Jalgaon

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
type = city
native_name = Jalgaon
state_name = Maharashtra
district = Jalgaon
locator_position = right
latd =21.0167 |latm = |lats =
longd=75.5667 |longm= |longs=
area_total =
area_magnitude = sq. km
altitude = 209
population_total = 368,579
population_as_of = 2001
population_density =
leader_title_1 =
leader_name_1 =
leader_title_2 =
leader_name_2 =
area_telephone = 00-91-257
vehicle_code_range = MH 19
footnotes =

Jalgaon (जळगाव) is a city in western India, to the north of the Maharashtra state in Jalgaon District, which itself is located on the northern Deccan Plateau. Located within the productive, irrigated agricultural region of Khandesh, Jalgaon is a municipal corporation. Formerly part of territory controlled by the Holkar family of Maratha rulers, Jalgaon became part of British India's Bombay Presidency in 1818 and part of independent India in 1947.Fact|date=April 2007 Jalgaon is also the hometown of the Smt. Pratibha Patil, President of India.

Modern Jalgaon now boasts of vast industrial areas, educational institutes and good hospitals. The city is well developed with good roads, shopping centres, and residential areas, and also has good communication and transport infrastructure. Jalgaon is near the world famous Ajanta Caves and is one of the key attraction places for tourists all around the World.Fact|date=April 2007

Jalgaon has a diverse climate. It is exceptionally hot and dry during summer with temperatures reaching as high as 47 degrees Celsius. Jalgaon receives about 700 mm rainfall during monsoons, which is followed by pleasant temperature in winter. Fact|date=April 2007

Geography

Jalgaon is located at coord|21.01|N|75.56|E| [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/16/Jalgaon.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Jalgaon] ] . It has an average elevation of 209 metres ( feet).

The city is served by several major rail lines with routes to Mumbai, Nagpur, Delhi and Surat. It lies on national highway 6 connecting it to Surat and Kolkata.

The Ajanta Caves are located about 64 km (about 40 mi) to the south of Jalgaon, and the Yaval Wildlife Sanctuary is about 32 km (about 20 mi) to the north.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census [GR|India] , Jalgaon had a population of 368,579. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Jalgaon has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 71%. In Jalgaon, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Business

Jalgaon district produces more than 16% of India's banana production and is one of the world's largest banana producing region. According Mahabanana, an association of banana growers of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra state has 72,000 hectare of land under banana plantation, of which about 66%, that is, 48,000 hectare is in Jalgaon district alone. Banana Export Facilitation Center is being set up at Raver in the district of Jalgaon. This center is expected to export about 20 containers per month after completion.

Jalgaon is also one of world's the largest pulse (beans/daals) milling centers. It has some of the nation's best jewellery makers and is a leading cotton producing region. It is a well developed, highly industrialised city and is growing at a blistering pace due to the presence of highly skilled workforce, great infrastructure, and transportation access being on the NH-6 between east and west India and also the railway Junction of Bhusaval.

From the year 2008-09, the state government has proposed to abolish Octroi Duty on the goods being transported through the city. Also Jalgaon airport would get support from the state government for the redevelopment for commercial operations.

Jalgaon is often known as the Banana Capital of India but has much more to offer. Upon entering Jalgaon city through the railway station, the first building that visitors see is the 17-floor Jalgaon Municipal Corporation. Adjoining this is the Golani complex with more than 500 shops and flats. Crossing Mahatma Gandhi road towards the tower visitors will find Phule market, well known as a retail market for clothing, cosmetics, and almost all consumable items. Further along is another one of Jalgaon's important markets known as Dana Bazaar, a wholesale market for food grains. Next to it, after crossing Subhash chowk, visitors enter the market of Jewellery (Saraf bazaar). Jalgoan is one of biggest Jewellery markets in Maharashtra and famous for its Gold quality and designs. Beside the Jewellery market, is the construction, Hardware and Paints market (Bohri gully). Fact|date=April 2007

Education

North Maharashtra University is located in Jalgaon and has a jurisdiction over the entire Khandesh area which includes Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar districts. There are many other schools and colleges in Jalgaon. There is also a large number of engineering colleges.

Industries

Jalgaon is a prominent industry center in pipe manufacturing, pulse milling, biofertilizer production and mattress manufacturing. Jalgaon is a significant collection and distribution center of agricultural goods and agriculture input industry (including biofertilizers). The leading products are jowar and raw cotton and banana; the region's rich volcanic soil is particularly well-suited to cotton production. Jalgaon is an important center for cotton-textile and vegetable-oil mills, particularly groundnut-oil and hydrogenation plants. Jalgaon is also well known for banana production. The city is also famous for its gold market which has reputation of being pure. The Jalgaon city surrounded by various well known and reputed industries like irrigation, pipe, forging, cloths. Jalgaon is nowadays becoming a well trading centre of Maharashtra and a leading producer of sugarcane. This year the sugar production has increased. The onion dehydration plant in Jalgaon has annual onion dehydration capacity of 10,000 tonnes, which is about 15 per cent of the total exports of dehydrated onions from India.

Milling Industry in Jalgaon

Pulse Milling in Jalgaon started in the late seventies with Salecha, Vinod and Adarsh groups setting up milling plants which subsequently grew into multiple plants employing hundreds of people and serving all of India and over 20 other countries. Until recently traders and processors in Jalgaon have been leading the country in the pulse trade and processing. NCDEX and other commodity exchanges quote prices on the basis of Jalgaon delivery.

Notable businesses

* Jain Irrigation Systems
* Wipro Ltd.
* Bosch (Formerly Kalyani Brakes)
* Marico (Sweekar & Saffola edible oil)
* Bharat Petroleum (Refilling Plant)
* Oasis Ceramics Pvt. Ltd.

Notable people

* Bahinabai Chaudhari
* Sane Guruji
* Pratibha Patil
* Eknath Khadse
* Rani Lakshmibai arivarasan k.

External links

*J T Mahajanarivarasan k.

References