desi)	10.18	6.52	6.15	3.57	6.80	9.61	7.49	4.90	4.14

(Statistical Abstract of Punjab, 1978 to 1989)

(C) Denotes less than 500 tonnes.

* Production of sugarcane in terms of gur.

CHAPTER V

INDUSTRIES

(a)	Old time Industries and Industrial Development
(b)	State Aid to Industries
©	Industrial Training
(d)	Industrial Areas and Estates
(e)	Sources of Power
(f)	Growth and Development of Industries
(g)	Industries and Manugactures of the District
(h)	Role of Industrial Co-operatives
(i)	Labour and Employers Organization
(j)	Welfare of Industrial Labour Appendix

(a) Old-Time Industries and Industrial Development

The importance of industries in the modern national economy needs no emphasis. The truth of the slogan ‘industrialise or perish’ has been well realized in the State. Bathinda District has also been tracking the path of industrialisation, since the recent past.

Agriculture has been the main occupation of the people of the district. Cotton, wheat, mustard, gram, barley, etc. are the main crops of the district. Accordingly, some agro-based industries like oil ghani, flour mills and cotton-ginning factories had been in operation in past. Besides, some traditional industries like leather-training, shoe-making, ban making, pottery and handloom weaving were also prevalent in the Bathinda District. At present, the district has made rapid industrial progress in respect of certain agro-based industries such as cotton-ginning and pressing, oil and oil cake, dal plant, flour mills, barley ghat, mill board and straw board, bread & biscuits, etc. Leather and pottery industries have also been very popular throughout the district. Desi jutti of Bathinda is still considered to be a special item of the small-scale industry of the district.

(b) State Aid to Industries

Ever since the setting up of Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant at Bathinda, the district is making rapid industrial progress. New units, both large/medium and small-scale are coming up. The availability of incentives/facilities extended by the State/Central Government for the development of industries units. Bathinda is rapidly emerging as an industrial town. One Urban Industrial Estate at Bathinda has already been set up by the Government. There are two Industrial Focal Points developed by the government for the development of industries. Plots in these focal points are allotted on 99 years lease-hold basis. Mansa and Rampura Phul towns are also on the path of progress in the field of industrial development.

Ever since the declaration of Bathinda District as a backward district in 1972, the liberalized industrial policy and incentives provided by the State/Central Government have been encouraging the development of new industries in the district. Central subsidy at the rate of 15 per cent is given to the entrepreneurs who set up new industries subject to the maximum limit of Rs. 15 lakhs. Moreover, interest free loan is also granted to the new industries for 8 years from the date of production of the unit. As per policy of the Government, refund of octroi paid for the purchase of building material, machinery and raw materials is also allowed to these industrial units. Exemption from the payment of electricity duty is also given to these units for 8 years from the date of commencement of production. The District Industries Centre, Bathinda also sponsors the loan applications of new entrepreneurs to various financial institutions.

The State Industries Department has several attractive schemes to encourage the industrialists for setting up new industrial units. These include concessions regarding land, finance and capital, power, taxation and in the procurement of raw material, etc. The department also provides technical guidance for starting new industries and imparts industrial training at various institutions. The following table shows the amount of financial assistance given under the Punjab State Aid to Industries Act, 1935 for the development of small-scale industries in the Bathinda District, during 1977-78 to 1988-89 :-

Year	Loans		Grants-in-aid and subsidy
	No. of Units	Amount (Rs)	No. of Parties	Amount (Rs)
1977-78	43	2,50,000	10	7,000
1978-79	51	2,50,000	21	10,000
Year	Loans		Grants-in-aid and subsidy
	No. of Units	Amount (Rs)	No. of Parties	Amount (Rs)
1980-81	16	65,000	49	11,23,000
1981-82	14	65,000	59	27,78,000
1982-83	--	65,000	14	6,10,000
1983-84	--	--	37	7,97,000
1984-85	--	--	29	5,45,000
1985-86	--	--	27	12,23,000
1986-87	--	--	35	12,47,000
1987-88	--	--	16	6,34,000
1988-89	--	--	68	43,74,000

(Statistical Abstracts of Punjab, 1978 to 1989)

Besides the above, other measures taken for the promotion of industries in the district are discussed below :

(1) Role of Quality Marking Industrial Development Centres. – The Department of Industries, Punjab, has also set up Quality Marking Industrial Development Centres in the district for providing facilities of testing, marking and all types of services to the manufacturers. Quality control helps to secure uniformity of products. These Centres facilitate constant improvement of processing in manufacturing. The uniformity in specifications also facilitates the inter-changeability in the products. Moreover, production cost can be reduced through continuous processing.

(2) Common Facility Workshops. – The Industries Department has set up four Common Facility Workshops at Bhikhi, Talwandi Sabo, Sangat and Gill Kalan in the rural area of the district. These workshops provide common facility service at nominal charges to the artisans and farmers. Training is also imparted to the rural artisans and educated unemployed persons in these workshops in different engineering trades under the Rural Industries Programme/Rural Artisans Programme.

(3) Other Organisations for the Development of Industries. – Besides the above mentioned facilities, there exist the following Organisations for the promotion of industries in the district :-

(i) The Punjab Small Industries & Export Corporation, Ltd., Chandigarh. – Established in March 1962, the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation has gradually matured into a multi-service agency designed to provide a variety of services and assistance to small-scale industries. The main functions of the Corporation comprise procurement, storage, distribution of industrial raw materials, whether imported or indigenous and boosting the exports from the State. It renders the needed help and guidance to exporters of the State in the small-scale sector. The raw materials are distributed to those industrial units whose names are recommended by the Director of Industries, Punjab, Chandigarh through offices of the Department opened in various towns. Iron and steel items are provided to the concerned units at the controlled price. During 1988-89, the Corporation supplied 362 metric tons of iron and steel to 200 units and 130 metric tons of pig iron to 16 units in the district.

(ii) The Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation, Ltd., Chandigarh. – The Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation was set up in 1966 under the Companies Act, 1956, in order to promote the industrial development. It has played a significant role towards the development of industries in Bathinda District. This district has been notified as a Centrally declared backward area and as a result, a lot of concessions are available to the industries to be set up in this district. The Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation, prefers to set up industries in backward areas declared as such by the Central and State Governments and hence, Bathinda District too has got this privilege. It has also been designated as a second State level financial institution for disbursement of terms loans under the industrial development Bank of Inida’s Refinance Scheme since 1976. The Corporation offers the facility of direct subscription/underwriting upto 15 per cent of the equity capital for projects in private sector. Besides, the Corporation administers the Seed Capital Assistance Scheme of Industrial Development Bank of India, wherein eligible entrepreneurs can get upto 10 to 15 lakhs to fill up the gap, if any, in their contribution to the project cost. The Corporation also acts as a disbursing agency under the Central subsidy to its promoted and assisted projects in centrally declared backward areas.

The Corporation has set up Punjab Spinning & Weaving Mills, Malwa Cottonseed Products Ltd., Punjab Ceramics Limited and Punjab Mohta Polytex Limited in the Bathinda District which are already in production.

The Corporation, besides setting-up of its own units in Bathinda District has also extended liberal financial assistance to the private sector units in this district. Upto 31 March 1989, term loans amounting to Rs 390.30 lakhs were sanctioned by Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation to various private sector units in Bathinda District.

(iii) The Punjab Financial Corporation, Chandigarh. – It was established in 1953 under the State Financial Corporation Act, 1951, with the object of providing medium and long-term loans for setting up new industries in the State. A branch of the Corporation is also functioning at Bathinda for the convenience of the entrepreneurs.

The Punjab Financial Corporation advances loans from Rs 20 to Rs 30 lakhs under the various schemes to the small-scale and medium-scale units. It provides finance to new units for creation of fixed assets and to existing units for expansion or modernization. The rate of interest varies from 10.25 per cent to 16 per cent per annum depending on the size and location of the unit.

The Corporation lays special emphasis on the development of small-scale industries and to foster the growth of industry in backward areas of the State. The benefit of concessional rate of interest on loans is granted to industrial units after availment of refinance from the Industrial development Bank of India. The corporation also disburses Central subsidy to the units located in notified backward areas.

The amount of loans sanctioned and disbursed by the Corporation in Bathinda District during 1977-78 to 1988-89 is given below :

(Rs in lakhs)

Year	Sanctions	Disbursement
1977-78	88.67	78.08
1978-79	86.73	42.04
1979-80	75.24	63.57
1980-81	105.24	94.71
1981-82	141.06	87.12
1982-83	201.42	178.36
1983-84	99.73	138.42
1984-85	27.05	72.04
1985-86	47.89	46.27
1986-87	297.42	83.47
1987-88	535.39	323.87
1988-89	326.98	255.70

(Source : Punjab Financial Corporation, Chandigarh)

(iv) The Small Industries Service Institute, Ludhiana. – Set up in 1956 by the Government of India, the Small Industries Service Institute, Ludhiana, has its regional office at Ludhiana, with jurisdiction over the States of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The Institute provides technical counseling, training, preparation and distribution of technical literature in the form of technical bulletins, drawing and designs and economic information service. The industrial management advice, marketing and rendering common facilities in the workshop and laboratories of the Institute and its extension centres are also included in the scope of its activities.

This Institute has promoted the growth and development of industries in Bathinda District in a number of ways. Action Plan was prepared in 1978-79 on the basis of a techno-economic survey of the district. The Action Plan, besides giving background information on the district, brought out a list of industries having scope for development, demand and ancillary potential.

On the basis of above survey, an industrial campaign was held in March 1979 in collaboration with the District Industries Centre, Bathinda to provide entrepreneurs. Registration of new industries was done after on the spot scrutiny of the projects which were approved by the banks there and then. This gave a big fillip to the growth of industries in the district.

In addition to above, the Institute is continuously extending technical and economic assistance to the existing industries of the district to resolve their problems including industrial sickness and modernization.

(c) Industrial Training Institutes

The industrial training programme in the Punjab received an impetus under the Government of India’s programme. The Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training, Punjab imparts industrial, technical and vocational training to boys and girls through its various industrial training schools/institutes/centres.

There are two Government Industrial Training Institutes in the district, one each at Bathinda and Budhlada, where training in engineering and non-engineering trades is given to trainees. Besides, there is one Government Industrial School for women at Rampura Phul where training in cutting and tailoring and embroidery is imparted Teacher’s Training Institute for women at Bathinda.

The detailed particulars regarding the different Government Industrial Training Institutes in the district are given in the following statement :-

Government Industrial Training Institutes in the Bathinda District

Number of Seats Sanctioned Trade-wise, during 1988-89

Sr. No.	Name of the Institute	Year of establishment	Duration	Name of Trade/Course	Number of Seats
1.	Industrial Training	1963-64	Two Years	1 Fitter	32
	Institute Bathinda		Do	2 Turner	36
			Do	3 Machinist	24
			Do	4 Mechanic Radio & Television	32
			Do	5 Mechanic Motor Vehicle	32
			Do	6 Electrician	48
			Do	7 Wireman	32
			Do	8 Machinist (Grinder)	24
			Do	9 Mechanic Instrument	32
			Do	10 Mechanic Refrigerator & Air Conditioning	16
			Do	11 Draftsman (Civil)	16
			Do	12 Draftsman (Mechanical)	16
			Do	13 Surveyor	16
			One Year	14 Forger & Heat Treatment	16
			Do	15 Carpenter	32
			Do	16 Moulder	16
			Do	17 Sheet Metal Worker	16
			Do	18 Welder (g)	12
			Do	19 Tractor Mechanic	32
			Do	20 Stenography (English)	32
			Do	21 Stenography (Punjabi)	16
				Total	528
2.	Industrial Training	1963-64	Two Years	1 Fitter	16
	Institute, Budhlada		Do	2 Turner	24
			Do	3 Machinist (Domp)	24