INDIAN STATE : ORISSA

Sericulture

Sericulture is an agro-based industry. The process involves rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk, which is the yarn obtained out of cocoons spun by certain species of insects. The key activities of sericulture comprises of food-plant cultivation to feed the silkworms which spin silk cocoons and reeling the cocoons for unwinding the silk filament for value added benefits such as processing and weaving.

More than 40,000 Tassar rearers have organized 62 primary Tassar Rearers cooperative society. In order to preserve this traditional culture 15989 hectares of natural Assan & Arjun plantation and 6830 hectares of systematic Assan & Arjun block plantation of natural resources has been done.

To meet the basic seed requirement of the seed rearers 15 numbers of Pilot Project Centres have been setup in Tassar growing areas. Government of India has also setup 4 Basic seed Multiplication & Training Centres (BSMTC) for quality seed supply and one REC to transfer technologies from lab to land in order to popularize the industry.

Sericulture industry has following advantages

• High employment potential
  
• Provides vibrancy to village economics
  
• Low gestation, high returns
  
• Women friendly occupation
  
• Ideal programme for weaker sections of the society
  
• Eco-friendly activity
  
• Satisfy equity concerns

Key Strategies of Government to strengthen Sericulture industry are

• Self-employment opportunity to the tribal/BPL families.
  
• Plantation of trees like Assan & Arjun for utilization in silkworm rearing and production of Tassar Cocoons.
  
• Up-gradation of degraded forest land for Tassar culture
  
• Mulberry silkworm activity in in-door getting leaf from mulberry garden providing periodical income to the farmers all round the year.

Metal Sector

Orissa has become a preferred destination for foreign & domestic investors. The state is rich in mineral resources such as Iron ore-32.9%, Coal-24%, Bauxite-50%, Nickel-95%, and Chromite-98%. It has 36 projects for over 43 mtpa of steel (13 plants partly commissioned) that is more than US$30 bn investment. Under this sector four new aluminum projects with more than 4 mtpa capacity are under implementation (US$ 10 bn) and one Titanium project (US$ 0.25 bn). Major investors in the metal sector are POSCO, Tata Steel, Bhusan Gp, Jindal Gp, Essar Steel, Hindalco, Vedanta, Aditya Aluminum, L&T-Dubal etc.

Minerals and Metallurgical

Orissa is one of the richest mineral states in India, offering a tremendous resource base for industrialisation.75% of the landmass is covered with old mineral rocks, comprising 18.4% of India's mineral deposits. The largest sector of exports from Orissa comprises of minerals and metallurgical products which include iron ore, chrome ore, manganese ore and limonite amongst minerals and charge chrome, Aluminium and alumina, Ferro-manganese etc. among metallurgical products. These minerals toghether amount to Rs.6842 crore which is more than 84% of state's total export performance in 2005-06.

Engineering and allied industries

A well-developed mineral industry provides the required foundation for establishment of engineering and allied industries. Goods worth Rs.364 crores have been exported to overseas countries. The items such as aluminum conductors, cables, transformers, C.I Products, L.P.G cylinders, M.S plates, aluminium extrusions including some chemical and allied products like Refractories, cement, paper, tyres and tubes, pesticides, explosives, PVC pipes etc. were exported from Orissa to overseas markets.

Marine Products

Marine products has grown considerably in the recent past to reach the figure of Rs.373 crore during 2005-06.Orissa has a long coastline of 480 kms and Chilka Lake a vast expense of brackish water pisciculture.

Agro-based Industry

The varied agro-climatic condition of Orissa is ideal for the cultivation of diverse fruits, vegetables, plantation crops, spices, flowers and medicinal herbs. These are being cultivated on a rather limited scale at present, highlighting the prospects available for the development of horticulture and establishment of the agro-based industry. From this sector products like non-basmati rice, cashew nut, tomato puries, mango, guava, banana pulp/concentrate, spices, tamarind paste etc. are being exported from Orissa.The export from this sector was Rs.20 crore during 2005-06.