Economy of Maharashtra

Maharashtra's gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $106 billion in current prices. Maharastra is second-most urbanised state with urban population of 42% of whole population.
Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra houses the headquarters of almost all major banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and mutual funds. Within Mumbai is located Bollywood, the centre of India's Hindi film and television industry. India's largest stock exchange Bombay Stock Exchange, oldest in Asia, is located in the city. After successes in the information technology in the neighbouring states, Maharashtra has set up software parks in Pune,Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur and Nasik, Now maharashtra is second largest exporter of software with exports of Rs 18000cr (20% of India's exports).Maharashtra ranks first nationwide in coal-based thermal electricity as well as nuclear electricity generation with national market shares of over 13% and 17% respectively.Maharashtra is also introducing Jatropha cultivation and has started a project for the identification of suitable sites for Jatropha plantations. [cite web
url=http://www.unipune.ernet.in/dept/geography/vhdeosthali_files/jatropha.htm
title=Identification of suitable sites for Jatropha plantation in Maharashtra using remote sensing and GIS
publisher=University of Pune
accessdate=2006-11-15 ]
Ralegaon Siddhi is a village in Ahmednagar District that is considered a model of environmental conservation. [cite web
url=http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/renew/rallegan.htm
title=A model Indian village- Ralegaon Siddhi
publisher=
accessdate=2006-10-30 ] Over 41% of the "S&P CNX 500" conglomerates have corporate offices in Maharashtra.

Industry

Maharashtra's is India's leading industrial state contributing 13% of national industrial output. 64.14% of the people are employed in agriculture and allied activities. Almost 46% of the GSDP is contributed by industry.
Maharashtra has had an immense tradition in textiles and Mumbai city was the original home of India's textile mills. Other centres of weaving has come up like Malegaon and Bhewandi.

Sugar industry has made considerable progress specially in the co-operative sector. Maharashtra is well-known for the development of sugar industry on co-operative lines in which the formers acquire a share in the sugar mills. Pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, heavy chemicals, electronics, automobiles, engineering, food processing, and plastics are some of the major industries of the state. Maharashtra is renowned for the production of 3 wheelers, jeeps, commercial vehicles and cars, synthetic fibers, cold rolled products and industrial alcohol. Small scale industries have also come up in a big way in the state.The state capital Mumbai is called as an industrial city. Industrial development in the state is largely concentrated in Mumbai. The six important industries in the district are cotton textiles, chemicals, machinery, electricals, transport and metallurgy. [ [http://www.webindia123.com/maharashtra/economy/economy.htm Economy of Maharashtra @ webindia.com] Suni System (P) Ltd. Retrieved on 2007-06-20] These industries also provide employment to a considerable number of people in Mumbai.

"See also- List of conglomerates in Maharashtra"

Agriculture

Although, Maharashtra is a highly industrialized state of India, agriculture continues to be the main occupation of the state. Principal crops include rice, Jowar, Bajra, wheat, pulses, turmeric, onions, cotton, sugarcane and several oil seeds including groundnut, sunflower and soyabean. The state has huge areas, under fruit cultivation of which mangoes, bananas, grapes, and oranges are the main ones. Irrigation facilities are being extended so that agriculture could be made less dependent upon rain water. The net irrigated area totals 33,500 square kilometres.

References