The industry is the production of goods and services within an economy. Land, Labour, capital and entrepreneurship are considered as important input. The industrial potential of a state can be gauged by accounting the raw materials available, availability of power, human capital, capital investment, size of market and connectivity to the market, industrious spirit of the people and government policy.
Based on the above factors raw materials present can be transformed into finished goods and services. In my opinion, the following sectors hold the potential to be further developed in a great manner-
Hydroelectricity- Arunachal Pradesh has the potential to generate 60GW of hydroelectricity. At present, only 100MW has been developed and utilized.
Organic food- The agriculture in the state is naturally organic due to less or no chemical input. The scale and productivity of operation need to be enhanced so that organic food can be produced in surplus to market it.
Aromatic industry- The eastern Himalayas and adjoining hills have a suitable climate for the growth of aromatic plants. A CSIR Aroma mission has been established in NERIST university. The market size of aromatic compounds ranges to $1 billion.
Tourism- The state is endowed with breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, lush green forests, flora and fauna, rich heritage, colourful culture and ethnic diversity. The state is conducting several festivals such as Ziro music festival, Dambuk Orange festival and so on to promote tourism and travel in the region. One can do trekking, adventure sports, mountain climbing, bicycling, river rafting, angling, etc. Govt. is promoting homestays and other avenues to attract more tourists. Several spots in Arunachal Pradesh can also be promoted as a sight for film shooting.
Livestock rearing- Livestock rearing has been the part of the culture there. It can be made more scientific and can be done on large scale to make it remunerative.
Handloom- Weaving forms the part of cultural heritage in the state. Tribal folks are well versed with the art of handloom weaving. The unique availability of various types of silks, cotton, etc can make it more remunerative.
Business Process Outsourcing- English as a language is fluently spoken by the majority of youths. With high-speed internet, power and infrastructure, BPO services can be established to provide gainful employment to the youths.
Lumbering- Felling of trees is banned in the state after the 1996 judgement of the Supreme Court. A revision of this judgment can help the state to regain its lost revenue from this business.
Bamboo and cane related industry- Recent amendments made it possible for people to cultivate bamboo for commercial purposes. Bamboo and cane craft has a unique social significance. Usually elderly of a village are involved in these crafts and hence it has the potential to engage productivity of elders and realize market value for the products.
Coal and Petroleum- Arunachal Pradesh has coal and petroleum reserves which can be utilized for the development of industries.
The difficult terrain, hostile climate and insecurity during ancient times has helped to cultivate a spirit of risk-taking and entrepreneurship among the people. Women folks also actively participate in running the business. However, connectivity to market and low human capital can be a roadblock. Steps need to be taken by the Govt. to create a favourable ecosystem for the growth of the business by the people.
A question to the readers- tell me if I missed something in terms of the sector where industrial potential can be realized. Along with it what other steps govt. should take to develop industries in our state.
simplesum 