DISTRICT PROFILE INTRODUCTION  is one of the thirty-eight administrative districts of . Prior to the census of in 1971, Munger was spelt as Monghyr.  Before 1832, Munger formed a part of district.  Since its inception, Munger has seen five districts carved off from its territory- in 1954, Madhepura in 1981, in 1972, in 1981, in 1991, and districts of and in 1994.  Munger district is bounded by river in the north and districts of Bhagalpur, Banka and Jamui. Beyond river Ganges in the north lie the districts of Lakhisarai, Begusarai and Khagaria. The important rivers flowing through Munger district are Ganga, Mohane, Harohar and Kiul.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

 Munger has a rich and glorious past. It has been the ancient seat of power. The territories included within the district of Munger formed part of the Madhya-Desa of the first Aryan settlers.  Munger district was a part of Mahajanapada with Mudgagiri as its capital. It is believed that the name Munger is derived from Mudgagiri.  The first historical account of Munger appears in the records of Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsiang who visited this place. Hiuen Tsiang found the climate to be agreeable, land to be fertile and rich in agricultural produce and the inhabitants to be simple and honest.  Tradition ascribes the foundation of Munger to Chandragupta, after whom it was called Guptagars, a name which has been found inscribed on a rock at Kastaharni at the north-west corner of . Munger also finds mentioned in the copper plate of Devapala discovered at Munger in 1780, in the Nawlagarh inscriptions of Begusarai and in the Bhagalpur plate of Narayan Pala.  Munger came under the Khiljis, Tughlaqs, of , Gaurs, Sher Shah and Mughals. Munger came into prominence in 1762 when Kasim Ali Khan, the of Bengal shifted his capital from to Munger. He re-organized the army and established an arsenal at Munger for the manufacture of fire-arms. Since then Munger has carried on the tradition of gun manufacturing.  Under the British, Munger was spelled as Monghyr, and it ceased to be an important frontier post. However, because of its salubrious air, Munger was used as a sanatorium and invalid station for the British troops.  Village Supaur Jamua situated on the Bank of river Mohane was a centre of protest during India's freedom struggle and many high level political leaders visited this village during 1920s-30s.

ADMINISTRATIVE

 Munger town is the district headquarters of Munger district. Munger is a twin town comprising of Munger and Jamalpur.  Munger district comprises of 3 sub-divisions, namely Munger Sadar, Kharagpur and Tarapur , and 9 blocks.

o Munger Sadar o Tetia Bambar

o Bariarpur o Tarapur

o Jamalpur o

o Dharahara o Sangrampur

o Kharagpur

 Total no. of Gram Panchayats in Munger district: 101.  Total no. of villages in Munger district: 866.

ECONOMIC PROFILE

 Munger district has since ancient times been famous for its mineral waters and hot water springs.  Guns were manufactured at Munger since more than 200 years ago. Perhaps, Munger is the only place in India where gun manufacturing took the shape of a cottage industry.  Munger has one of the oldest railway manufacturing unit and ITC Tobacco Factory.

Per Capita Gross State and District Domestic Product

25000 21019 18562 20000 15926 16993 13404 13660 11311 11815 15000 9832 10237 10000 5000 0 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

Per Capita Gross District Domestic Product Per Capita Gross State Domestic Product

Source: Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Govt. of Bihar

GEOGRAPHIC

Coordinates Latitude: 25º45' to 25º 15’ North Longitude: 85º45’ to 86º 45’ East Temperature 45° C (Max.) 3.5° C (Min.) Average rainfall 1146 mm

Area 1419.7 sq. km

Height above sea level 52 meters

DEMOGRAPHIC

Population 1383495

Population density 960 per sq. km

Population growth 19.45%

Sex ratio 879 per 1000 male

Literacy rate 60.11%

Languages spoken &

INDUSTRIAL

Registered industrial units 1732

Registered medium & large units 02

No. of industrial areas 03

Types of industries Agro based, wood & wooden based furniture, mineral based, metal based, electrical machinery , repairing & servicing, ready made garments based, chemical/ chemical based etc.

Source: MSME – DI , official website of district

INVESTMENT

 Munger is pre-dominantly an agricultural district.  The secondary and tertiary sector is not so developed in the district. M/s Indian Tobacco Company and M/s Eastern Railway Coach Factory have been instrumental in the prosperity of the district.  Munger is internationally famous for its centre.

Investment (Rs. Lakh)

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Source: MSME – DI Patna

INDUSTRIAL PROFILE

 There are three industrial areas in Munger district, namely at Munger, Jamalpur and Sitakund.  The main industries of this district are:  Locomotive repair workshop: Jamalpur workshop of the enjoys the distinction of being the largest and the oldest locomotive repair workshop with the most diversified manufacturing activities.  Gun manufacturing industry: Munger is perhaps the only city in India where gun manufacturing has taken the shape of a popular cottage industry.  Cigarette factory: The present ITC factory, which is popularly known as the “Chatkal” or Cigarette factory, is one of the biggest tobacco factories of India built over 17.38 acres of land. The factory is situated at Basdeopur, 1.5 miles from Munger station.

INDUSTRIES AT A GLANCE

Registered industrial units 1732

Total industrial units 4034

Registered medium & large units 02

Estimated avg. no. of daily workers employed in 04 small scale industries Employment in large and NA medium industries No. of industrial areas 03

 Major exportable product is tobacco.  There is growing trend in agro-based, wooden based, metal based, readymade garments, and repairing and serving based enterprises.  Munger district has a good scope for service industries like tourism and travel, restaurant, mobile repairing, computer application and hardware, beauty culture and skin care, etc.  The district has good scope for MSMEs like readymade garments, rice mill, agro products, mechanical workshop, metal fabrication, packaged drinking water, bakery & Namkeen, etc.

MAJOR INDUSTRIAL AREA

Particular Munger Jamalpur Sitakund

Land acquired (in hectare) 7.8 24 18 Land developed (in hectare) 7.8 24 18 No. of allotted plots 70 44 10 No. of units in production 44 nil nil

Source: MSME – DI Patna EXISTING MICRO & SMALL ENTERPRISES AND ARTISAN UNITS

Type of industry No. of Units Investment (Rs. Lakh) Agro based 215 138.85 Woolen, silk & artificial thread based clothes 1 0.5 Jute & jute based 2 0.85 Readymade garments & embroidery 150 35.67 Wood/wooden based furniture 132 35.35 Paper & paper products 38 12.3 Leather based 94 6.86 Chemical/chemical based 130 58.51 Rubber, plastic & petro based 2 1.02 Mineral based 75 60.45 Metal based (Steel Fab.) 170 89.76 Engineering units 74 30.05 Electrical machinery and transport equipment 60 64.15 Repairing & servicing 538 312.16 Others 51 52.2 Total 1732 898.68

Source: MSME – DI Patna

INFRASTRUCTURE

 There are three industrial areas.  Total no. of hospitals and health centers: 211.  Total no. of commercial banks and financial institutions: 76  No. of primary schools – 1069  No. of middle schools – 170  No. of secondary and senior secondary schools– 74  No. of colleges – 07

JAMALPUR LOCOMOTIVE WORKSHOP, EASTERN RALWAYS

 Established on the 8th February, 1862.  Largest and oldest locomotive repair workshop of the Indian Railways, with the most diversified manufacturing activities.  First to manufacture steam locomotive and locomotive boiler. 216 steam locomotives and locomotive boilers manufactured between 1899 and 1923.  The first rolling mill was set up at this workshop in 1870. This was the first not only for the Indian railways but probably the first of its kind in India.  First to manufacture rail crane in India in 1961 with indigenous know-how.  Only railway workshop in India to manufacture electrical arc furnaces in 1961

GUN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

 Munger was selected for setting up of a gun manufacturing factory because of its geo-strategic location. Munger town is strategically surrounded by river Ganga on the north, west and south and by Kharagpur hills in the east, hence it was considered impenetrable and secure.  Previously, cannons were made at Topkhana Bazar but subsequently guns such as ML guns and capped gun too began to be made. Gun manufacturing received fresh impetus during the reign of Mir Kasim Ali, the Nawab of Bengal who fought one of the last battles before the captured the eastern India.  With the enactment of the Arms Act, 1879, guns could only be manufactured under license. . Mr. Lee, the Collector of Munger had appreciated the craftsmanship of the gunsmiths of Munger. Reportedly, good quality guns were priced at Rs. 10 only despite the iindigence of workmen.  During the First World War, gun manufacturing at Munger gained prominence and production of gun cartridges was begun at Munger.  Munger is perhaps the only city in India where gun manufacturing has taken the shape of a cottage industry and is a popular profession.

ITC LIMITED – CIGARETTE FACTORY

 The present ITC factory, popularly known as “Chatkal” or cigarette factory and spread across 17.38 acres of land, is one of the biggest tobacco factories of India.  The cigarette factory was started in Munger by the Peninsular Tobacco Company, on 6th November, 1907. Munger was chosen presumably because of its proximity to a suitable tobacco cultivating area and also due to the availability of transport facilities by rail, road and river.  In 1910, the Imperial Tobacco Company of India Limited came into existence as a private company for selling and distribution of cigarette.  ITC , Munger provides direct employment to around 1800 workmen. The factory is operated on world-class benchmarks in terms of quality, health and safety , and provides a gamut of welfare and medical-care services to its employees.

POTENTIAL INDUSTRY

Service Industry Micro & Small Enterprise Existing Major Clusters

• Tourism and Travel •Readymade garments • Munger gun cluster • Dhaba, Restaurant •Ricemill, • Mobile repairing •Agro products • Computer application and •Mechanical workshop hardware •Metal fabrication • Beauty culture and skin •Packaged drinking water care •Bakery, Namkeen

IDENTIFIED CLUSTERS

•Principal products manufactured in the cluster- Coconut handicraft. •No. of functional units in the cluster - 25 Coconut handicraft cluster, •Turnover of the cluster - Rs. 75 lakh Lal Darwaja, Munger •Employment in cluster - 125 •Average investment in plant & machinery - Rs. 0.15 lakh

•Principal products manufactured in the cluster – Jute bag. Jute handicraft cluster, •No. of functional units in the cluster – 25 •Turnover of the cluster – Rs. 30 lakh Lal Darwaja, Munger •Employment in cluster – 80 •Average investment in plant & machinery – Rs. 0.50 lakh

•Principal products manufactured in the cluster - Mushroom production cluster, Mushroom products Asarganj, Munger •No. of functional units in the cluster – 25 •Employment in cluster – 100

Source: MSME – DI Patna

STEPS TO SETUP MSMEs

S. No. Type of assistance Name and address of agencies 1. Provisional Registration Certificate District Industries Centre, Munger (EM-1) & Permanent Registration Certificate ( EM-II) 2. Identification of Project Profiles, MSME Development Institute, Patliputra techno-economic and managerial Industrial Area consultancy services, market DIC – Munger survey and economic survey

reports. Khadi Village and Industries Commission, Patna 3. Land and Industrial shed BIADA – Patna 4. Financial Assistance All commercial Bank 5. For raw materials under Govt. National Small Industries Corporation, Supply Kankarbagh, Patna

6. Plant and machinery under hire/ National Small Industries Corporation, purchase basis. Kankarbagh, Patna 7. Power/ Electricity Assistant Engineer, Bihar State Electricity Board of Concerned Area 8. Technical Know–how. Director, MSME-DI, Patliputra Industrial Area, Patna-13

General manager, Munger

Khadi Village and Industries Commission, Patna. 9. Quality & Standard Bureau of Indian Standard, Patliputra Industrial area, Patna 10. Marketing /Export Assistance Director, MSME-DI, Patliputra Industrial Area, Patna Branch Manager, National Small Industry Corporation Ltd. Kankarbagh, Patna

Source: MSME – DI Patna

TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

•The district is •Munger is linked •Nearest airport at linked with railways with Bhagalpur. Patna . Airport Road Railway with Patna •Begusarai and •Nearest Railway Patna through Station: Munger roadways. • NH 80 and NH 333 passes through Munger district

EDUCATION

 There are many schools and colleges in Munger district.  was established in 1964 as the headquarters of International Yoga Fellowship. It is the foremost learning centre in the world for Yoga and imparts yogic training to householders and Sanyasins alike. Bihar Yoga Bharti is the only Yoga university in the world established in 1994, it offers scholars, scientist, doctors and Yoga aspirants from all over the world a golden opportunity to work together to formulate a scientific basis for the growth, expansion and rapid integration of Yoga into modern society.  Madarsa Rahmania is an internationally renowned institution where spiritualism is taught and practiced. It is the largest Islamic school of Bihar.  Some educational institutes are:  Zila School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.  R.D.& D.J. College, J.M.S. College, J.R.S. College, B.R.M. College, R.D.S.Y. College.  Vishwanath Singh Institute of Legal studies.

HERITAGE & TOURISM

 Practically surrounded by river Ganga and Kharagpur hills, Munger town has a beautiful townscape. Ensconced in the beautiful and salubrious lap of nature, Bihar School of Yoga situated at Ganga Darshan Ashram is internationally acclaimed and frequented by people from all over the globe.  Kastaharni Ghat: Literally meaning “The bathing place which expels all pains”, it is one of the many bathing on river Ganga and religiously auspicious too as Ganga meanders and flows northwards here as Uttarvahini Ganga. It is believed that on his return journey from to Ayodhya after marrying , Lord Rama and his consort took a dip in this water to relieve themselves of fatigue.  Sita Kund: It is a perennial spring of hot water. There is a , a reservoir of cold water known as Ramkund, and three more ponds called after the three brothers of Ram, namely Lakshman Kund, Bharat Kund, and Satrughan Kund.  Munger Fort: Spread over an area of around 222 acres, it was occupied by the Khiljis, Tughlaqs, Lodis, Nawabs of Bengal, Mughals and British.  Pir Shah Nafah Shrine: In Munger fort area, the oldest building inside the fort is a sacred Muhammdan shrine built on an elevated piece of ground near the southern gate. It is said that it was a tomb of Persian Sufi saint Pir Shah Nufah, who was sent to Munger by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of in 1177. Prince Danyal, the then Governor of Bihar built a vault over the shrine of Shah Nafah in 1497. The Dargah attracts not only the but also the of the town.  Chandika Asthan: Very close to river Ganges, it is one of the sixty-four Shakti Peeths in India . Being a Siddhpeeth, it is considered to be one of the most sacred and sanctified temples, as important as Kamakshya temple near Gauwahati. The architecture of the temple gives the view of an inverted cauldron and very close to it on the eastern side in the cremation site. A huge crowd of devotees throng to it specially during Navratra.  Jai Prakash Udayan: This beautiful garden and picnic-spot is also known as Company Garden, because it was made during the British rule when they came here as East India Company. HERITAGE & TOURISM

 Srikrishna Vatika: Named after the First Chief Minister of the Bihar, Dr. Srikrishna Sinha, it is a very beautiful enclosed garden just opposite to Kashtaharni Ghat. It is one of the most interesting as well as adventurous place in Munger.  Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary: Opened in 1976 and spread over an area of 682 sq. km, it consists of a hot water spring and is home to species of Sambhar, Chital, Nilgai, wild boar, tiger and panther. Bhimbandh and Kharagpur lakes are picnic spots having one stream of hot water and another of cold water coming from the mountains nearby and merging before falling into the river Ganga.  Manpathar (Sita Charan): It is a rock in the bed of river about two miles away from the fort. The rock contains the impression of two feet, which is supposed to be the feet of Sita when she touched the rock while crossing river Ganges.  Ucheswar Nath: In Kharagpur area, there is a very important temple of Lord which is famous as Ucheswar Nath . It is also important for Santhals and a public fair is held here, where Santhal boys and girls marry, according to their tribal custom.  Goenka Sivalaya ( Machchli Talab): The Shiv temple is built in the midst of a big water tank, which is full of big and beautiful fishes. A rock-solid bridge of white marble joins it with the main campus. Around the temple is a very beautifully maintained garden with flowers and greeneries.  Kharagpur Lake: Kharagpur is perhaps best known for a large reservoir constructed by Maharaja of . It is formed by a dam built, two miles west of Kharagpur across the main river, which at this point debauches through a narrow gorge in the hills.  Malnipahar: It is a hill in the Kharagpur about seven miles north-east of Bhimbandh.

Industries Department 2nd Floor, Vikas Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna, Bihar 800 015

Udyog Mitra, Dept. of Industries Govt. of Bihar Ground Floor, Indira Bhawan, RCS Path, Patna, Bihar 800 001. Tel : +91 612 2532695 Fax : +91 612 2532695 Email: [email protected] www.udyogmitrabihar.com