(ii) Co-operative Consumers'Stores.--The primary Co-operative Consumers' stores did not
prove useful due to inadequate acitive membership, meagre share capital. Lack
of business experience and weak organisation structure. Consequently, a
centrally sponsored scheme for the organisation of Co-operative Consumers'
Stores in big cities was introduced. The Patiala Central Co-operative
Consumers' Store Limited, Patiala was
registered on 12 July 1963 and started functioning from 9 October 1963. It aims
at ensuring equitable distribution of various kinds of commodities to the
consumers at competitive rates. On 30 June 1989, it was running 11 branches in
the city. The membership of the Store as on 30 June 1989 was 9,391, with a paid
up share capital (Individual and Governemtn) of Rs. 1,16,725.
(d) State Trading
The State Trading Scheme in Foodgrains was
introduced in Patiala District alongwith the rest of the State in 1958-59 to
provide essential commodities to the consumers at reasonable rates. The Food
and to the consumers at reasonable rates. The Food and Supplies Department is
enaged in the procurement of foodgrains in order to give support price to the
farmers and the distribution of essential commodities in the State. The
department has opened purchase centres for the facility of farmers so that they
are not to cover a distance of more than 5-6 km to sell their produce. It also
ensures that there is no glut in the mandis and the produce is lifted
the same day. On 31 March 1989, there
were 213 fair price shops functioning in urban and 1,065 in rural areas of the
district. The totalquantity of foodgrains purchased by the Food and Supplies
Department under the State Trading Scheme in the Patiala District, during
1980-81 to 1988-89 is given as under :
Year Quantity
Purchased (Metric Tonnes)
1980-81 1,79,228
1981-82 1,35,123
1982-83 1,93,196
1983-84 2,05,879
1984-85 2,27,559
1985-86 2,72,628
1986-87 1,89,862
1987-88 1,73,266
1988-89 92,362
(Source : District Food & Supplies
Controller, Patiala)
(e) Merchants' and Consumers' Associations and Organs
for Dissemination of Trade News
Merchats' Associations.--There is only one Merchants' Association in the
district, viz. Steel Re-rolling Association, Mandi Gobindgarh. This has been
formed to safeguardd the interests of the employers of the rolling mills.
Marketing Intelligence.--There is no regular agency for the collection and
dissemination of market news in the district. The public in general visits the
marketing centers periodically and keeps itself in touch with affairs of the
market. The village traders who are regularly in touch with the market
conditions often coomunicate the market news to the public. In some of the
regular markets, the market conditions often committees exhibit the market news
on a board for the public to know the market fluctuations. Market news are also
communicated to dealers at different places through correspondence and by
telephone. The co-operative marketing societies receive market information
cards from allied societies. The All India Radio, Jalandhar, broadcasts a daily
bulletin on the rates prevailing in various grain markets of the State.
(f) Weights & Measures
Weights and measures remained at the base of every
field of human endeavour during alll the period of history, Kautaly's
Arthashastra indicates the existence of weights and measures system during the
period of Chandragupt Maurya. This system though maintainedduring the later
centuries even during the Mughal period had no uniformity and the standards not
only differed from town to town, but also varied commodity to commodity.
During the British period, several attempts were
made to attain uniformity in the standards of weights and measures. The most
significant was the establishment of 'tola' which was equal to 180 grains as
unit of measurement of weight and deviations of other denomination such as
'seer' of 80 tolas, and 'maund' of 40
seers. The first Weights and Measures Act was enacted in 1870. But the total
uniformity could not be achieved till 1956.
After the Independence, Weights and Measures was
included in the concurrent list under the 7th Schedule of the Indian
Constitution. In 1956, Parliament passed the Standards of Weights and Measures
Act, in order to attain uniformity with the International Standards.
Accordingly, the legislations for the implementation of the same. The Act
envisages the uniform system of weights and measures, viz. the metric system,
having following units of measurement :--
Meter (for
length);
Kilogram (for
mass);
Second (for
time);
Ampere (for
electric current);
Kelvin (for
thermodynomic temperatures);
and
Candela (for
lumounous indensity);
A period of 2 years was allowed for this change
over.
Before the enforcement of 1956 Act, the system of
maunds, seers, Chhatanks, tolas, mashas and ratties, as
established in the british period, was followed in the urban areas of this
district, whereas in the rural areas, the system followed has standards derived
from this system known as kachcha denominations :
2½ manns
kachcha = 1 maund
1¼ manns kachcha = 20 seers
1 mann kachcha = 16 seers
1 dhari 10 ser kachcha = 4 seers
1 panjseri
5 ser kachcha = 2 seers
2½ ser
kachcha = seer
The Punjab Government in November 1958 enacted the
Punjab Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1958 and in February 1959
notified the rules for its enforcement. From October 1960, the use of metric
weights and measures was made compulsory. The use of metric system became
obligatory from April 1962.
At present, a uniform metric system of weights and
measures is being followed in the district. For the enforcement of the system,
enforcement staff comprising an Assistant Controller, Weights and Measures, at
the district headquarters and Inspectors, Weights and Measures at the
subdivisional level are working. The enforcement staff in the district works
under the overall control of the Controller, Weights and Measures, Punjab
having headquarters at Chandigarh. There exists a Reference Standard Laboratory
at the headquarters, whereas, a Secondary Standard Laboratory is at the
district level. The working standards used by the enforcement staff for the
verification of commercial standards are calibrated once in 12 months with the
secondary standards in the Secondary Standard Laboratory at the district level.
In order to protect the interest of consumers, all
weights, measures, weighing and measuring instruments used by the trade and
commercial establishments in the district are being verified at least once in
every 12 months. Besides this, manufacturers/repairing of weights and measures
are licensed in order to facilitate traders for the correctness/upkeep of their
weights, measures, weighing and measuring instruments. For the verification of
weights and measures, the State Government has fixed a nominal fee. The annual
collection of this fee from the trading and commercial establishments in the
Patiala District is about Rs. 3.4 lacks.
The Organisation of Weights and measures at the
State/District level also looks after the provisions of Standards of Weights
and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977 for enforcement on behalf of
the Government of India and for the purpose, Controller of Weights and Measures
as well as the other enforcement staff have been delegated powers under the
rules.
(g) Storage and Warehousing
According to the prevailing local conditions,
different methods of conserving foodgrains are in vogue in different parts of
the State especially by the agriculturists. The Royal Commission on Agriculture
in 1928, the Reserve Bank of India in 1944 and the Rural Banking Enquiry
Commission in 1950 had emphasised the need for the establishment of a
warehousing system for agricultural produce and creation of a negotiable
papers. It was not until the All-India Rural Credit Survey Committee which
again reiterated and recommended in 1954 that the concept of warehousing had
taken a concrete shape. These recommendations paved the way for enactment of
Agricultural Produce (Development and Werehousing) Corporations Act, 1956
(since replaced by the Warehousing Corporation Act, 1962) and establishment of
the Central and State Warehousing Corporations.
Warhousing, in the public sector, operates under the
Central Warehousing Corporation at the Centre, the State Warehousing
Corporations at the State, towns and village levels. The Warehousing
Corporations provide, scientific storage facilities and save the producers from
making distress sale by providing them cheap credit against pledging of their
stocks which are covered by warehouse receipts.
Under the Act, Warehousing Corporations were
established in each State. The Punjab State Warehousing Corporation was set up
on 2 January 1958 under the Agricultural Produce (Development and Warehousing)
Corporation Act, 1956. It was reconstituted with effect from 1 November 1967
after the reorganization of the Punjab State under the Warehousing Corporation
Act,1962. In 1988-89, the Corporation was running nine warehouses at various
places in the district.
The
Warehousing Corporation has been contributing to the national economy by
avoiding wastage in handling and storaage of agricultural produce, inputs and
other commodities. The chief commodities accepted for storage in warehouses
include foodgrains, pulses, cotton, vegetable oil, oilseeds, fertilizers,
agricultural implements and notified commodities. Stocks stored for storage in
the warehouses are examined and graded according to the national grades of
specifications and are recognised by the traders banks and others.
The
storage charge cover operating expenses
on account of rent, insurance against fire, burglary, theft and cost of
preservation of stocks, watch and ward, management of warehouses and other
miscellaneous and incidental expenses including overheads. The corporation also
supplies on hire empty gunny to enable on very nomianl charges to the growers
to enable them to store in the warehouses their produce brought in bulk from
their villages. For the storage of perishable commodities like vegetable and
fruits, cold storages are being set up in the private sector in the district.
The
present methods of storage and warehousing at various level in the Patiala
District are given below :
Village Market - Bulk storage of foodgrain stocks are done at
village level in mostly by the farmers for a short period, i.e. Kachchi Kothi,
Pakki Kothi; pachhare; and in bags. All these method are unscientific.
Shops. - Mostly storage is done in bags, but occasionally in bulk by
shopkeepers in unsicentific way.
Mill and Factories. - The mill owners have their own godowns in the
premises of their mills and factories for storage of foodgrain stocks. Stocks
are stored in bags on unscientific lines. The godowns are prone to insect infestation.
Railway Station - The Railways hasits own sheds at railway stations
for storage of foodgrain stocks forthe
purpose of only loading and unloading of the stocks. There is no permanent
storage structure there.
(Vide
page 216)
Number
of Banking Offices at Various Places in the Patiala District as on 31 December
1989
1.
Mall Road, Patiala
2.
Chowk Fort, Patiala
3.
Bhupindra Nagar, Patiala
4.
Arya Samaj, Patiala
5.
Agriculture Development
Bank, Patiala
6.
Punjabi Un(iversity, Patial
7.
Industrial Estate, Patial
8.
Sirhindi Bazar, Patial
9.
Tripari Saidan, Patiala
10.
Dharampura Bazar, Patiala
11.
NIS, Patiala
12.
Modi College, Patiala
13.
Thapar Institute of
Engineering and Technology, Patiala
14.
Rajendra Hospital, Patiala
15.
Yadvindra Public School,
Patiala
16.
Dukh Niwaran Sahib, Patiala
17.
PSEB, Patiala
18.
Aurbindo Bhawan, Patiala
19.
Patiala Cantt. Patiala
20.
Model Town, Patiala
21.
Indian Oil Corporation,
Patiala
22.
Sai Market, Patiala
23.
Don Kalan
24.
Bahadurgarh
25.
Kalyan
26.
Kauli
27.
Bakhshiwala
28.
DCW, Patiala
29.
Their
30.
Devigarh
31.
Balbehra
32.
Kamalpur
33.
Dudhan Sadhan
34.
Sanaur
35.
Nabha
36.
HMM, Nabha
37.
Grain Mket, Nabha
40.
Gurditpura
41.
Samana
42.
Agriculture Development
Bank, Samana
43.
Patran
44.
Gajewas
45.
Badshahpur
46.
Gulzarpur
47.
Rajpura
48.
Rajpura Township
49.
New Grain Market, Rajpura
50.
Khera Gajju
51.
Banur
52.
Jalalpur
53.
Shambu Kalan
54.
Jand Magoli
55.
Dera Bassi
56.
Dehar
57.
Amlala
58.
Handesra
59.
Sirhind Mandi
60.
Sirhind City
61.
Amloh
62.
Mandi Gobindgarh
63.
Guru Ki Nagri, Mandi
Gobindgarh
64.
Chalaila
65.
Jakhwali
66.
Himatgarh
67.
Bassi Pathana
68.
Agriculture Development
Bank, Bassi Pathana
69.
Burass
70.
Charanarthal Kalan
71.
Kakrala
II Punjab National Bank
1.
Gur Mandi, Patiala
2.
Mall Road, Patiala
3.
Model Town, Patiala
4.
Dakala
5.
22 No. Phatak, Patiala
6.
Sanaur
7.
Nabha
8.
Malkana Rajpura Town
9.
Ghanaur
10.
Lalru
11.
Sirhind Mandi
12.
Mandi Gobindgarh
13.
Nandpur Kalor
14.
Badli Ala Singh
15.
Bassi Pathana
16.
Basantpura
III Punjab & Sind Bank
1.
Gur Mandi, Patiala
2.
The Mall, Patiala
3.
Model Town, Patiala
4.
Namdar Khan Road, Patiala
5.
Jhill, Sirhind Road, Patiala
6.
Rakhra
7.
Rasoolpur Saidan
8.
Gurbax Colony, Patiala
9.
Main
10.
Bhuner Heri
11.
Roshanpur
12.
Nabha
13.
Tohra
14.
Samana
15.
Ghagga
16.
Patran
17.
Dhanetha
18.
Bhankherpur
19.
Kukar Majra (G. T. Road,
Mandi Gobindgarh)
20.
Jassran
21.
Kharora
22.
Fatehgarh Sahib
23.
Nogawan
24.
Rajpura Town
25.
Rajpura Road, Patiala
1.
Mall Road, Patiala
2.
Adalat Bazar, Patiala
3.
Rajpura Town
4.
Ajrawar
5.
Mandi Gobindgarh
2.
Dharampura Bazar, Patiala
3.
Mandi Gobindgarh
1.
Adalat Bazar, Patiala
2.
Sirhind Road, Patiala
3.
Chhoti Baradari, The Mall,
Patiala
4.
Nabha
5.
Chhintanwala
6.
Samana
7.
Behmna
9.
Rajpura Town
10.
Chappar
11.
Trivedi Camp, Mubarkpur
12.
Sirhind
1.
Dharampura Bazar, Patiala
2.
Dhablan
3.
Lang
4.
Massinghan
5.
Nabha
6.
Dandrala Dhindsa
7.
Rajpura Town
8.
Harpalpur
9.
Mubarkpur
10.
Lalru
11.
Sirhind Mandi
1.
Fountain, The Mall, Patiala
2.
New Grain Market, Patiala
3.
Madaur
4.
Rajpura Town
5.
Banur
6.
Mandi Gobindgarh
1.
Inside Sheranwala Gate,
Patiala
2.
Rajpura Town
1.
Choti Baradari, Patiala
2.
Gajju Majra
3.
Model Town, Patiala
4.
Ghuram
5.
Nabha
6.
Kularan
7.
Rajpura Town
8.
Focal Point, Rajpura
9.
Mandi Gobindgarh
1.
Dharampura Bazar, Patiala
2.
Dharampura Bazar, Patiala
3.
Nabha
4.
Salana
·
Dharampura Bazar, Patiala
·
Dharampura Bazar, Patiala
·
Near Leela Bhawan, Patiala
·
Top Khana Gate, Patiala
·
Lohsimbly
1.
Dharampura Bazar, Patiala
2.
Nabha
3.
Amloh
1.
Darzian Wali Gali Patiala
2.
Nabha
1.
Old Kotwali Chowk, Patiala
2.
Industrial Estate, Patiala
1.
Pilli Sarak, Ragho Majra,
Patiala
2.
Bhankher
3.
Agoul
4.
Kullurchan
5.
Talwandi Malik
6.
Duggal Kalan
7.
Chaunth
8.
Bhagrana
9.
Pawala
10.
Tepla
11.
Samgoli
12.
Bhamari Bulland
13.
Budhochi Kalan
14.
Khera
(Source : Lead Bank Officer, State Bank of Patiala, Head Office,
Patiala)
|
v Old-time Roads and Highways and Modes of conveyance |
|
|
|
v
Railways |
|
v
Organizations
of Owners and Employees in the Field of Transport and Communications |
(a) Old-time Roads and Highways and Modes of
conveyance
Transport and communications
system of a territory has been often compared to the nervous system of blood circulatory
network in a human body. Economic activity can prosper only when the
faciliti¨es of transport and communications are properly organised. The trade,
agriculture, industry, etc. are mainly connected with development of
communication system. The roads play a paramount role in the field of defence.
Indian history is full of references which bear testimony to the existence of
roads and keen interest taken by the ancient, medieval and modern rulers in the
construction of roads. Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, Muhammad Tughlaq and Sher
Shah Suri are known to have constructed a good network of roads connecting
various parts of their domians.In the days when mechanised vehicles were not
seen in the area, the landlords and well-to-do persons used horses, etc. as
means of conveyance. Common people depended on bullock carts, and pack animals
for the purpose of transportation of goods in rural and urban areas of the
district. Tongas and ekkas were used by the people for travel in the urban
areas only.With the development of rail and road transport, old modes of
transport have been replaced by the modern ones. However, though motor vehicles
have become much popular, yet the bullock carts still hold the sway in the
countryside. These are suited to the rugged countryside when the sophisticated
modern vehicles dare not tread. An improvement introduced in their structure is
pneumatic tyre in place of the traditional wooden eel. But these have been
considerably replaced by horse carts (rehras) and tractor trailers. Though the
modern means of transport have become popular in the district, yet tongas and
ekkas are plied at Patiala and other towns of the district.
Roads play a pivotal role in the economic development of a region. A well-knit
road system helps in improving the efficiency of output and input of markets.
Roads, Being an important component of the in improving the efficiency of
output and input of markets. Roads, being an important component of the basic
infrastructure for a developing economy, not only facilitiate development but
also assist in mobilization of untapped resources by opening up new region and
thus reduce social disparity.
Roads have been often
compared to arteries in a human body, as these ameliorate the lot of
agriculture oriented people in the remote and fertile stretch. The present
Patiala District includes the areas of erstwhile princely states of Patiala,
Nabha, Jind and some parts of the British Territory. Prior to Independence,
Patiala, being capital of princely State of Patiala was comparatively well
served with roads. The main metalled roads which were partly or fully falling
in the present Patiala District maintained by the rulers of the erstwhile
princely States were Patiala-Sunam, Patiala-Rajpura, Bassi-Sirhind,
Patiala-Bhuner Heri, Patiala-Majal, Patiala-Sanaur, Patiala-Nabha, Nabha-Kotla
(now Malerkotla), Nabha-Bhawanigarh, Sunam-Samana, Bassi-Alampur, Nabha-Khanna,
Amloh-Gobindgarh and Patiala City roads. The post-Independence period has witnessed
a cosiderable expansion in road construction in the district as the following
figures bear out :—
|
Year |
Mettaled road (km) |
Unmetalled roads (km) |
Total length of roads (km) |
|
1950-51 |
251 |
199 |
450 |
|
1955-56 |
309 |
221 |
530 |
|
1959-60 |
420 |
236 |
683 |
|
1969-70 |
881 |
201 |
1082 |
|
1980-81 |
3491 |
103 |
3594 |
|
1984-85 |
3584 |
65 |
3649 |
|
1985-86 |
3668 |
65 |
3733 |
|
1986-87 |
3786 |
17 |
3803 |
|
1987-88 |
3852 |
13 |
3865 |
|
1988-89 |
3865 |
-- |
3865 |
(Punjab Census Hand-Book
No. 18 Patiala District 1961 and Statistical Abstracts of Punjab, 1971, 1981,
1985 and 1989)
Keeping in view the Nagpur
Road Pal of 1943, roads may be classified into four categories, viz. National
Highways, State Highways, District Roads and Village Roads. Presently, roads in
the district have been maintained under five categories, viz. National
Highways, State Highways, Major District Roads, Other District Roads and
Village Roads. The total road length in the Patiala District during 1988-89 was
3,865 km. The district is on the top among all the districts in the Punjab so
far as length of roads is concerned. The length of National Highways was 79 km,
State Highways 221 km, Major District Roads 151 km, Other District Roads 277
Km, and Village Roads 3,137 km. The National Highways and State Highways are
maintained by the CPWD and State PWD (B&R), respectively. The Major
District Roads, Other District Roads and Village Roads are also under the State
PWD (B&R). The municipalities maintain their respective roads. A detailed
description of each category of roads in the Patiala District is given below: