Agro Based Industry: Project Opportunities in Uttar Pradesh

PROFILE:

Agro-based industry would mean any activity involved in cultivation, under controlled conditions of agricultural and horticultural crops, including floriculture and cultivation of vegetables and post-harvest operation on all fruits and vegetables. The development of agro-industries has assumed crucial importance in the economic planning and progress of the country. The agro industry is regarded as an extended arm of agriculture. The development of the agro industry can help stabilise and make agriculture more lucrative and create employment opportunities both at the production and marketing stages. The broad-based development of the agro-products industry will improve both the social and physical infrastructure of India.

RESOURCES:

Uttar Pradesh is a very fertile region and a major contributor to the national food grain stock. Partly this is due to the fertile regions of the Indo-Gangetic plain, and partly owing to irrigation measures such as the Ganga Canal. Lakhimpur Kheri is the largest sugar producing district in the country. It is also home to 78% of national livestock population. Uttar Pradesh is among the largest producers of agricultural commodities in the country. It produces 34 per cent of the total groundnut, 17.5 per cent of rapeseed, 8 per cent of fruits and 14 per cent of vegetables. It has the largest livestock in the country and its milk production is the highest in the country. It is the largest producer of sugarcane and ranks second in the manufacture of sugar. Uttar Pradesh, with its prosperity in the agricultural sector enabled the growth of allied industry like warehousing, cold storages and flourmills. At 2,659, food product manufacturing sector has the highest number of factories (19.5 per cent of the total) in the state.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES:

In India, agricultural trade policy is a part of a larger food and agriculture policy regime that seeks to maintain food self-sufficiency while providing income support to the agricultural sector and poor consumers. The Government of India (GOI) uses a variety of policy instruments in attempting to achieve these goals, including:

·         Domestic subsidies to inputs, outputs, transportation, storage, and consumption to reduce producer costs and consumer prices.

·         Border measures such as subsidies, tariffs, quotas, and non-tariff measures to protect domestic producers from import competition, manage domestic price levels, and guarantee domestic supply.

The National Policy on Agriculture seeks to actualise the vast untapped growth potential of Indian agriculture, strengthen rural infrastructure to support faster agricultural development, promote value addition, accelerate the growth of agro business, create employment in rural areas, secure a fair standard of living for the farmers and agricultural workers and their families, discourage migration to urban areas and face the challenges arising out of economic liberalization and globalisation. Over the next two decades, it aims to attain:

·         A growth rate in excess of 4 per cent per annum in the agriculture sector;

·         Growth that is based on efficient use of resources and conserves our soil, water and bio-diversity;

·         Growth with equity, i.e., growth which is widespread across regions and farmers;

·         Growth that is demand driven and caters to domestic markets and maximises benefits from exports of agricultural products in the face of the challenges arising from economic liberalization and globalisation;

·         Growth that is sustainable technologically, environmentally and economically.

The policy seeks to promote technically sound, economically viable, environmentally non-degrading, and socially acceptable use of country’s natural resources - land, water and genetic endowment to promote sustainable development of agriculture.

Live Stock: Project Opportunities in Uttar Pradesh

PROFILE:

Livestock sector plays a critical role in the welfare of India's rural population. Indian livestock industry represents major foods of animal origin: milk, eggs, chicken, goat meat and fish.  Beef and pork industries have a limited share in the market, as most Indians do not eat beef and pork. As far as feed is concerned poultry, cattle and aqua feeds have been developed in an organised way. The production regions of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and coastal areas are rich in the production of animal feed due to high crop cultivation and industrial setups that give animal feed as the by product. Enormous growth opportunities and scope exist in the Indian livestock industry; all that is required is a right approach in an appropriate direction. No doubt, if the industry is tapped appropriately it can help India become a leader in milk and meat production in the years to come.

RESOURCES:

Uttar Pradesh supports about 15% of the country's total livestock population. Of its livestock in 1961, 15% were cattle, 21% buffaloes, 13% goats and 8% other livestock. Between 1951 and 1956 there was an overall increase of 14% in the livestock population. There are nearly eight lakh hectares of water area, including lakes, tanks, rivers, canals and streams. The fishing area is over two lakh hectares and more than 175 varieties of fish. Among them are rohu, hilsa, mahseer, mangar, snow trout and mirror carp. Uttar Pradesh milk co-operatives are contributing immensely to the Indian dairy industry, the highest milk producer in the world. The impact of Uttar Pradesh milk co-operatives can be ascertained from their role in the private and co-operative systems. With the launch of innovative technologies Uttar Pradesh is now being able to enhance their milk production acutely. The merging of the rural and the urban contribution to the dairy production in Uttar Pradesh forms the Uttar Pradesh milk co-operative union.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES:

The livestock sector has great but untapped potential to contribute to poverty alleviation and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

·         Agricultural growth can be highly effective in reducing poverty as the largest share of the world’s poor live in rural areas.

·         Livestock provide food and income to the majority of the 1.2 billion people living on less than $1 per day.

·         Demand for livestock products is growing fast in developing countries, faster than demand for staple crops, and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

·          This demand growth can provide significant opportunities for many rural and peri-urban poor to increase returns from their livestock resources.

Textile Industry: Project Opportunities in Uttar Pradesh

PROFILE:

The Indian textile industry is one of the largest industries in the world. The textile industry in India is the largest provider of employment after agriculture. This industry is one of the earliest industries of India to come into being; it is presently the second biggest industry in the world after China. Over the years, this industry has proved to be the provider of the basic requirements of the people. The industry holds a vital place in the Indian economy as it makes a contribution of 14 % to the industrial production of the country and at the same time sums up 4% of the total GDP of India. Along with contributing to the Indian economic scenario in terms of employment, involvement in the industrial production, foreign revenues the textile industry of India also contributes to the global textile economy. It contributes to the global textile fiber and yarn production. The handlooms sector is the second largest employer in India providing employment to about 65 lakh persons. The sector represents the continuity of the age- old Indian heritage of hand weaving and reflects the socio cultural tradition of the weaving communities.

RESOURCES:

Total sales in textiles sector accounted for 12.3 per cent of the sales by industries in the state in 2003.Textile sector is one of the important traditional industries in the state. Uttar Pradesh has 58 spinning mills and a total of 74 textile mills in the non-SSI 12 sector. The state is known for its carpets & brassware products. Carpet weaving is one of the important crafts in Uttar Pradesh. UP produces about 90 per cent of the country’s carpets in and around Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Khamaria. These carpets are popular export items today. Hand woven carpets, brassware and leather products from the traditional export items from the state. Uttar Pradesh produces about 15 % of the total fabric of this country. handloom sector in Uttar Pradesh has near about 5.6 %  share of total weaving units in India, it employees 6.4 %  of the total number  Of workers and 6.6 % of the total numbers of weavers in this country. whereas each state in India is popular for one or two products, Uttar Pradesh is the only state which has a distinction of being able to offer the complete range of handloom products, viz– home furnishing, floor coverings, bed covers, bed sheets, dress material, towels, table linen and a vast range of woven and printed sarees made of cotton and silk and many more items. The element of art and craft present in Uttar Pradesh makes it a potential sector for upper segments of the market both in India as well as globally.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES:

The Ministry of Textiles in India has formulated numerous policies and schemes for the development of the textile industry in India. The government of India has been following a policy of promoting and encouraging the handloom sector through a number of programmes. Most of the schematic interventions of the government of India in the ninth and tenth plan period have been through the state agencies and co-operative societies in the handloom industries. Some of the major acts relating to textile industry include: Central Silk Board Act, 1948, The Textiles Committee Act, 1963, The Handlooms Act, 1985, Cotton Control Order, 1986, The Textile Undertakings Act, 1995Government of India is earnestly trying to provide all the relevant facilities for the textile industry to utilize its full potential and achieve the target. The textile industry is presently experiencing an average annual growth rate of 9-10% and is expected to grow at a rate of 16% in value, which will eventually reach the target of US $ 115 billion by 2012. The clothing and apparel sector are expected to grow at a rate of 21 %t in value terms.

Tourism: Project Opportunities in Uttar Pradesh

PROFILE:

India’s tourism industry is experiencing a strong period of growth, driven by the burgeoning Indian middle class, growth in high spending foreign tourists, and coordinated government campaigns to promote ‘Incredible India’. Tourism in India is the largest service industry, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India. In 2010, 25.8 million foreign tourists visited India. India is expected to increase to 9.4% annual growth rate till 2018. Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra received the big share of these visitors. Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency to formulate national policies and programmes for the development and promotion of tourism. Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous state with a population of over 190 million people. It is divided into 70 districts with Lucknow as its capital. Uttar Pradesh is bounded by Nepal on the North, Himachal Pradesh on the northwest, Madhya Pradesh on the south, Haryana on the west, Rajasthan on the southwest, and Bihar on the east.

RESOURCES:

Uttar Pradesh is the historical heart land of India, where each part of the state is attached with ancient history, civilization, religions and culture. Uttar Pradesh is situated in the northern part of India, border with the capital of India New Delhi. Uttar Pradesh is the most popular tourist destination in India. Uttar Pradesh is important with its wealth of historical monuments and religious fervour. Geographically, Uttar Pradesh is very diverse, with Himalayan foothills in the extreme north and the Gangetic Plain in the centre. It is also home of India's most visited site, the Taj Mahal, and Hinduism's holiest city, Varanasi. The most populous state of the Indian Union also has a rich cultural heritage. Kathak one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh is at the heart of India, so popular with another name The Heartland of India. Cuisines of Uttar Pradesh like Awadhi cuisine, Mughlai cuisine, Kumauni cuisine are very famous in entire India and abroad. Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous state with a population of over 190 million people. It is divided into 70 districts with Lucknow as its capital. Uttar Pradesh is bounded by Nepal on the North, Himachal Pradesh on the northwest, Madhya Pradesh on the south, Haryana on the west, Rajasthan on the southwest, and Bihar on the east.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES:

The Government of India and a number of other states have declared tourism as an industry. Gujarat State which is at the forefront of the industrial development will also declare tourism as an industry. the Government of India announced a New Tourism Policy to give boost to the tourism sector. The policy is built around the 7-S Mantra of Swaagat (welcome), Soochanaa (information), Suvidhaa (facilitation), Surakshaa (security), Sahyog (cooperation), Sanrachnaa (infrastructure) and Safaai (cleanliness). Some of the salient features of the Tourism Policy are:

·         The policy proposes the inclusion of tourism in the concurrent list of the Constitution to enable both the central and state governments to participate in the development of the sector.

·         No approval required for foreign equity of up to 51 per cent in tourism projects. NRI investment up to 100% allowed.

·         Automatic approval for Technology agreements in the hotel industry, subject to the fulfilment of certain specified parameters.

·         Concession rates on customs duty of 25% for goods that are required for initial setting up, or for substantial expansion of hotels.

·         50% of profits derived by hotels, travel agents and tour operators in foreign exchange are exempt from income tax. The remaining profits are also exempt if reinvested in a tourism related project.

Waste management: Project Opportunities in Uttar Pradesh

PROFILE:

Waste utilization, recycling and reuse plays a major role in limiting resource consumption and the environmental impact of waste. Recycling is an integral part of any waste management system as it represents a key utilization alternative to reuse and energy recovery (Waste-to-Energy). Which option is ultimately chosen depends on the quality, purity and the market situation. Hazardous waste management is a new concept for most of the Asian countries including India. The lack of technical and financial resources and the regulatory control for the management of hazardous wastes in the past had led to the unscientific disposal of hazardous wastes in India, which posed serious risks to human, animal and plant life.

RESOURCES:

The city of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh produces around 1500 tons of solid waste every day. The municipal workers collect around 1100 tons every day. The municipal solid waste (MSW) is disposed of haphazardly in open dumps. With growing pressure on land due to increasing population it is increasingly difficult for Lucknow Nagar Nigam (LNN) to locate new disposal sites. In order to overcome this difficulty the LNN has entered into a contract with a company to process MSW generated in the city and to generate power and organic manure from it.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES:

Government of Uttar Pradesh proposes development of Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management Project (IMSWMP) For Agra, Uttar Pradesh. UP Awas Bandhu is the nodal agency for the project. The Project has been conceptualized as an Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management Project comprising of the following facilities:

·         Collection of waste from individual households and its segregation into Bio-degradable and Non-biodegradable wastes.

·         Construction, Operation & Maintenance of MSW Transfer stations including Secondary transportation of waste from the transfer stations to the Treatment and Disposal facilities.

·         Development, Operation & Maintenance of Processing Facility with compost plant and any other suitable plant such as RDF, etc.

·         Development, Operation & Maintenance of Sanitary Landfill Facility including Closure of the Existing Dumpsite.

·         Setting up STPs as required beyond those proposed in JNNURM

·         O&M of all existing STPs and those to be setup by PPP development and also under JNNURM as required.

·         Any other activity needed as part of Integrated Solid Waste Management Project.