Jaisalmerजैसलमेर

What the plan promotes

• ▸Cumin (jeera) is grown on roughly 90,000 hectares (Appendix profile: 91,500 ha, production 50,325 MT in 2019-20); the PLP names jeera processing units as its single biggest thrust area — currently there is no developed jeera mandi so farmers must sell in Gujarat.
• ▸Date palm (khajur) grown on about 192 hectares is flagged as a second processing-and-marketing focus for the district.
• ▸Livestock is the backbone of the rural economy: the 2019 census counts 32.18 lakh animals — 4.07 lakh cattle, 8.36 lakh sheep, 11.04 lakh goats — with sheep and goat rearing given special emphasis (term-loan potential Rs 9.27 cr).
• ▸Dairy: milk is pooled through 107 dairy cooperative societies linked to the Jodhpur milk union, collecting an average of about 6,500 litres/day; dairy term-loan potential is Rs 56.00 cr.
• ▸Handicraft cluster — hand embroidery on cloth, Pokaran pottery (GI-tagged), block printing/tie-dye, patchwork, applique, leather, jute, carpet and Kashidakari glasswork; the PLP wants artisans organised into producer companies for skilling and market access.
• ▸Tourism is a major economic driver: the world-famous Sonar Fort, Khaba and Kuldhara heritage sites, sand dunes and Ramdevra pilgrimage bring roughly 5 lakh domestic and foreign tourists a year.

Gaps the plan names

• ▸No developed cumin (jeera) mandi in the district — farmers grow jeera on ~90,000 ha but must travel to Gujarat to sell; the PLP calls for establishing a jeera mandi in Jaisalmer and promoting jeera-linked processing industry.
• ▸Weak agro-processing base: the district profile shows NIL processing units for food/spices/masala powders, so cumin, isabgol and date-palm produce leaves unprocessed — processing units are needed to capture value locally.
• ▸Veterinary services are inadequate — only 164 (profile: ~85) veterinary institutions sanctioned, too few for the district's large geographic area and 32-lakh livestock population, so animal productivity stays low.
• ▸Groundwater is severely stressed: 1 block is 'safe' while 6 of 7 blocks fall in the over-exploited category, the water table is very deep and there is no perennial river — the district ranks 2nd nationally on CRIDA's vulnerability index.
• ▸Handicraft artisans (Pokaran pottery, embroidery, etc.) lack organisation and marketing reach — the PLP recommends forming producer companies to build skills and secure fair prices in domestic and international markets.