Economic Activities in Almora
Economic Activities in Almora
Economic Activities in Almora
Economic Activities in Almora : Almora district is located in the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand state in India. With its headquarters at Almora town, the district spans over 3,130 sq km and had a population of 6,22,506 as per 2011 census. Almora district is largely a hilly region dotted with valleys and forests. The economy of the district is predominantly rural and agrarian in nature. However, in recent decades the economy has diversified with growth seen in sectors like tourism, handicrafts and industries.
Agriculture and Allied Activities
Agriculture forms the backbone of Almora’s economy, providing direct employment to over 56% of the working population as per 2011 census data. However, the total cultivable land is only 12% of the total geographical area, illustrating the limitations posed by hilly terrain and forests. The major crops grown are paddy, wheat, mandua, jhangora and potato among others. The average landholding size is small, making cultivation unviable and unprofitable. Lack of irrigation facilities is another constraint, with only 18% of the net sown area being irrigated.
Animal husbandry is an integral part of the rural economy in Almora. Cattle, buffaloes, goats and sheep are reared. However, the productivity per animal is quite low. Efforts are being made to introduce high yielding breeds to boost productivity and incomes.
Industries
Almora district has seen very limited industrial development. Small scale industries include food processing units, flour mills, resin and turpentine factories based on pine trees, wood craft and furniture making units. Handicraft items made from metal, wood and wool are also produced. Two industrial areas have been developed by the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand (SIDCUL) at Sitarganj and Kashipur. To promote industries, the state government has introduced several incentives like capital investment subsidy, transport subsidy and interest subsidy.
Tourism
Tourism is an emerging sector with immense potential for growth in Almora district. The cool and pleasant climate, scenic locales and places of religious importance attract a large number of domestic and international tourists throughout the year. Some of the popular tourist spots are Kasar Devi temple, Jageshwar temple complex, Binsar wildlife sanctuary, Katarmal Sun temple, Chitai temple, and Gobind Vallabh Pant museum among others.
The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board has introduced schemes to develop tourism infrastructure through public-private partnerships. Homestays, paying guest accommodations, food outlets and adventure sports equipment rental facilities have come up to cater to tourists. Helicopter services have been started to boost religious tourism to remote temples. Wellness tourism focused on yoga, meditation and Ayurveda is being promoted.
Handicrafts
Almora is renowned for its exquisite handicrafts, which provide subsidiary employment and income to rural households. The important handicraft items include metalware items made from copper/bronze, artistic wood carvings, woolen shawls, carpets and rugs. Handmade paper products and decorative candles are also produced. Lack of design innovation, competition from machine made goods, inadequate institutional support and marketing linkages are some of the challenges facing the handicrafts sector. The state government has tied up with design institutes like NIFT and NID to facilitate new product designs and boost demand.
Economic Activities in Almora : Trade and Commerce
Economic Activities in Almora : Trade and business activities are concentrated in Almora town which serves as a distribution center for the surrounding rural hinterland. Retail shops selling groceries, garments, electronics, automobiles and other consumer goods abound. Primary wholesale mandis for agricultural commodities are located at Almora, Dwarahat and Takula. Weekly village markets called ‘haats’ facilitate exchange of goods and produce in rural areas.
Thus, Almora district has a predominantly rural agrarian economy which is being gradually diversified into non-farm sectors like tourism, handicrafts and industries. Better infrastructure, marketing support and access to formal credit are needed to accelerate the pace of economic development.
