Geo-demographic Features : owrah District plays a vital role in the ...

Hemmed in between the river Hooghly on the East and the Rupnarayan onthe West, intersected by the Damodar, the district consists of a flat alluvial plain.The surface soil in the Western part of the district, served by the rivers Rupnarayanand Damodar is sandy loam whereas nearer to the Hooghly, hard clay loampredominates. Clay and Deep Loamy soil prevail in the North and lighter loams inthe South.All round industrial activities in the district with both heavy/medium and smallscale/cottage industries, have enriched the industrial economy and environment ofthe district.According to the Census 2001, the population of the district is 4274010. Thismeans an increase of 62.21% over 1971. Out of total population, 49.60% resides inrural areas while 50.30% in the urban area. The numerous mills in Howrah city andalongthe river banks and other industrial concerns attracted a large number oflabourers as well as professionals from Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and otherStates. Large number of agriculturists and labourers immigrate to seekemployment on farms, in the brick fields or in the railway works. Besides, there aremany farmer families from the bordering districts of Midnapore Hooghly andBankura.Almost all the parts of the district are well connected with motorable road,railway link and River ways. Added with this proximity to the City and Port Calcutta,Rail Link , resource of coal Iron & Steel within the short distance, Jute resources,availability of steel scrap, mostly Rly. Spares for use in foundry, re-rolling mills Steelforging shops are the causes for the concentration of large medium & small scaleindustries in Howrah. The Engineering units, generated four or five decades ago,once established international reputation generated in machine manufacture andother engineering skill is relegated to the background today and are unable tocompete with small scale units established elsewhere in India. But ‘excellence’contents with special reference to engineering skill still available are unique of itskind and if they could be supported by modern technology and equipments, thesituation could be brought to its original position. Taking into consideration of theskill points as are available in the district most of the Blocks in the district can beidentified as Growth Centres.Industrial Backdrops :District Howrah though smallest in area is remarkably known as "IndustriallyDeveloped" district in the State having a unique position in industrial economy. Forsome obvious reasons viz. (i) generalised way of planning towards setting up ofindustrial units, (ii) sharp inclination to adhere to the "NUCLUEUS" of commercialhubs for better infrastructure facilities (iii) inadequacy of investments in time