T H E E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y January 9, 1960

A G r a m Panchayat Election in Orissa

G O P A L P U R , a ru ra l town of about 3,000 popula t ion , situated on the

road side two miles to the south of Ranpur garb, is the headquarters of Gopa lpur G r a m Panchayat. This panchayat is composed of 24 wards w i t h a populat ion of ahout 6,000. D i m i r i a . a village of about 200 people, to which the wr i t e r belongs, is included under the Gram Pancha­yat . W i t h i t two other ne ighbour ing villages, N i l a m o n i p u r and Nabagha-uapur, arc jo ined to make a ward of the Gram Panchayat. The num­ber of this ward is 24 and it con­tains 260 voters.

The candidates stood for the vac­ant seat. One was the o l d member of the Gram Panchayat who had been returned uncontested at the last elec­t ion . The other candidate belongs to Nabaghanapur and is closely re­lated to the old candidate as Sam-a d i : the former 's son has mar r i ed the latler 's daughter. Roth the can­didates belong to the Sudra caste w h i c h represents about 63 per cent of the total voters in the ward . The vo t ing popula t ion is analysed by caste in the Table below.

P O L L I N G S T A T I O N A N D P O L L I N G D i m i r i a w i t h 177 voters is the

biggest of the three villages which make up the constituency. Naba­ghanapur and N i l a m o n i p u r have 52 and 31 voters respectively. The p o l l ­i n g booth was placed in D i m i r i a . The vil lage shrine w h i c h lies in the centre of the v i l lage was taken over fo r the booth. The o l d candidate had a whi t e box and the new candida te a ye l low box. P o l l i n g t ime was between 1 p i p and 3 pm on the 19th August 1959.

The wr i t e r w o u l d l i k e to thank Professor A A i y a p p a n arid D r . F G B a i l e y . f o r the i r c r i t ic isms o f an earl ier d r a f t o f th i s a r t i n l e . .

The Presiding Officer and his as-sistants a r r ived punctua l ly and the voters—men and women—gathered in small numbers. As the c rowd was not very b ig there were no diffi­culties in po l l i ng . The women were made to fo rm a queue but the men were more casual, some s i t t ing on the near-by verandah and some standing round the table of the Pre­s iding Officer, almost b lock ing the passage to the po l l ing enclosure and ta lk ing noisily to one another. The women wi th their veils d rawn down completely covering I heir faces, stood in a l ine w a i t i n g for their t u r n . When their names were read out by the Presiding Officer they signalled their agreement by nodding their heads. Many women, in spite of thei r veils, were loo shy even to nod their head when their names were called. In these cases their relatives and the villagers helped the Presid­ing Officer to identify them.

At the end of the poll the boxes were opened in the presence of the candidates and the vi l lagers and the voles were counted. The o ld mem­ber who belongs to D i m i r i a got 141 votes and was declared elected. The other candidate got 90 voles. After a short l ime a procession marched along the streets of the villages w i t h drums beating. Mags Hying, and shouts of 'Jai ' in honour of the old member. The candidate who won the election marched w i t h I hem dressed in his best and garlanded.

FACTIONS IN THE V I L L A G E

This is not the whole story of the election. We have also to ask why the old member won and w h y a r i va l candidate was set up against h i m . Before these two points are analysed it is necessary to discuss vi l lage pol i t ics and the people of the cons­ti tuency in general and of D i m i r i a in par t icular , in order to understand the par t icu la r role of factions in the vi l lage. There are three factions in D i m i r i a . The potters are one and the Sudras bear ing Mahapatra sur­name another. The rest of the v i l ­lagers, w i t h the exception of a few who are neutral or not actively en­gaged in fact ion, make the t h i r d g roup . The Mahapat ra fact ion is the youngest, hav ing or ig inated a year ago ; the other two factions have been in existence since 1953.

The factions of the potters grew out of a dispute between them and the washermen. At the t ime of mar­riage in every clean caste house a potter's wheel is worshipped. A potter's wife , preferably an o l d wo­man, comes w i t h the wheel and in' stalls it in the house where the mar­riage is performed. Then seven women belonging to the house and agnalically-related groups throw flowers on i t and worship i t . There­after the poster's wife is given her share of presents in the fo rm of un-cooked food and the wheel is re turn­ed to her after the r i te is over. The potters are obl iged to do this in the house of washermen. Though the washermen are untouchable, the potters have nevertheless been per­f o r m i n g this r i te since bygone days.

In this vi l lage the women, espe­cia l ly young unmarr ied gir ls , per­fo rm a ri te known as Khudurkuni. This festival is observed on every Sunday in the month of Rhadrab i August-September) . The goddess Mangala is worshipped on this occa­sion and the m y t h u n d e r l y i n g the performance is a t r ad ing voyage which is said to have been under­taken by seven brothers to far off countries. The festival is performed at three places in D i m i r i a , one jo in t ­ly among the potters and washermen at one end of the village, the second by a section of the people in the midd le of the vi l lage, and the t h i r d one by the people at the other end of the vi l lage.

POTTERS AND WASHERMEN F A L L O U T

In 1953 some of the educated pot­ters refused to lake their wheel to the house of the washermen for wor­sh ipp ing at I he t ime of a mar r iage and d i d not allow washerwomen to worsh ip Mangula w i t h their women at the time of Khudurkuni. As the potters slopped g i v i n g their services which were sanctioned by t r ad i t i on , the washermen refused to wash the clothes of the potters. In r u r a l areas, the menstrual cloth of woman is g iven to washerwoman for clean­i n g . It is never washed at home. In fact a l l the fami l ies of potters are well-to-do. They have sufficient land to cultivate and also w o r k wholet ime at the i r caste occupation. But the washermen of th is v i l lage are

45

Nityananda Patnaik

January 9, 1960 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY

very poor, as the income f rom their caste occupation is not enough to support them and therefore they seek employment as agr icul tural labour­ers, herdmen and wage earners in D i m i r i a and i n neighbouring v i l ­lages. Therefore the washermen are more dependent economically on the villagers, especially on one f ami ly of great influence and wealth, one household of the Patnaik f ami ly of D i m i r i a .

The Patnaik f ami ly has been divided into several nuclear families each having its own house and own separate proper ly . The members of the Patnaik fami ly , though separat­ed, do not gel on well w i t h each other because of past quarrels over property and par t i t ion . A head­man of one of the Patnaik families, who is not on good terms w i t h an­other headman of this f ami ly and on whom the washermen arc compa­ra t ive ly more dependent economic­ally, sided w i t h the potters and ar­ranged for them an outside washer­man to do service in potter's fami­lies. This outside washerman has come f rom another village about 24 miles f rom D i m i r i a and has settled

' down in a neighbouring vi l lage. As the caste assembly of the washermen is not functioning p roper ly there is nobody to whom the washermen can complain about the encroachment of a new washerman into their terr i ­tory.

CHANGING ALIGNMENTS

Thus the new washerman conti-nued serving the potters for about

a year t i l l there arose a dispute re­la t ing to usufruct of a mango grove belonging to Mahapatra and Patnaik families of this vi l lage. The memb­ers of Mahapatra and Patnaik fami­lies are related to one another by agnatic k inship . But they have been l i v ing separately for a long t ime. In this case some of the Patnaik families t r ied to deprive the Maha­patra families of their share in the mango grove. They pleaded that as the villagers watch the trees they are ent i t led to get a share of the fruits and that the Mahapatra fami­lies have no r i g h t over the disputed proper ty . But the Mahapat ra f ami ­lies pleaded that they, along w i t h Patnaik families, watch the trees and no one else in the vil lage has ever watched the trees, nor has got any share at any l ime . The Patnaik families joined together and fought against the Mahapatra group. The potters d id not side w i t h any group and remained neutral . The head­man of the Patnaik f ami ly who ar­ranged the new washerman for the potters was angry w i t h the potters for their neutral i ty and instructed the washerman to discontinue ser­vice in potters' families, taking on himself the responsibili ty of pay ing h i m his salary from the village fund. Thus three groups were formed in the vi l lage: (1 ) the potters, (2) the Mahapatras, and ( 3 ) the Patnaik families, the washermen and the rest of the villagers. The o ld mem­ber of the Gram Panchayat is in­cluded in the Patnaik group.

The case concerning the mango grove grew complicated and finally was taken to court where the deci­sion was given in favour of the Pat­naik f a m i l y . To w i n the case a l l the court expenses were met from the village fund, as it was under the control of the o ld member. This made the potters and Mahapatras furious and, after the case, the Mahapatras and the potters j o i n e d together as one group, w h i l e the Patnaiks and washermen and the rest of the villagers remained as the other group. Therefore, at the t ime of election there were two factions in the village. In the election the Patnaik group chose the old mem­ber as their candidate and the pot­ters and the Mahapatras nominated a new man.

K I N S H I P A N D T H E N E W C A N D I D A T E An analysis of kinship ties w i l l

show why the potter group chose that part icular man to contest the (lection. This candidate is related to the old member. He is also close­ly related to many other families of D i m i r i a . He was o r ig ina l ly l i v i n g in the village, but due to want of room in his house as the number of members grew in his f a m i l y he shifted to Nabaghanapur. Diagram I shows the divis ion of the vi l lage into factions and the k inship ties of some of the families w i t h the contesting member.

The village of D i m i r i a has two rows of houses and the village street runn ing in between them. The

4 6

T H E E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y

numbered rectangular blocks repre­sent i n d i v i d u a l houses. The number given below each block is the num­ber of the house, and the number w i t h i n the block is the number of voters present in that pa r t i cu la r house. In the bot tom row there are 26 houses and the upper row 33 houses. The house number 60 where there are three voters is the house of the v i l l age choukidar who lives at the outski r t of the v i l lage . The rectangular block placed in the cen­tre of the street represents the bal lot box of the new candidate. The lines j o i n i n g the blocks of houses on both the rows to the ballot box shows the potters ' families and the Mahapatras who set the new man against the old member. The a r row-marked lines show the houses w i t h w h i c h the new candidate has k insh ip lies th rough blood and marr iage rela­t ionship . The lines marked w i t h arrows at both ends show the houses which favoured the new candidate for motives of self interest and as secret r ivals of the Patnaik g roup .

INFLUENCE OF BOND FRIENDSHIP The potters and the Mahapatras

were sure that the new candidate wou ld be supported by the voters indicated in D i a g r a m 1 . In add i t ion to these ties bond-fr iendship of va r i ­ous kinds (sahi, sangata, samadi and maitra) played an impor t an t role. Gadei, son of Paramananda B a r i k a of house number 23, who is on the side of Patnaik group , is related as sangata to Mahanta son of A n a n d a Swain of house number 40 w h o i s aggrieved hav ing been involved in a c i v i l case by the vil lagers. Gadei

sided w i t h the p a r t y to w h i c h h is sangata Mahan ' a belonged. A g a d h u son of Sonei B a r i k a of house num­ber 22, who is on the side of the vil lagers, is related as sangata to Surendra, the younger brother of the Mahapatra 's leader of house number 36 . He favoured the side w h i c h his sangata favoured.

House number 44 favoured the potters ' group as the members of the f a m i l y are cu l t iva t ing some land w h i c h is under the management of one of the members of the Maha-patra g roup . But in many cases bond f r iendship d i d not w o r k a t a l l . For example one of the leaders of the Patnaik group is related to the leader of the potters ' g roup . T h e i r wives are also related to each other as sangat. But the i r relat ionship d i d not close the gap that exists between the villagers and the potters, because after the Mahapatras supported the potters the leader of the Patna ik group, who is at enemity w i t h the leader of the Mahapat ra group, be­came enemy also to the leader of the potters. In many cases an enemy's f r iend also becomes an enemy.

T h i n k i n g that there were so many fami l ies related to the new candi­date and that there was every l ike­l ihood of get t ing the i r suppor t in the election, the leaders of the pot­ters and Mahapatras set h i m up as the i r candidate. Thus the new can­didate met his relatives p r iva te ly and besought the i r favour. The old-member par ty , being at f irst confi­dent of success, d i d not resort to these tactics. Later they took mea­sures to combat them. (Sec ' T a k i n g

an oath ' below.) The potters and the Mahapatras also helped h i m . They approached the i r bond-friends w i t h whom they are accustomed to exchange food on festive occasions and requested them to vote in fav­our of their candidate. Bond-friend-ship cuts across the factional d i v i ­sions and binds people belonging to different vi l lages regardless of caste and economic condi t ion . D i a g r a m ' 2 (be low) shows the bond-fr iendship ties that b ind people to each other. It also shows how complicated this system is. Yet this system is an impor t an t determinant o f behaviour. The analysis reveals that eleven male members and ten females of potter families have bond-fr iendship w i t h ninteen villagers, four memb­ers of Mahapatras , three of Patnaiks and one washerman f ami ly . Second­l y , leaving apart the potters, about th i r ty - four persons are interrelated w i t h each other th rough bond-fr iend­ship ties. Of this number fif teen belong to the villagers group, seven to the washerman group , six to the barber g roup , two to har i jans ( the vil lage watchman who is included in the villagers" g r o u p ) , three to the Mahapatra and one to the Patnaik group. Eleven persons are actually related by marr iage. One belongs to the Mahapatra group and the others to the v i l lagers ' group (leav­ing out the Patnaiks) .

T A K I N G A N O A T H

Seeing that the new candidate was inf luencing people th rough k i n ­ship ties and bond-fr iendship, the leaders of the Patnaik's group can­vassed f r o m door to door and asked

4 7

January 9 , I 9 6 0

T H E E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y January 9, 1960

and of the impor ts of hubs are not available. The annual replacement demand fo r hubs by the end .of I 9 6 0 is estimated by the T a r i f f Commis­s ion at 10 lakh pairs . This is in add i t ion to about 10½ lakh pairs that w i l l be needed fo r new bicycles manufactured in the country , i f the p roduc t ion target for 1900-61 is at tained.

A fair sized uni t w i t h a capacity to make 1½ lakh hubs annual ly, can be put up wi th an investment of near ly Its 3£ lakhs, of w h i c h machi­nery would account for about Rs 2 lakhs. The main items of machin­ery required to manufacture hubs are power presses, automatic lathes, ro l l ing machines, tool room lathes, l a p p i n g and screwing machines. I t wou ld also be necessary to have an electro-plating plant consisting of nickel p l a t ing , c h r o m i u m p la t ing and salt ba th furnace. W i t h the excep­t ion of the automotic lathes, the en­t i re equipment is available local ly . The main raw materials required are M S Sheets of deep d r a w i n g qua l i t y and h igh tensile M S Hods. The latter may have to be impor ted .

FREE W H E E L S AND BICYCLE CHAINS

We were ma in ly dependent on im­ports for free wheels and chains a few-years ago and even now i m p o r t a sizeable por t ion of our requirements. However, i t is re l i ab ly learnt that sible to manufacture chains and free wheels and chains has been licensed to large scale producers, details of w h i c h are not avai lable. These two items are general ly considered in official circles to be beyond the com­petence of the small scale units, to

w h i c h view we do not subscribe. The expert o p i n i o n is that it is pos­sible to manufacture chains and free wheels on small scale. It is, there­fore, suggested that the Develop­ment Commissioner, Smal l Scale Industries, should encourage some enterpr is ing par ty or parties to take up their manufacture on small scale.

The replacement demand for b i ­cycle chains by the end of I960 is estimated by the T a r i f f Commission at 23 lakhs and fo r free wheels at 14 lakhs. Besides, we shall need 12½ lakhs of free wheels and the same number of chains for new bicycles. Thus the total demand for chains and free wheels by the end of 1960 w o u l d be 35.50 lakhs and 26.50 lakhs Respectively.

W h i l e l icensing the manufacture of components considered beyond the competence of small scale units .

Government should take care that some capacity fo r these components is licensed to some independent units wh ich are not engaged in the p roduc t ion of complete bicycles in order that these components may be available to the smal l scale assemb­lers at competi t ive prices. Licens­ing the entire capacity of such com­ponents to large scale producers of bieyeles would put the small scale producer-assemblers at the mercy of the latter in the matter of regular supply and competi t ive rates.

STEEL BALLS Let us now move on to another

indus t ry , namely, forged steel balls w h i c h offers very good scope for the small scale producer. Forged steel balls are used as a g r i n d i n g media fo r cement and other pro­ducts of stone. They are also used by chemical indust ry . At present we are i m p o r t i n g our ent i re require­ment of forged steel balls.

To produce, 1,000 Ions of forced steel balls of 30.100 MM per an­num, an investment of nearly Ms 2.5 lakhs would be required in machinery alone. The ma in items of equipment art1 two pneumatic hammers w h i c h would cost nearly Rs 1.75 lakhs and the dies would cost another Its 40.000. The pneu­matic hammers and dies have to be impor ted . The essential raw mater ial is car l win steel bars wh ich have also to be impor t ed . The w o r k i n g capi­tal needed for the 1,000 tons capa­ci ty uni t would amount to near ly Its 4 lakhs. However, this need not deter even a small entrepreneur, for w o r k i n g capital can be obtained f rom the State Bank against impor t ­ed raw material . As an al ternative, a lower capacity unit may be put up. Power required for a uni t of the capacity mentioned above, is l i t t le over 100 K W and a buil t up area of factory shed may be about .10,000 sq ft.

AIR COMPRESSORS

A i r Compressors are another item which can be p rof i t ab ly made on small scale. They are used for spray pa in t ing and for w o r k i n g of pneu­matic tools. They are also needed in research establishments, industr ia l shops and textile mi l l s . The i r imports amounted in value to over Rs 2 crores in 1957, but declined to about Its 84 lakhs in the f o l l o w i n g year due to impor t restrictions. A large quant i ty of a i r compressors is also being impor t ed as par t of pa in t ing equipment and pneumatic tools.

5 1

A uni t w i t h the capacity to make 50-75 a i r compressors per month (depending upon the size) can be put up w i t h an investment of about Rs five lakhs. Machinery would account for nearly ha l f the invest­ment. The main items of equip­ment requi ted are lathes, m i l l i n g machines, d r i l l i n g machines, g r i n d ing machines, welding equipment and sheet metal work ing machines. The entire equipment is available locally wi th the exception of g r ind­ing machines.

The main raw materials arc M S Sheets, cast I r o n Castings, M S Angfts h igh tensile M S Rods, springs and steel balls. A l l the raw materials are local ly available w i th the exception of high tensile M S Hods which are required in very small quant i ty . The difficult part in the manufacture of a ir compressors is the designing for which an expe­rienced engineer w i l l have to be em-ployed by the intending producer.

The magni tude of the imports of a i r compressors, makes it clear that several small scale units w i l l be needed to meet the huge require­ments of the country .

TUNGSTEN CARBIDE TIPPED TOOLS

Tungsten Carbide Tipped Tools are used in min ing for making bores in rocks and for other q u a r r y i n g purposes. They are also used in the machine shops. Carbide t ipped tools are considered more lasting and useful than the o rd ina ry h igh speed tools, and are l ikely to re­place the o rd ina ry tools as our engi­neering industries are modernised.

Carbide t ipped tools wor th Rs 19 lakhs were imported in 1957 and tools wor th Rs 9 lakhs were impor t ed in the first 8 months of 1959. Resides the tools, we are also im­por t ing a huge quant i ty of t ips. Since the prices of impor ted carbide l ipped tools are h igh , many large consuming industries are mak ing their own tools by i m p o r t i n g tips. These industr ia l users would cease to make their own tools, if they could gel their requirements at rea­sonable prices f rom other producers.

There is thus scope for the rnanu iacture of both carbide t ipped tool; and t ips . As a beginning, two oi three small-scale entrepreneurs ma) be encouraged to take up the pro duct ion of Tungsten Carbide Tipped Tools w i th an investment of nearly Rs 4 lakhs each. The cost of equip­ment w i l l be over Rs 2 lakhs. The ma in items of equipment are m u l i n g

T H E E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y January 9, 1960

and of the impor ts of hubs are not available. The annual replacement demand for hubs by the end of 1960 is estimated by the T a r i f f Commis­sion at 10 lakh pairs . Th i s is in add i t ion to about 10½ lakh pairs that w i l l be needed for new bicycles manufactured in the country, if the p roduc t ion target for 1960-61 is at tained.

A fair sized unit w i t h a capacity to make 1½ lakh hubs annually, can be put up wi th an investment of near ly Rs 3½lakhs, of wh ich machi­nery would account for about Rs 2 lakhs. The main items of machin­ery required to manufacture hubs are power presses, automatic lathes, ro l l ing machines, tool room lathes, t upp ing and screwing machines. I t wou ld also be necessary to have an electro-plating plant consisting of nickel p la t ing , c h r o m i u m p la t ing and salt bath furnace. W i t h the excep­t ion of the automotic lathes, the en­t i re equipment is available locally. The ma in raw materials required are M S Sheets of deep d rawing qua l i ty and h igh tensile M S Rods. The latter may ha\e lo be impor ted .

FREE W H E E L S AND BICYCLE CHAINS

We were mainly dependent on im­ports for free wheels and chains a few years ago and even now i m p o r t a sizeable por t ion of our requirements. However. It is re l iably learnt that sible to manufacture chains and free wheels and chains has been licensed to large scale producers, details of wh ich are not avai lable . These two items are generally considered in official circles to be beyond the com­petence of the small scale units, to

w h i c h view we do not subscribe. The expert op in ion is that it is pos­sible to manufacture chains and free wheels on small scale. It is. there­fore, suggested that the Develop­ment Commissioner, Smal l Scale Industr ies, should encourage some enterpr is ing par ty or parties to take up the i r manufacture on small scale.

The replacement demand for b i ­cycle chains by the end of I 9 6 0 is estimated by the T a r i f f Commission at 23 lakhs and f o r free wheels at 14 lakhs. Besides, we shall need 12½ lakhs of free wheels and the same number of chains for new bicycles. Thus the total demand for chains and Sree wheels by the end of 1960 wou ld he 35.50 lakhs and 26.50 lakhs repectively.

W h i l e l icensing the manufacture of components considered beyond the competence of small scale units.

Government should take care that some capacity f o r these components is licensed to some independent units wh ich are not engaged in the product ion of complete bicycles in order that these components may be available to the small scale assemb­lers at competi t ive prices. Licens­ing the entire capacity of such com­ponents to large scab* producers of bicycles would put the small scale producer-assemblers at the mercy of tilt* latter in the matter of regular supply and compet i t ive rates.

STEEL, BALLS Lei us now move on to another

indus t ry , namely, forged steel balls w h i c h offers very good scope for the small scale producer. Forged steel balls are used as a g r i n d i n g media for cement and other pro­ducts of stone. They are also used by chemical indus t ry . At present we are impor t ing our ent ire require­ment of forged steel balls.

To produce, 1,000 Ions of forged steel balls of' 30-100 MM per an­num, an investment of nearly Rs 2.5 lakhs would be required in machinery alone. The main items of equipment are two pneumatic hammers which would cost nearly Ha 1.75 lakhs and the dies would cost another Rs 10,000, The pneu­matic hammers and dies have to be impor ted . The essential raw mater ia l is carbon steel bars w h i c h have also to be impor t ed . The w o r k i n g capi­tal needed for the 1,000 tons capa­city unit would amount to near ly Rs 4 lakhs. However, this need not deter even a small entrepreneur, for w o r k i n g capital can be obtained f rom the Stale Hank against impor t ­ed raw material . As an al ternative, a lower capacity unit may be put up. Power required for a unit of the capacity mentioned above, is l i t t le over 100 K W and a bui l t up area of factory shed may be about 10,000 sq ft .

AIR COMPRESSORS

A i r Compressors are another item w h i c h can be prof i t ab ly made on small scale. They an- used for spra) pa in t ing and for w o r k i n g of pneu­matic tools. They arc also needed in research establishments, industr ia l shops and textile mi l l s . The i r imports amounted in value to over Rs 2 crores in 1957, but declined to about Rs 84 lakhs in the f o l l o w i n g year due to impor t restrictions. A large quant i ty of a i r compressors is also being impor ted as par t of pa in t ing equipment and pneumatic tools.

51

A unit w i t h the capacity to make 50-75 a i r compressors per month (depending upon the size) can be put up w i t h an investment of about Rs five lakhs. Machinery wou ld account for nearly ha l f the invest meii t . The main items of equip­ment required are lathes, m i l l i n g machines, d r i l l i n g machines, g r i n d ing machines, welding equipment and sheet metal work ing machines. T i le entire equipment is available locally with the exception of g r ind­ing machines.

The main raw materials are M S Sheets, cast i r o n Castings. M S Augros. high tensile M S Rods, springs and steel balls. A l l the raw materials are local ly available w i t h the exception of h igh tensile M 5 Rods which an ' required in very small quant i ty . The difficult part in the manufacture of a ir compressor is the designing for which an expe­rienced engineer w i l l have to be em­ployed by the in tending producer.

The magnitude of the imports of a i r compressors, makes it clear that several small scale units w i l l be needed to meet the huge require­ments of the country .

TUNGSTEN CARBIDE TIPPED TOOLS

Tungsten Carbide T i p p e d Tools arc used in m i n i n g for making bores in rocks and for other q u a r r y i n g purposes. They are also used in the machine shops. Carbide l i pped tools are considered more lasting and useful than the o rd ina ry h igh speed tools, and are l ike ly to re­place the o rd ina ry tools as our engi­neering industries are modernised.

Carbide t ipped tools wor th Rs 10 lakhs were impor ted in 1957 and tools wor th Rs 9 lakhs were impor t ­ed in the first 8 months of 1959. Resides the tools, we are also i m ­por t ing a huge quant i ty of t ips . Since the prices of imported carbide l ipped tools are h igh , many large consuming industries are m a k i n g their own tools by i m p o r t i n g t ips. These indust r ia l users wou ld cease to make their own tools, if they could get. the i r requirements a l r e a ­sonable prices f rom other producers.

There is thus scope for the manu­facture of both carbide t ipped tools and l ips . As a beginning, two or three small-scale entrepreneurs may be encouraged to take up the pro­duct ion of Tungsten Carbide T i p p e d Tools w i t h an investment of nearly Rs 4 lakhs each. The cost of equip­ment w i l l be over Rs 2 lakhs. The main items of equipment are m i l l i n g

T H E E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y January 9, 1960

January 9, I960 T H E E C O N O M l C W E E K L Y

machines, .shaping machines, power-hack saw or metal cut t ing hand saw, g r i n d i n g machine, lapping machine and electric induct ion brazen fur­naces. W i t h the exception of the last i tem, al l the others are being manufactured locally.

The raw materials needed are carbide l ips and mi ld steel bars-Whi l e carbide t ips w i l l have to be imported t i l l some one is encouraged to make them w i t h i n the country, m i l d steel bars are available f rom i n d i g e n o u s sources .

MECHANICAL TOYS

Another item which offers excel­lent scope for the small industr ia l is t is the making of Japanese style mechanical toys. These toys are sp r ing winded and motor operated. There is a huge demand for them, in spite of their exhorbi tant price. The .spring winded toys wh ich sell between Rs 15 and Rs 25 are avail­able in the count ry of their o r ig in for less than Rs 5. The motor ope­rated toys, wh ich work w i t h battery, existing Rs 50 and above here, are available for one sixth the price outside. There is a g r o w i n g demand for such toys and the demand would vastly increase if they become avail­able at lower prices.

The West Bengal Government, i t was reported some t ime ago, was contemplating the establishment of a large scale uni t for the manufacture of mechanical toys. This is not an i tem which is suitable for produc­t ion in the publ ic sector. Consum­er goods which need frequent chan­ges and variety in design, should be left for the private sector, especially the small stair sector. Moreover, instead of bringing- one large scale un i t in one corner of the country , several small scale units should be established and spread over various parts.

It would not be possible fur any one to put rip an up-to-date small scale unit for the product ion of these mechanical toys without Japanese collaboration The two Japanese Delegat ion, ho visited this country last year. showed their willingness to help Ind i a in i ts efforts towards i n ­dustrial development. It should be possible for Government of Ind ia to help in b r i n g i n g about collaboration between Indian entrepreneurs desir­ing to take up the manufacture of toys w i t h the Japanese manufactur­ers, of these toys.

Eleven N e w Paper Mil ls

E L E V E N new schemes have been approved for the product ion of

paper by small units. The requisite licences have been granted and the foreign exchange required for these units has been computed at about Rs 22 lakhs.

The produc t ion capacity of the proposed units w i l l be about 21,200 tons of paper per annum.

Three of these units w i t h total capacity of 7,200 tons w i l l be set up

in Bombay State. Ut ta r Pradesh w i l l also have three new m i l l s w i t h a total capacity of 4,200 tons per annum. Punjab w i l l have two pro­ducing 2,700 tons per year whi l e the remaining three w i t h about 7,000 tons capacity w i l l be set up in West Bengal.

Product ion of paper is estimated to have reached 3 l akh tons in 1959 as against less than one l akh tons in 1948. By the end of Second Plan, product ion is expected to go upto 1.2 l akh tons.

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