ECONOMIC PROSPECTS

CONDITIONING FACTORS OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.

Cheap and abundant power supply, transport facilities and avail- ability of financial resources are the basic conditions required tor expansion of industry and trade. In this respect Ratnagiri district is not provided advantageously. The district has four power houses, and the electricity they generate is not sufficient to satisfy the needs of even the towns where they are located. Moreover, charges per unit of consumption for both domestic and industrial purposes are very high. The situation as regards electricity will be eased when power, in large quantities, will be made available for industrial and other uses in this area after the completion of the Koyna Project which will help development of industries and trade. The programme of rural electrification as proposed in the third phase of the Koyna Scheme has considerable potentialities for the development of small industries like carpentry, blacksmithy, coir, etc.

A vital factor in the development of industries and expansion of trade is the availability of means of transport and communications. Ratnagiri district in this respect is not well placed. The general backwardness in the transport system is caused by the prevalent topographical conditions which discourage further development of transport. Out of the total road mileage of 1951, more than half is unmetalled. In the absence of railway communication, expansion of roads and improvement in the standards of existing roads are the basic needs for the expansion of trade and industry. Railway transport is a long felt need of the district. None of its parts is served by railway communication. The Diva-Dasgaon railway even when completed will not touch even the border of this district. When the railway line will be extended and will traverse the district it will accelerate the pace of industrialisation in this area, especially the area around Chiplun which offers locational advantages. The Diva-Dasgaon railway line may only help, if at all, indirectly to expand cashew-nut and mango trade.

Besides these, what the expansion of trade and industry requires is the shipping facilities and development of ports. There are 15 ports in the district and cargo steamers call at Dabhol, Harnai, Deogad, Jayagad, Malvan, Ratnagiri, Vijayadurg and Vengurla ports only. Most of them are without wharfing and landing facilities and are silted. They admit vessels with a maximum capacity of 200 tons only. Coastal trade will be expanded if ports are developed and wharfing and landing facilities are made available.

TOP