Abhinandan Granth (English Article)

Such units abound in industrially advanced centres. They have grown there because of the availability of several important facilities and services, such as availability of trained labour, expert advice and technical know-how, banking, markets, transport, telephone, easy rates of general insurance, etc. In order, therefore, to attract industries to rural areas special, compensatory facilities, not available to units in industrial cities, have to be given. A number of facilities are already being given by Government and Government-sponsored institutions to large, medium and small-scale industries, irres­pective of their location. Further, industrial estates are being provided in industrial cities also. Unless, therefore, preferential facilities are provided to industrial units started in rural areas, ordinarily entrepreneurs will not be induced to start indus­tries there. Such a policy of granting special facilities is being followed in the United Kingdom to attract industries to pockets of growing unemploy­ment. In India, the former princely States succeeded in attracting industries to their areas by granting them various kinds of facilities. Some States of the Indian Union have already offered certain con­cessions. The State of Maharashtra, therefore, needs formulate and make an early announcement of a definite policy in this behalf.

"Development Areas"

7. Our resources for bringing about the growth of industries by affording various facilities are limited. The development of industries pre-sup­poses adequate provision of communications and the same are not likely to be available all over the State to the extent required during the Third Five-Year Plan. It would, therefore, be advisable to select certain areas in various economically back­ward regions of the State and demarcate them as 'Development Areas' and make available various special facilities to industries started in them.

Co-operative Processing Industries

8. So far industries processing agricultural produce such as cotton, oilseeds, paddy, etc. are concerned, they should be developed in the co-­operative sector. The formation of co-operative processing societies not only enables the producers to earn a reasonable price for their produce but help formation of local corporate savings. Further, they help creation of industrial consciousness in the rural areas which in its turn prepares ground for other industrial activity. The formation and success­ful conduct of sugarcane processors’ co-operative societies has paved the way for further expansion of this movement.

It is a matter of gratification that, in view of limited resources available to the State, the Maha­rashtra Government led by Shri Y. B. Chavan has decided to give preference to programme of econo­mic development and economic overheads over programmes of social services. It has committed itself to the development of agro-industrial economy. On its effective implementation depends the pros­perity of Maharashtra.