Heavy rainfall in Thoothukudi causes severe damage to salt stock worth ₹100 crore
- December 29, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
No Comments
Heavy rainfall in Thoothukudi causes severe damage to salt stock worth ₹100 crore
Subject: Geography
Section: Eco geography
Context:
- Nearly 6 lakh tonnes of salt ₹100 crore worth has been washed away in the coastal district of Thoothukudi due to the unprecedent rainfall witnessed on December 17 and 18. The salt were ready to be despatched to various clients in India and abroad.
Salt Industry in India:
- India is the third largest Salt producing Country in the World after China and USA with Global annual production being about 230 million tonnes.
- When India attained Independence in 1947, salt was being imported from the United Kingdom & Adens to meet its domestic requirement.
The main sources of salt in India are:
- Sea brine
- Lake brine
- Sub-soil brine and
- Rock salt deposits
MAJOR SALT PRODUCING CENTERS:
- Sea water is an inexhaustible source of salt.
- The major salt producing centres are Marine Salt works along the coast of Gujarat (Jamnagar, Mithapur,Jhakhar, Chira, Bhavnagar, Rajula, Dahej, Gandhidham, Kandla, Maliya, Lavanpur), Tamil Nadu (Tuticorin, Vedaranyam, Covelong), Andhra Pradesh (Chinnaganjam, Iskapalli, Krishnapatnam, Kakinada & Naupada), Maharashtra (Bhandup, Bhayandar, Palghar), Orissa (Ganjam, Sumadi) and West Bengal (Contai).
- Inland Salt Works in Rajasthan using lake brine and sub-soil brine viz. Sambhar Lake, Nawa, Rajas, Kuchhaman, Sujangarh and Phalodi Rock Salt Deposits at Mandi in the State of Himachal Pradesh.
Top 5 Largest Salt Production States of India:
- Major salt producing states of India are Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIAS ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT OF SALT INDUSTRY:
- Salt is a Central subject in the Constitution of India and appears as item No.58 of the Union List of the 7th Schedule, which reads:
- Manufacture, Supply and Distribution of Salt by Union Agencies; and
- Regulation and control of manufacture, supply and distribution of salt by other agencies.
- Central Government is responsible for controlling all aspects of the Salt Industry. Salt Commissioners Organisation, an attached Office under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion), Government of India, is entrusted with the above task.
- Government of India has delicensed Salt Industry in 1996-97.