Natural Resources of Rajasthan J

June 21, 1952 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY Natural Resources of Rajasthan J. M. Joshi This is the third of a series of articles dealing with different aspects of the economy of Rajasthan. The earlier articles in the series, Rajasthan—State Finances and Co-operative Banking in Rajasthan were published in the issues of May 17 and May 31.—Ed. HEN the late Sardar Patel With its area of about 1,30,000 sources of power are either absent W inaugurated the State of sq. miles, Rajasthan is the second or undeveloped. The Jawai Pro Rajasthan on the memorable 30th biggest State in India. But the ject has been completed but unfor day of March, 1949, the curtain topography of the land does not tunately the hydro-electric part of was rung down on a long act in in any way indicate potential pros the project has been held in abey some of the oldest and most glori perity. The Aravalli range inter ance for the present. The Chambal ous of Indian States, and an inte sects the State into two unequal Project has not been included in grated State, pulsating with new parts, about three-fifths of the the Five Year Plan to the great life, came into being. This date State lies to the north-west of this disappointment of Rajasthanis. The marked a turning point in the his range and about two-fifths to the Bhakra Project will benefit the tory of Rajasthan. It marked the south-cast. The north-western por sandy tracts of northern Rajasthan end of medieval, although bene tion, comprising the divisions of only after a long time. In fact, volent, despotism in the princely Bikaner and Jodhpur and the Sikar the great hydro-electric projects of States of Rajasthan and the begin and Jhunjhunu districts of Jaipur Rajasthan are still to materialise. ning of the era of modern demo division, is more or less sandy with They will require vast amounts of cracy. Thus politically speaking— very scanty rainfall and low agri money far beyond the capacity of and to a great extent economically cultural production. Rains increase Rajasthan Government's finances. also—Rajasthan is about 200 years as we move south-eastward and behind Europe where the Enlight from this point of view the south In animal resources, however, ened Despots had their hey-day in eastern Rajasthan is a favoured the State can hold its own against the 18th century. Shree Balwant tract, it may be said shortly that any State in India. The quality of Singh Merita, former Minister for from Bikaner division and Jaisal- cattle and live-stock in northern Industries and Commerce, Rajas mer district in the north-west to and western Rajasthan is famous than, in one of his speeches said: the district of Banswara in the all over India. Nor is their quan " Colonel Tod discovered Rajasthan south, and Kotah and Jhalawar tity negligible. But in the eastern historically, the great Sardar poli districts in the south-east, there is and southern parts of the State, tically and it is now for you (the a very gradually increasing rain the cattle have no speciality of their people of Rajasthan) to discover fall from about 6 to 40 inches, the own and are imported from the this largest State in India econo annual average increasing rapidly neighbouring States. mically.'' Rajasthan has always after the Aravallis have been cross been the symbol of bravery, hero ed. Southern Rajasthan compris The principal natural gifts of ism and patriotism. But glorifica ing the division of Udaipur is hilly Rajasthan, however, consist in its tion of the past is a poor substitute and full of forests, but the eastern vast developed and undeveloped for future progress. Rajasthan region comprising the divisions of minerals, metals and building mate scarcely figured in the economic Jaipur and Kotah is more diversi rials. Among metallic minerals are history of India. In the popular fied, having large rivers, e.g., the found lead, zinc, silver, copper, mind, economically speaking, it has Chambal, the Banas, the Banganga, iron, cadmium, tungsten, wolfram, always been associated with burn etc., and large tracts of excellent manganese, titanium, columbium, ing deserts and small hills, scanty soil. The greater part of Rajas tantalum, beryllium, etc., while the rains and famines. Rajasthan has than, however, is either sandy or industrial and non-metallic minerals traditionally been backward, poli hilly, and thus the unproductive include glass-sand, soap-stone or tically as well as economically. To character of land is the outstanding talc, sodium sulphate, gypsum, salt a great extent it is true that the feature of the Rajasthan economy. petre, mica, emerald, fullers' earth, economic problems of Rajasthan The extremes of climate and the barytes, calcite, limestones, clays, require more attention at the hands fickle and untimely, and sometimes feldspar, quartz, and others found of its Government and people complete absence of, rainfall render scattered all over Rajasthan. An alike, than most other problems. the economy even more precarious. inferior quality of lignite coal The newly-born State has still to occurs at Palana near Bikaner. develop its economic potentialities. The natural resources of Rajas Moreover, Rajasthan is famous for than should be reckoned with a its quality and quantity of building Economic conditions of a coun good deal of caution. Broadly stones, marbles, red and yellow try represent the relationship be speaking, they are either poor or ochres and quartzites, sand-stones tween its men and nature. In the undeveloped. For example, forests and other forms of building mate last resort, the inhabitants have to cover only about 10 per cent of rial which have given us the histo come to terms with nature, and the total area and are mostly situ ric Taj Mahal, the famous Dilwara the limitations imposed by the phy ated " in the eastern half of the Jain Temples at Mount Abu,, the sical features and natural resources State. They are not only scanty Jumma Masjid and many other of a country determine the pattern in point of area but are poor in beautiful structures, monuments and tempo of its economic deve quality. In fact, Rajasthan suffers and edifices. With such rich mine lopment. In Rajasthan, these from an acute kind of floral rals and with 1,500 mines and factors count for much in moulding poverty, there Being no large timber quarries spread all over Raiasthan, the economy of the State. forests in the State. Similarly, the the State easily comes next to 628 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY June 21, 1952 Bihar and Madhya. Pradesh in this 70 per cent of the total population. southern Rajasthan like the Cham- respect. In point of variety Rajas- But agriculture is in a very back bal, the Banas, the Banganga and than stands first, and it may be ward state. According to official others are useless for irrigation, for called a veritable museum of differ estimates the total area of the their banks are too low to allow ent kinds of minerals and stones. State is classified thus; an economical utilisation of river About 15 years ago Dr A. M. water in the adjacent fields. The Heron, the then Director of Geo smaller rivers and their tributary logical Survey of India, observed: nalas are more useful in this res " Rajputana is not rich in mineral pect. In western Rajasthan, the wealth, either actual or poten Luni benefits its adjacent fields tial. Most of the economic when its banks over-flow. When minerals are of no importance, being rains fail, there is no water in merely unsuccessful prospects or the rivers, wells and tanks dry up and sites of extinct activity." Perhaps the whole tract succumbs to the the opinion may have to be revis , blight of drought. The grand ed in view of the fact that during Jawai Project, which has recently war-time, and also during post-war been completed, will irrigate only years, many new minerals have 49,000 acres. The problem of been discovered in Rajasthan, and These figures, though not very water, both for drinking and irri in some cases new uses of old reliable perhaps, tell something gation purposes, is one of the most minerals have been found out, about the agricultural potentialities. acute problems of Rajasthan. e.g., those relating to the produc The cultivated area, which has Water is worth gold here. In order tion of atomic energy. Some of been shown as 30.9 per cent of the to step up food production it is the very important and rare mine total, seems to have been inflated, better if the Government concen rals like beryl and tungsten are and cannot be in any case more trates on small irrigation works found in Rajasthan. Emerald than 20 to 25 per cent of the land. like wells, bunds and tanks, in pre' mines of Udaipur have no parallel A vast tract (25.8 per cent of the ferencc to more ambitious schemes in India. Rajasthan supplies large total area) is cultivable waste which take a long time to com deposits of gypsum to the Fertiliser which calls for agricultural rehabi plete. Of course, for the all-out Factory at Sindri. The statement litation. In the whole of the desert agro-industrial development of below shows the percentage pro area, except the bit served by the Rajasthan, these big schemes will duction of minerals in Rajasthan Gang Canal, agriculture is very have to be implemented. as compared with India. uncertain, depending upon rainfall which is precarious, and more often The climatic conditions, rainfall The mineral wealth of Rajasthan than not, untimely.

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