INDUSTRIES

INTRODUCTION

IN THE FIRST DECADE OF THE PRESENT CENTURY, Sangli district was very backward in the industrial field. A few crafts, such as, preparation of gold and silver ornaments, copper and brass smithy, preparation of iron tools, carpentry, pottery and blanket weaving were existent. Moreover, these crafts were concentrated near the cities like Sangli and Miraj.

The history of industrialisation of the district dates back to 1910, when the Kirloskar Brothers factory was established at Kundal Road which later came to he known as Kirloskarwadi. This proved a landmark and a turning point in the history of the industrialisation of the district. Since then, the pace of industrialisation was rapid. The Administration Report of Sangli State records, in all, 15 industries in the State in the year 1915, which included ginning and pressing, oil and engineering industries. Varied types of industries, large and small as well as cottage industries, have come up, scattered all over the district, which contributed to the overall prosperity of the district.

According to the Area Survey Report prepared by the Economic Investigation Section of Small Scale Industries Service Institute, Government of India, Sangli district is rich in sugarcane, groundnut and tobacco. Among the minerals, lime-stone is the principal resource available in the district. Though iron ore and bauxite are also reported to be available, their volume and quality need further investigation. The district has a nucleus of few light engineering and sugar industries: the vivid examples of which are Kirloskarwadi Engineering Works and co-operative sugar factory at Sangli. The textile mills established near Sangli also speak about the early industrial adventures and entrepreneurship of the district. The liberal policy of the princely states in the Sangli district helped the initial industrialisation of the district.

In spite of this early break towards industrialisation, Sangli district lagged behind during the forties and fifties of the century but industrial activity is again increasing as a result of various industrial policies of the State. Co-operation has played no mean a part in the establishment of the resource based industry like sugar industry in the district.

Thus textile, engineering and sugar are the main industries of the district with a complement of various other industries such as, oil pressing, ginning, chemical industry, etc.

Among the new industries recommended for development are hand tools, pipe fittings, paints and varnishes, machine tools, geometry instruments, leather suit-cases, bags, purses and other leather articles.

The tempo of industrialisation of the district is further accelerated by the availability of electricity in abundance from the Koyna Hydro Electric Project at cheap rate. The growth of industries is further ensured with the establishment of the Sangli Industrial Estate Co-operative Society.

The following table shows the statistics of persons engaged in different kinds of industries in the district in 1961:—

TABLE No. 1

PERSONS ENGAGED IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES IN SANGLI DISTRICT 1961

TABLE No. 1—contd.

The chapter is divided into three sections. The first section deals with large and small industries registered under the Factories Act. Cottage and village industries are described in the second section. The third section gives an account of the trade union movement and labour organisation in the district.

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