OTHER DEPARTMENTS

DIRECTORATE OF INDUSTRIES

Organisation.-Prior to reorganisation of States, Buldhana district was a constituent of the ex-Madhya Pradesh State and the problem of the administration of industries and their development was under the control of the Director of Industries, Madhya Pradesh, Nagpur, and no district level officer was functioning in the district.

Soon after the reorganisation of States the office of the District Officer for Cottage Industries and Industrial Co-operatives was established in 1956. The said officer was responsible for the promotion and development of cottage and small scale industries in the district. He worked under the administrative control of the Assistant Director of Cottage Industries and Assistant Registrar for Industrial Co-operatives, Akola.

During the year 1960, the Department of Cottage Industries was abolished and the activities under cottage industries sector were transferred to the Zilla Parishad and a part of the activities was entrusted to the Directorate of Industries, Maharashtra State and the activities under industrial co-operatives were transferred to the Co-operation Department. Later, the post of Senior Industries Inspector (Metric Units), Khamgaon was also created in the district to co-ordinate the activities of the Directorate of Industries and those of the weights and measures organisation for the introduction of the metric system of weights and measures in the district.

Subsequently on 15th October, 1962 these two Inspectors at Buldhana and Khamgaon were placed under the administrative control of the Industries Officer, with headquarters at Buldhana. This measure was followed by further delegation of powers of the Industries Commissioner to the Collector, the object being to ensure smooth and efficient working of the Directorate and to use the office of the Collector for solving the problems of industries on the spot.

Functions.-The functions of the Directorate of Industries are two-fold in nature, viz., (1) regulatory and (2) statutory. The work of the Directorate of Industries, is mainly confined to the development and progress of cottage, small scale and large scale industries.

Functions of the Directorate in respect of the promotion of large scale industries are restricted to processing of applications for industrial licences and offering recommendations to the Government of India under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951, and developing areas for the location of large scale industries, providing them with necessary amenities, such as, power, water, transport, etc., and facilities for industrial research and export promotion.

The Directorate plays a major role in the development of small scale industries. It assists the entrepreneurs by way of,,(i) securing land, water and power: (ii) organising co-operative industrial estates; (iii) giving financial aid; (iv) providing assistance for importing machinery, spares, raw materials; (v) providing assistance in obtaining machinery on hire-purchase-basis; (vi) making available indigenous raw materials; (vii) arranging for the marketing of products through central stores purchase organisation meant for buying requirements of State Government; (viii) undertaking quality marking of products of small scale industries; (ix) thriving for export promotion; (x) providing research facilities through industrial research laboratories and grants; (xi) imparting training to craftsmen; and (xii) organising resource based small and cottage industries through Government sponsored industrial cooperatives with a view to stimulating industrialization in underdeveloped areas.

In respect of cottage and village industries and handicrafts, the Directorate gives technical guidance to the institutions under the Zilla Parishad upon whom devolves the responsibility for the development of these industries.

Though the metric system of weights and measures has been introduced in the district about a decade back, much work is yet to be completed in that behalf. As a part of the enforcement programme, introduction of metric measures in timber trade was being made compulsory in addition to other fields as well. The revenue collection on account of verification of weights and measures, etc., during the two yearly programme in the district was as under: -

Under the Bombay Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1958, 28 prosecutions were launched against the defaulters during 1968-69 in the district.

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