(c) Forestry
The Firozpur
District falls under the jurisdiction of Divisional Forest Officer, Firozpur
Forest Division, Firozpur. He is assisted by one forest officer, 4 forest
rangers, 2 deputy rangers, 14 foresters, 62 forest guards and ministerial class
III and other miscellaneous staff. This office in the Forest Department was
established in 1972.
The main
functions of the Forest Department are to plant trees along roads, canals and
railway strips. The Department also undertakes the plantation of trees for fuel
and the conservation of protected forests under the India Forest Act, 1927. In
addition, plants are also supplied to the public at subsidized rates and
technical assistance is given to carry out the plantation of trees.
(9) Importance of Forestry in the Economy of the
District—The
Firozpur District adjoins the outskirts of the Rajasthan desert and is
know for high-velocity dust storms and
shifting sand dunes. This fact gives added importance to forestry, more so than
any other district in the Punjab except Bathinda. The tree growth has manifold
advantages. First, the trees reduce the wind velocity and, thus, lower the
capacity of the wind to carry away the soil. Second, the trees, by virtue of
their root system bind the soil and, thus, increase the ‘threshold velocity,
or, in other words, a wind of particular velocity, which can blow away a given size of soil particles, will not be able to do so if there is growth of trees on the site. There are also
several other indirect benefits which accrue from forests and the most
important among these benefits is that the forests add to th4e humidity of the
air and increase precipitation.
The District is
very dry and deficient in trees. Therefore, it is essential that a large-scale
plantation of trees is carried out in this area, on the State land as well as
on private land.
(ii) Area Under Forest—The area under forest is classified according to ownership.
State and private. The forests owned by corporate bodies and private
individuals are included in the category of private forests . The area under forests is also classified according to
the legal status, such as ‘Reserved’,
’Protected’ and ‘Unclassified’. The reserved forests are permanently devoted
either to the production of timber or
other forest produce and in them the right of grazing and cultivation is seldom
allowed. In protected forests, these
rights are allowed, subject to certain restrictions.
The area under forests shown in this section will not tally with the
figures given under section ‘Land Utilization’, supplied by the Director of
Land Records, Punjab. The Forest Department reckons the entire area, including
the non-wooded area under its control, as the forest area, whereas the Land
Records Department calculates it on the basis of the actual area forest.
There is an
acute shortage of fuelwood in this arid zone. The indiscriminate cutting of
trees, consequent upon the consolidation of holdings, and the launching of the
Grow-More-Food Campaign caused the scarcity of fuel in the countryside. Steps
were , therefore, taken to bring more Government land under the control of the
Forest Department for raising fuel and economic plantations thereon. The strips
along roads, canals and railways were transferred to the Forest Department for
scientific management.
The Forest
Department is raising fuel plantations to meet the growing demand for firewood.
Firewood is also needed in plenty to release cow dung as manure for increasing
soil fertility and food production.
Shelter-belts and windbreaks along the cultivated fields in sandy areas are
also being raised to increase soil productivity and for protection against the
shifting sand.
The areas under
forests in the District under the control of the Forest Department in 1979-80
was as under :
Particulars Area
(hectares)
(i)
Reserved forests
443.33
(ii)
Protected forests
Rail-strips 1138.00 }
Road-strips 1670.00 } 6600.50
Canal-strips 3792.50 }
(iii) Unclassed forests 1636.00
(iv) Area notified under section 38 of the
Indian Forests Act, 1927 158.50
(v)
Area notified under sections 4-5 of the
Land Preservation Act, 1900 3200.00
Total -------------
12038.33
(iii) Forest Produce—The forest produce is
classified into major and minor produce. Under the major produce are included
timber and firewood, whereas under the minor produce are included grasses and
fruits. Timber from shisham (Dalbergia sissu), kikar (Acacia arabica), jaman
(Eugenian jambolana)trees, etc., is
used for manufacturing furniture and agricultural implements, and also in the
construction of buildings.
The annual income from the forest produce in the
District, from 1972-73 to 1979-80
Year Major
Minor
produce produce
(Rs) (Rs)
1972-73 6,44,082 2,865
1973-74 6,12,269 1,553
1974-75 8,63,585 7,155
1975-76 8,63,810 10,285
1976-77
9,01,944 5,685
1977-78
4,72,814 7,085
1978-79
17,90,203
4,510
1979-80 36,94,964 55,14
(Source:- Divisional Forest
Officer, Firozpur Forest Division Firozpur.)
(f) Floods
Before the
construction of the Bhakra Dam, normally the bet areas of the Zira, Firozpur
and Fazlika tehsils were always exposed to the floods in the Satluj River,
whereas Abohar was normally not affected by them. High floods have been
experienced in the Satluj every year since 1947, but the floods of 1947, 1954
and 1955 were specially severe, more particularly the floods of 1955, which,
owing to heavy and continual rains and insufficient drainage, caused extensive
damage.
In 1957, 1958
and 1959, houses and the standing crops in the District were damaged by heavy
rains. Again in 1973, 1975 and 1978, crops and houses were damaged to a
considerable extent by heavy rains and floods.
The intensity of
floods in the Satluj River has been considerably reduced consequent upon the
completion of the Bhakra Dam. The
existing problems in the District are the local conjestion in drainage and a rise in the water-table, causing
extensive damage to the cropped area.
The Drainage Department has taken up the work of improving the above-ground
drainage and considerable progress has
been made in this respect, benefiting a vast area.
The following
table shows the damage caused by floods and heavy rains in the District during
1973 to 1979.
Damage caused to private property and to the under crops to produce and
its value owing to floods during the
rainy season in the Firozpur District during 1973-1979
Damage to crops
Year
Number of Area Number of Number of Number
of------------------------------- villages & affected Human
lives the heads houses Area produce Value
towns aff- (sq km) lost of cattle damaged
affec- damaged (‘000’
ected lost ted (‘00’qtls) Rs.) (Hct)
1973 282 523 7 11 4,732 46,984 1,366 14,887
1974 -- -- - -- -- -- -- --
1975 192 185 1 20 7,616 15,470 -- 21,069
1976 885 1,005
25 264 70,749 82,797 -- 1,42,434
1977 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
1978 383 247 2 34 9,117 24,701 -- 63,947
1979 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
(Source
statistical abstracts of Punjab, 1974
to 1980)
(g) Femine
The word
‘famine’ may connot broadly a widespread shortage of food caused by natural
calamities, such as the absence or
acute shortage of rainfall, the
depredations of insect pests . etc.
leading to distress and starvation among the people. It may be
distinguished from ‘drought’ and ‘scarcity’ which mean ‘dryness of the weather
or the deficiency of rain’ and ‘insufficiency of food’ respectively. Scarcities
and droughts are generally confined to limited localities and last for short
periods of time. Famine is no new feature in history. Very few countries of the
world can boast of not having faced
this calamity at one time or another of their history. In our country also,
famines had occurred in the past, and
tradition and history have recorded some gruesome tales of the trail of misery
which famines had left behind them.
The famines
after 1858, however, excited considerable public interest in India, England and
the world. Newspapers gave publicity and many humanitarian institutions urged
on the Government the necessity of providing the suffering humanity with large-scale relief and the
relief came. After every famine, the Government of India appointed a commission
to examine the circumstances in the
wake of which famine occurred and to suggest the nature of the relief operations which might be
undertaken. The reports of the commission led to the creation of a relief
organization and the preparation of an Famine Code, which was modified from
time to time to conform to the new situations.
The year 1880 is
a landmark in the history of Indian famines, as it marked a new ear in the
history of the famine-relief policy of the Government of India. Lord Lytton
(1876-80) decided that the Indian
Government should not, as in the past, deal with each famine, as it occurred,
but should lay down a regular policy of preventive measures . The report of the
Famine Commission of 1880, appointed by him, forms the foundation of the
existing provisional Famine Code. The main principles adopted were that
employment should be found for the able-bodied in relief works and that
gratuitous help should be given to the helpless poor.
Little is
remembered of the famous famines of old times, as so much of the Firozpur
District was colonized with construction of the Sirhind Canal in 1882 and with
a system of inundation canals in the District, known as the Grey canals, during
the period 1875-1906.
In 1896-97,
there was some scarcity, but it could hardly be called famine; it was marked by
high prices and a shortage of fodder rather than by the scarcity of foodgrains.
The period 1899-1900, of which the people frequently
speak as Chhapanjha (B.E. 1956), was another bad year and the zamindars
suffered considerable losses from having to sell off large numbers of cattle at
low prices.
The village
menials were the class that suffered most in both these years, and a number of
people also came from Bikaner and the south. Various public works were carried
out and this, with inconsiderable suspensions of land revenue, sufficed to help the people to tide over the bad
times.
Area under principal crops in
the Ferozepur District
(Thousand
Hectares)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crops 1972-73 1973-74 1974-75 1975-76
1976-77 1977-78 1978-79
1979-80
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cereals
Rice 65 74
84 94
106 130 154 158
Wheat
249 242 235 289
300 304 324 324
Bajara
14.6 13.7 11.7 15.5 14.0 8.2 6.3
4.8
Maize 16 14
11 17 13 9
7 6
Jawar 1.3 2.3
0.3 0.2 0.6 0.2 0.3 0.3
Barley 17.8 29.7
31.7 25 12.8 706 5.4 4.3
Pulses
Gram 36 39
34 44 42 41 44 37
Moong
0.32 0.94 0.87 0.57
0.34 0.28 0.30 0.42
Mash 0.61 1.49 0.56 0.51 0.56 0.26 0.74 0.50
Massar
0.24 0.45 0.25 0.27
0.27 0.24 0.36 0.33
Oilseeds
Ground
0.5 0.8 0.3 0.3
0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1
nuts
Rape
& 22.1 24.1 25.7 12.7
7.1 17.3 12.3 15.8
Mustard
Sesa- 0.4 0.5
0.2 0.5 0.4 0.3
0.3 0.4
mum
Other
crops
Sugar 3 4 4 4 4 3 2 1
cane
Cotton 66.8
80.8 76.7 87.1 88 82.3 83.5 74.8
Cotton 19.5
13.1 9.1 14.5 11 8.3 7.6 9.6
(Desi)
Patatos 0.6
0.7 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.2
Chillies1.32 1.06 0.75
1.84 2.38 1.01 1.05 0.73
Production of Principal crops
in the Firozpur District
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crops 1972-73 1973-74 1974-75 1975-76
1976-77 1977-78 1978-79
1979-80
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cereals
Rice 156 205
210 272 256 376 429 417
Wheat 532 512 570 671 734 785 922 921
Bajara 8 16
10 17 6 10
6 4
Maize 16 9
16 24 6 7
6 5
Jawar 0.8 1.4
0.2 0.1 0.3 0.1
0.2 0.2
Barley 17 26
34 26 14 9
4 6
Pulses
Gram 31
35 35 44 35 37 37 26
Moong 0.17
0.54 0.5 0.3 0.2
0.2 0.2 0.2
Mash 0.29 0.8
0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.2
Massar 0.12
0.21 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1
Oilseeds
Ground -- 1
-- -- -- --
-- --
nuts
Rape
& 13.8 18 22 8 5 10 9 13
Mustard
Other
crops
Sugar 13 16
11 26 21 16 9 6
cane
Cotton 27.49
36.16 33.12 35.88
29.22 27.82 30.6 29.2
Cotton 6.86
4.19 3.06 4.44 3.06 2.65 2.10 2.71
(Desi)
Patatos 8.5
10.4 10.4 10.6 11.5 11.9 16.7
3.6
Chillies
1.25 1.05 0.9 1.7 2.1 0.9 0.9 0.7
(Source :
Statistical abstracts of Punab 1973-1980)
INDUSTRIES
(a)
Old Time Industries and
Industrial Development
The
importance of industries in the national economy needs no emphasis. Though the
truth of the slogan ‘Industrialize or Perish’ has been well realized in the
State, yet the Firozpur District cannot claim to be industrially well advanced.
It cannot boast of any well-established
old-time industry. The pr-eminence of the district lies in agriculture.
The genius of its people did not go towards industries before Independence, and
after Independence, it became a border district, with the usual handicaps.
There have, however, existed such cottage and village industries such, as
pottery, leather-tanning, handloom-weaving, phudkari work, enamelling and
saltpeter preparation in the district as are common in the Punjab villages.
Trades like sirki moohra-making, wood-work, shoe-making, pawa-making, carpentry
and blacksmity are carried on in Firozpur. Fazilka as once known for
ban-making. Desi juttis of Abohar, prepared in artistice designs with zari and
tilla, are in great demand in the area.
With
the passage of time, some agro-based industries were also set up in the
District. Being a cotton-producing area, cotton-ginning and pressing industries
were established at Giddarbaha (now in Faridkot District) after the First World War
(1914-18). Previously also, there existed a few units engaged in wool-pressing.
Before 1947, a few small-scale units of cotton-ginning and pressing had also
been set up at Fazilka and Firozpur.
Hussainiwala
was once famous for saltpetre. In 1931, a saltpetrerfining unit was set up at
Firozpur. Enamelwares industry and cutlerygoods industry were also started at
Firozepur during the fourth decade of the present century.
After the
partition of the country in 1947, Firozpur became a border district. This
proved to be a permanent impediment in its industrial progress. Such is
particularly the case with the towns of Firozpur and Fazilka, which are
situated quite close to the border. All the same, the industrial progress in
the district has been quite encouraging slowly and steadily, industrial units
have been set up at Abohar. Some of the new industries started are the
cotton-spinning mills, brushware, rubber-insulated cables, cycle parts, plastic
goods, etc. Abohar is also progressing well industrially . A number of
cotton-ginning and pressing factories, and units manufacturing agricultural
implements have been set up at Abohar.
The Indo-Pak
Conflict of 1965 adversely affected whatever progress the district had made in
the industrial field during the previous tow decades or so. the entrepreneurs
got discouraged and the capital became
all the more shy. Investment became risky owing to the ever-present fear
of war. to provide against this deteriorating situation, the State Government
offered a number of concessions and facilities to the industrialists to improve
the industrial set-up of the border districts. As these measures did not got
a long
way in bringing about the desired progress, the government offered
further facilities and concessions to encourage the growth and extensions of
industries in the area .
(b) State Aid to Industries
The Government
gives high priority to widen the industrial set-up of the State economy. It
helps industrialization and industrial activities in various ways. Incentives
are offered to the entrepreneurs in
setting up new industrial units. These include concessions regarding land,
finance and capital, power, taxation, in the procuring of raw material, etc. Under the State Aid to
Industries Act, 1935, the industries Department also gives financial assistance
in the form of loans and grants (grants-in-aid/subsidies) for the development
of industries. The following table shows the amount of financial assistance
granted in the District during 1975-76
to 1979-80 :
ANNEXURE 143
Year
Loans Grants-in-aid and Subsidy
---------------------------
------------------------------------------------
Number of Amount
Number of Amount
Units (Rs.) units (Rs.)
1975-76 32 1,50,000 -- --
1976-77 117 3,00,700
-- --
1977-78 49 3,00,000 2 1,000
1978-79
46 3,00,000 1 1,000 1979-80 18 1,00,000 1 2,74,000
Besides
the Industries Department, a number of financial institutions help the
industrial units in the matter of finance. The Punjab Financial Corporation
provides finance for the medium and large-scale
Industrial
units. It has also started the underwriting of share capital on the
recommendations of the survey conducted
by a study team of the Reserve Bank of India, besides advancing long and medium-term
loans. the commercial banks also advances loans to the small-scale units for short periods.
(i) Quality Marking Scheme --- This scheme is a
measure taken by the Punjab Government for the development and growth of
small-scale industries. Under this scheme, the products of the small-scale
units are quality-market by the Government after testing the products, raw
materials used , etc. Thus the Government gives a third-party guarantee to the
customers. Before this scheme, which was launched during the Second Five-Year
Plan (1956-61), the products of the small-scale units lacked uniformity with respect to quality, precision
and standardization, since there were no
such facilities made available to them by the Government and they themselves
could not afford to install machinery for this purpose because of heavy costs.
To overcome these difficulties, the
State Government embarked upon this ambitious programme of providing facilities
for testing the products, raw materials, etc. of the small-scale units at very
nominal charges. These units are also provided with technical guidance. The
Firozpur District is covered by the Quality-Marketing Centre, Ludhiana,
(2) Common-Service
Facility/Development Scheme—
Rural Industrial Development/Common-Facility Centres—These centres have
been opened in the rural to provide common-facility services, such as repair
work. They are located at Zira and Kot Isa Khan.
(1) Other Organization for the Development of Industries
Besides the
above-mentioned common-service facility
development centres, there exist the following organizations for the promotion
of industries in the district.
Punjab State Small
Industries Corporation Ltd., Chandigarh.—Set up as plan scheme during the
Third Five-year, the Punjab State Small Industries Corporation Ltd.,
Chandigarh, started functioning from
October, 1962. Its objective objectives are to aid, counsel, assist, finance,
protect and promote the interests of small-scale industries in the State. The
main functions of the Corporation comprise procurement, storage and
distribution of all categories of industrial raw material, whether imported or
indigenous, viz. ferrous and non-ferrous metals, coal, molasses, yarns, oils,
dyes, leather, timber, chemicals, foam, laminated sheets, plastic cane, spirit
and plywood. The raw materials are distributed to those industrial units whose name names are recommended by
the Director of the Industries, Punjab, Chandigarh, through its offices opened
in various towns. There is no depot of the Corporation in the Firozpur District
for rendering assistance to the small-scale industries. However, the
industrialists are given assistance to the offices of the Corporation located at
Moga and Malaut (now in the Faridkot District). The Corporation also gives the
facility of purchasing machinery on the hire-purchasing basis to the
small-scale industries.
(ii) 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 from 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.
The services of
the Institute have gone a long way in improving the quality and finish of the
goods produced by several industrial units in the District.
(iii) Mechanical
Engineering Research and Development Organization, Ludhiana—The headquarters of the
Mechanical Engineering Research and Development Organization are at Durgapur
(West Bengal). It has three centres, one of which is located at Ludhiana. This
centre was established in December 1965 to provide regional centres at focal
points of concentrated engineering industries in the country, to assess their
research and development needs, and to provide engineering technology which is
not otherwise available to them. Since
the centre has been set up to meet the requirements of the north-western
region, it also renders facilities to the engineering industries in the
Firozpur District.
The Scientific
Committee appointed by the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute,
Durgapur, guides in framing the Plan and Programme of the centre. The Technical
Adviser to the Government of Punjab, Chandigarh, heads the committee for the
Ludhiana centre.
The organization
helps the industries to remove their technical difficulties and to establish
sound production practices with an acceptable of products.
(c)
Industrial Training
In an
industrially developing country, industrial, training plays a vital role in
ensuring a speedy flow of technicians to man the ever-growing industrial
activities. the industrial training centres play a double role by providing technicians for industries and for
reducing unemployment . the Department of Industrial Training, Punjab, was
originally started in the
pre-Independence period as an emergency measure to produce suitable technicians required by the Defence Services
and Defence Industries. After the World War II (1939-45), the Industrial
Training Scheme was continued to rehabilitate ex-servicemen after
imparting technical training. On the recommendations of the
Shiva Rao Committee, set up by the Government of India, the Scheme was brought
on a permanent footing in 1956, because it was felt that, without
producing technicians at home, the
industrial set-up of the country could
not be widened. The Industrial Training Scheme was considered a sine quo
non for the development of industries, with the result that, there was an
all-round development in the training programme.
The industrial
training programme in the Punjab also received an impetus under the Government
of India’s Programme. A separate wing was created in the Industries Department
by the State Government for imparting industrial, technical and vocational
training to boys and girls through its various industrial training institutes
and schools.
There are two
Government Industrial Training Institutes in the District at Firozpur and
Fazilka. These impart training in engineering and non-engineering trades, as
detailed in the following statement.
Government Industrial Training Institute in
the Firozpur District, as on 31 March 1980
|
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 session |
Besides the
above-mentioned institutes, there are 3
Government industrial schools for girls, one each at Firozpur, Dharmakot and
Zira. They impart training in tailoring, cutting, needle-work and embroidery.
(d) Industrial Areas and Estates
The scheme for
the establishment of industrial estates
was launched in the State in 1959. It was started with the object of dispersing
industries to economically backward rural areas and creating conditions for
planned industrial growth. The urban industrial estate at Firozpur was
established on 4 September 1965 to
provide suitable accommodation for the various industrial units there. it has
19 sheds on the estate for the housing of small-scale units. There is no
industry area in the District.
Power is a sine
qua non for the economic development of the country. In this District,
hydroelectric power is the main source of the Power, though other sources, such
as coal, diesel and petrol are not uncommon, especially when electricity is in
supply. However, electricity, is speedily replacing other sources of power.
The demand for
electricity is rapidly, increasing in District, partly, because now it is no
longer a luxury, but has become a necessity and, partly owing to the increase in the industrial units in the area. The
‘Green Revolution’ in agriculture can, inter-alia, be attributed to
electricity, as it helps to increase the irrigational facilities by energizing
tube-wells.
Firozpur was
electrified for the first time in 1935 and it used to receive current from a
132-KV substation at Lahore (now in Pakistan). After the partition (1947), the
supply of electricity from Lahore was stopped and Firozpur was fed from
Joginder Nagar through the Ludhiana grid substation. A 33-KV grid substation was installed at Firozpur in
1934. Before the partition of the
country, only a few places, viz. the Firozpur city, the Firozpur City, the
Firozpur Cantonment, Abohar and Fazlika, were electrified. Except Firozpur, at
all other places in the District, power was generated through diesel-engines
locally by private companies. Later on, in 1949, these private companies were
taken by the Government.
The
District is being partly served is being partly served by the Firozpur
Division, partly by the Muktsar Division , partly by the Malaut Division and
partly by the Abohar Division of the Punjab State Electricity Board. They are
under the administrative control of the Superintending Engineer, Punjab State
Electricity Board, Firozpur. The hydroelectric power comes form the
Bhakra-Nagal project
Muktsar Division—The Muktsar Division came into existence in
1959. Muktsar was electrified for the first time on 22 December, 1955. the
Division meets the demand of Arniwal, Nandgarh, Lakhewali, Ladhuwala,
Tahliwala, etc. A-132 grid substation has been iinstalled at Muktsar , with an
installed capacity of 42.5 MVA. Also, there was one 66-kv and two 33-kv substations,
one each at Fattan Wala and Sarainaga (now in the Faridkot District) and
Arniwala respectively. this Division
gave 2 industrial connections in the Firozpur District during 1979-80.
Firozpur Division—This Division was established in March 1949.
the Firozpur city and the Cantonment areas were the first places in the
District to be electrified when a 33-kv
grid substation, with a capacity of 8MVA was installed in 1935. Under the
control of this Division now functions one 132-kv substation at the Firozpur
Cantonment, four 33-kv substations at Firozpur City, Mamdot, Ferozeshah and
Jhok Harihar. During 1979-80, this Division gave 47 industrial connections in
the Firozpur District.
The Division
mostly meets the demand of the Firozpur City, the Firozpur Cantonment, Mamdot,
Ferozeshah, etc.
Malaut Division—The Malaut Town falls into the new Faridkot
District. But for the distribution of electricity, this Division also serves
some areas of the Firozpur District. The areas of the Firozpur District, which
receive power, are Jalalabad, Guru Har Shahi, etc.
A 132-kv grid
substation at Malaut and two 33-kv grid substations, one each at Jalalabad and
Guru Har Sahai are functioning under the control of this Division. The Division
gave 18 industrial connections in the Firozpur District during 1979-80.
Abohar Division—This Division was established in May 1976 at
Abohar. The areas of the Firozpur District, which receive power from the Abohar
Division, are the Fazilka City. Fazilka Sub-urban Abohar Sub-division etc.
Besides, a
132-kv grid station at Abohar, four 33-kv grid substations have been installed
at Abohar, Khuian Sarwar, Khui Khera and Fazilka and a 66-kv substation at
Laduka. This Division, during 1979-80, gave 24 industrial connections in the
Firozpur District.
(f) Growth and Development of Industries
Up
to the beginning of the twentieth century, there was hardly any industrial unit
in the District, which had remained basically an agricultural tract. In 1931, a
saltpetre-refining factory was set up at Firozpur. The location of this
industry was raw-material-oriented, because rich sources of the raw material
were available in the area. After the partition of the country in 1947, this
industry received a set-back, because the area where the raw material was available
formed a part of Pakistan. In 1940, a
firm, with a Japanese-trained and
qualified expert, started the manufacturing of
enamelware. A roller flour-mill was set up at Firozpur in 1945 in the
large-scale sector. In 1947, a unit
started manufacturing certain chemicals, but it was closed down later on.
Also, there were
cottage and village industries, such as handloom, weaving, leather-tanning,
shoe-making (especially the desi jutti) ban and rope-making and soap making.
At partition,
the situation of the District on the international border adversely affected
the growth and expansion of industries. Thereafter, the industrial progress in
the area was very slow. Before the First Five-Year Plan (1951-56), the number
of industrial units in the District was estimated at 925. it rose to 1,456 by
the end of the plan period. The industries started during this period were :
plastic goods, optical goods, such as frames and lenses, brushware,
dhoop-making and rubber-insulated cables. The production of oil-engines and
bolts and nuts was also started during the same period.
The industrial
progress in the District was, however, stepped up during the Second
Five-Year-Plan (1956-61), by the end of which, the number of industrial units
rose to 2,195. the textile industry in the large-scale sector came into
existence in 1957 at Abohar. the production of modern agricultural implements, such as threshers for wheat and maize,
the implements worked with tractors and the production of sowing-drills, was
started in 1960. The machine-tools industry also developed from 1960 onwards.
The production of procelainware , motor parts, dynamos, armatures, horns, etc.
started in 1960. some cotton-spinning mills were also set up during 1962 to
1964. A large number of workshops for
repairing tractors, etc. have also been
established. At Abohar, fire-crackers are manufactured in the small-scale
sector.
In 1979-80,
there were 4 units in the large-scale sector, engaged in cotton-ginning and
pressing, in manufacturing saltpetre and textiles; and there were 1,219 units
in the small-scale sector.
(g) Industries and Manufactures of the District
The
existing industries in the District may be classified into large-scale,
small-scale and cottage and village industries. A number of industries, which fall partly into the large-scale
sector and partly into the small-scalen sector have been discussed, as a whole,
among those in the large-scale sector. The jail industries have been mentioned
separately.
(i) Large-scale Industries
There is no
heavy and basic industry in the District. A few large-scale industries are in
existence, are mentioned below.
(1) Cotton-Ginning and pressing—In the District, this is
the most important industry, in which a large number of units are engaged.
Cotton which is the basic raw material of this industry, is available in plenty
in this area. The work is carried on
both in the large-scale and small-scale sectors. Since the cotton-ginning
industry is raw-material-oriented, it is concentrated in the cotton-growing tract of Fazilka. Most of the units are
located at Abohar. There is hardly any unit
in Fazlika Town itself in the
large-scale sector. This is because of the nearness of the Indo-Pakistan
border. Two or three units, established
before the partition (1947), continue to function, but no new unit has
come into existence thereafter. The position got further accentuated after the
Indo-Pakistan War of September 1965. More than 90 per cent of the ginned cotton
is sent to other districts and States, as its consumption in the District is
nominal. the major consumer of the ginned in the District is the only
spinning-mill located at Abohar in the large-scale sector, and another
small-scale unit at Abohar.
(2) Flour-Milling—Messrs Sutluj Flour-Mills, Firozpur, now
known as Modi Trading and Industrial Syndicate, Ltd., are the owners of the
only unit of its kind in the District in the large-scale sector. Established in
1945, this unit has as annual installed capacity of about 34,000 tonnes. Apart
from doing the work of flour-milling, it does rice-shelling and oil-extracting.
This is also an agro-based industry. The main raw materials wheat, are paddy
and mustard, which are locally available in Plenty. During 1979-80, the unit
employed 115 persons and made products, such as flour, maida and suji, mustard
oil, khal (oil-cake), and rice, worth 138.42 lakhs of rupees. Its total fixed
investment amounts to 14.08 lakhs. The machinery installed therein is partly
indigenous and partly imported.
(3) Cotton-Textiles—This is a post-Partition
industry started in 1957. There is only one unit of its kind in the District in
the large-scale sector at Abohar. Its total installed capacity in 1957 was
25,948 spindles. This is the only
largest unit which consumes the basic agricultural produce of the District,
i.e. cotton. But, this too consumes
only a fraction of the cotton ginned in
the District. the unit produces cotton
and staple yarn. The machinery installed in the unit of worth 148 lakhs of
rupees and is partly imported. The total output of the unit in 1979-80 was
worth about Rs. 1,450 lakhs. It employed
3,468 persons during that year. The fixed investment of 493 lakhs of rupees was
invested in the unit up to 1979-80. The yarn is sent to places throughout the
country.
(4)
Oil-Mills—During 1979-80, the only unit in the large-scale sector, engaged in
the extraction of oil from contton seed was located at Abohar. it was set up in
1978, with a fixed capital investment of 27.04 lakhs of rupees in 1979-80. It
produced goods worth 113.30 lakhs of rupees and employed 11 persons.
(ii) Small-Scale Industries
In a developing
economy, such as that of India, small-scale industries play a vital role.,
especially in the context of our urgent need for accelerated industrial growth.
Also, these industries help to dispose of wealth and break up monopolistic
tendencies. With the emphasis laid on the socialistic pattern of society, the
Government of India have rightly given a great deal of importance to the
establishment and development of small-scale industries in the country. In
fact, a number of products have been exclusively reserved for production in the
small-scale industrial sector.
There are only a
few medium and large scale units in the Firozpur District. Mostly, the
small-scale units are found there, because of the proximity of the Pakistan
border. The capital is shy, because in this are, the people are not willing to go in for big investments.
Naturally, the District is industrially backward, despite the Government offers
of a number of concessions and incentives for setting up industries there.
The main small-scale industries of the District are
detailed below :
(5) Agricultural Implements—The Firozpur district forms
an important centre for the production of agricultural implements. The main
items produced include wheat-threshers, maize-threshers, rice-shellers,
ploughs of various kinds, harrows,
discs and a few other tractor accessories. Previously, all such items were
produced at Moga, but now all the important trading centres, such as Firozpur
and Abohar, produce these items. The main raw material consists of iron and
steel.
In 1979-80, there were 541 units engaged in
this industry, which produced goods
worth 145 lakhs of rupees and employed 1,830 persons.
(6) Rice-Shellers --- Commercial rice production is becoming
increasingly important in the Punjab. Though the Punjab State is predominantly
a wheat-consuming area, the farmers have found it profitable to grow high
yielding paddy varieties during kharif before growing wheat during rabi.
In view of the importance of rice
production on a commercial basis, a study of the modernization of the
paddy-rice system, particularly at the
procurement and processing stages in the Punjab, was undertaken by the Centre for Management in Agriculture, Indian Institute of
Management, Ahmedabad, and it submitted its report in October 1974. The
major objective of the study was to
analyze the scope of introducing modern methods of handling paddy after
harvesting it. The report summarizes the market-arrival patterns, prices,
facilities for storage and milling in the vicinity of the mandis (markets), and
their other structural aspects.
The number of
rice shellers in 1979-80 was 182. These units gave employment to 2,428. persons
and shelled paddy worth 4,231.9 lakhs of rupees.
(8) Oil Engines—The manufacturing of oil-engines was started
immediately after 1947. It is said that during the British Rule, the manufacturing of oil-engines was not
allowed. This was done in the interest
of the manufacturers of oil-engines in the United Kingdom. The first oil-engine is said to have been
manufactured at Moga in 1951-52. To
begin with, horizontal engines were manufactured, but later on the manufacture
of vertical engines was also started.
In 1979-80, 7
units were engaged in the manufacturing of oil-engines and their parts. These
units produced engines and engine parts worth 4.25 lakhs of rupees and gave
employment to 23 workers.
(9) Electrical Accessories—During 1979-80, there were
7 units engaged in the production of electrical accessories in the District . The main items of production are
holders, shoes, wall-sockets, fuse out-outs,
ceiling roses, etc. The main raw material used are brass parts and
phenolic powder. During 1979-80, goods worth 1.05 lakhs of rupees were produced
and these units gave employment to 27 persons. The goods are marketed locally
in the District and the adjoining areas of Haryana and Rajasthan.
(10)
Automobiles --- Four units are engaged in the production of motor parts. The
main terms of production are the propeller shaft sleeve yoke, propeller shaft
teeth rear, stub ball half yoke shaft end, armatures, commutators, musical
horns, etc. The main raw material include super-enamelled wire, iron, steel,
cast iron, etc. In 1979-80, these units produced goods worth 2.39 lakhs and
gave employment to 13 workers.
(11)
Dhoop-Making—This is also an old industry of the District. In
1979-80, 7 units were engaged in the production of dhoop and agarbati. The main
raw materials required are sandal dhoop wood, oils, ghee and scents. Apart from
meeting the local demand, the products are sent to other parts of country. In
1979-80, the industry employed 41 persons and produced goods worth 8 lakhs of
rupees.
(12) Optical
Goods --- The industry was started in the District in 1950. In 1979-80, at
Firozpur there were 3 units, engaged in the production of frames, lenses,
eye-testing boxes, lense-cutting machines, etc. The main raw material required
for the industry are rough blanks, sheets of cellulose nitrate, acetate, emery,
etc. In 1979-80, the industry produced goods worth 2.82 lakhs of rupees and
gave employment to 16 workers.
(13)
Radios and Radio Parts --- Two units are engaged in the assembling of
radios and transistors in the District.
In 1979-80, the industry produced goods worth 2.50 lakhs of rupees and employed
6 workers.
(14)
Sodium silicate --- The sodium silicate industry came into being in the District in
1958. two units are engaged in the production of this chemical. The main raw
materials required are soda ash, sodium nitrate, steam-coal and silical sand.
During 1979-80, the industry produced goods worth 1.69 lakhs of rupees and
employed 6 workers.
(15) Soap—This
is an important small-scale industry of the District. As many as 27 units are
engaged in the production of washing-soap. Though mostly located at Firozpur,
Abohar and a few other places, the units are scattered all over the District. The main raw
materials required are edible oils, silicate, mutton tallow, etc. During 1979-80, the industry produced goods
worth 40.85 lakhs of rupees and employed 114 workers.
(16) Steel Furniture—In 1979-80, there were
4 units engaged in the production of steel furniture, such as steel almirahs,
chairs and tables. These units gave employment to 16 persons during that period
and produced worth 2.90 lakhs of rupees.
(17) Brick
Tiles --- Twenty -nine units were
engaged in the production of brick tiles during 1979-80 and gave
employment to 1,101 persons and manufactured brick tiles worth 87 lakhs of
rupees.
(18) Garment --- Only 2 units were
engaged in the District during 1979-80
in this industry, which gave employment to 6 persons and produced goods worth
Rs. 95,000.
(19) Spices --- During 1979-80, 2 units
remained engaged in the District. This industry gave employment to 9 persons
and prepared spices worth 3.65 lakhs of rupees.
(20) Cement
Jails—There were 9 units engaged in the manufacture of cement jails in the
District during 1979-80. These jails are fixed in the buildings for
ventilation. This industry gave employment to 25 workers and manufactured
cement jails worth 3.35 lakhs of rupees.
(21) Wooden Furniture --- Thirty-five units
were engaged in manufacturing wooden furniture in the District during 1979-80
and gave employment to 102 persons and manufactured wooden furniture worth 8.35
lakhs of rupees.
(22) Cold Stores and Ice Factories --- There
were 11 cold store-cum-ice factories in the District during 1979-80. These
units produced ice worth 6.25 and employed 87 persons.
(23) Motor Dynamos ---In 1979-80, there were
6 units engaged in production of motor dynamos in the District. These units
produced goods worth 7.90 lakhs of rupees and employed 40 persons.
(24) Sheet Metal --- In 1979-80, there were
115 units engaged in the manufacture of traunks, petis, buckets, etc. in the
District. These units employed 342
persons and produced goods worth of 44.96 lakhs of rupees.
(25) Flour-Mills ---There were 59
flour-mills engaged in the grinding wheat. These units also grind pulses. These
units gave employment to 201 persons and produced goods worth 62.02 lakhs of
rupees.
(26) Candle-Making --- In 1979-80, there
were 50 units engaged in candle-making. These units also grind pulses. These
units prepared candles worth 8.10 lakhs of rupees and employed 106 persons.
(27)
Dyes --- The only unit engaged in the manufacturing of dyes in the
District is located at Firozpur and it produced dyes worth Rs. 27,000 and
employed 4 persons.
(28) Plastic Goods --- During 1979-80, 3
units were engaged in the manufacturing of plastic goods, such as toys in the
District. These units employed 12
persons and produced goods worth Rs. 60,000.
(29) Bone
Fertilizer --- There is one unit engaged in the production fertilizer from bones in the District. It
employed 25 persons and produced goods worth 5.55 lakhs of rupees during 1979-80.
(30)
Sela-Plant Manufacturing --- There were, during 1979-80, 5 units
engaged in the manufacturing of the sela plants in the District. It
manufactures machinery for rice, dal and flour-mills. During 1979-80, it
employed 38 persons and produced goods worth 45 lakhs of rupees.
(31) Cardboard Industry --- Only one unit is engaged in the production of
straw cardboards in the District. The unit was set up in the Firozpur City in
1963. During 1979-80, the industry produced goods worth 1.83 lakhs of rupees and employed 9 workers. The amount
invested in the industry was about 7 lakhs of rupees.
(32) Enamelware --- These small-scale units are engaged in the
enamelling of hollowwares. One of these
units was established at Firozpur in 1940 under the supervision of a trained
and qualified enamel expert from Japan. The main raw materials used are iron
sheets, steam-coal and chemicals (soda ash, feldspar and flour-spar), titanium
dioxide, etc. In 1979-80, the industry produced goods worth 18.65 lakhs of rupees
and gave employment to 130 persons.