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District Industrial Potential Report of Coochbehar |
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The District of Coochbehar is one of the five district of Jalpaiguri
division with and irregular triangle shape with an area of 3387 sq.
km. which accounts for only 3.81% of State’s area of 88752 sq. km.
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The district occupies 15th position in the state in respect of its size.
The decennial growth rate is 14.15% against the state average
of 22.5% as per 2001 Census. The
density of population is 732 persons per sq. km. against the state
rate of 904 persons. The
literacy rate as per 2001 census is reported as 67.21%
>which is below the state average of 69.22%. As regards the
workforce the district constitute 30.42% main workers, 8.57% marginal
workers and the rest 61.01% non workers of the total population and
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The field of material resources is a vast one which includes agricultural
resources, forest resources, mineral resources and such others.
Coochbehar has strong agricultural base and agricultural based
industries have a significantly conspicuous presents in the industrial
arena. The major
agricultural produce are Aus paddy, Aman paddy, Wheat, Jute and
vegetables like cabbage, tomato, potato, chillies, peas and
cauliflower. Horticultural
produce of the district is also substantial with fruits like
pineapple, jackfruits, banana and
mango leading in the forefront.
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is a precious of an economy.It
is the most valuable component of infrastructure needed for setting up
an industrial unit. The infrastrucltural facilities comprise a very good network of railways
as well as roads connecting all the important blocks of the district.
>The district enjoys a good network in banking and telecom
facilities. The district has developed an industrial area at Nilkuthi, Chak Chaka with
an area of 131.0315 acres of land at a distance of 4 km. from the
district H.Q. There is
good scope for setting up of SSI units in the district based on
locally resources.As regards subsidies and incentives are concerned the district has been
categorized as group ‘C’ and is eligible to avail all sorts of
incentives which applies to category ‘C’.
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Coochbehar is predominantly an agrarian district.
Having 60% of surplus production in vegetable and food crops
the district has a considerable production of both winter and summer
vegetables. Setting up of cold storages is thus a necessity for the district.
There already exists 5 cold storages in the district but scope
exists for setting up of 3 or 4 more cold storages so that surplus
production of vegetables can be suitably stored and farmers are
equally benefited. Tomato, Chilly, Cabbages and Peas are grown
abundantly in the district. As such there is
ample scope for utilizing the surplus production for preparation of
tomato pickles, processing of vegetables through dehydration.
Hence one or more tomato concentrate and processing of vegetable units can be set up in the
district to cater the demands of the surrounding district.
A good quantity of pine apple is grown in Tufanganj and in new
coochbehar area, 95% of which is treated as marketable surplus.
This provides ample justification for setting up a few
pineapple processing and canning units which will solve the problem of
unemployment to a certain extent.
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The presence quality entrepreneurship armoured with pragmatism, boldness
and calculated risk taking capability moulds the framework within
which an economy can strengthen and solidify its industrial base.
So an economy needs pragmatic entrepreneurs to drive it
skillfully along the path of industrialization.
These steps includes organizing number of training programme
for the educated unemployed youth, industrial trade fair, since the
district is industrially backward, it is suggested to expand the
network of training facilities so as to reach the remotest corner of
the district. Though industrially backward it has undergone a tremendous growth in
industrial development in the last two and half years.
In fact the district has shown the highest growth amongst the
district of North Bengal in the industrial sector. During the survey, it was observed that SSI sector suffers form
lack of economies of the scale, unlike the large scale units.
Moreover, in the context of liberalization and growing domestic
and international competition this sector needs support through
promotion policies of credit and technology. The SSI units also feel
that while the financial institution a ready to extent credit
facilities specially working capital to big borrowers who can provide
collateral security, they are reluctant to consider application of SSI
unit.
Prospective Industries :-
1. Cold Storage
2. Ground & processed Spices
3. Agarbati Sticks
4. Pickles & Chutney
5. Synthetic Knitted Children Wear
6. Paper Cup & Saucer
7. Pineapple Processing
8. Flavoured Milk & Ghee
9. Tyre-Retreading
10. Dehydration of Vegetables.
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