Solapur Guide

Solapur is a city in South Eastern Maharashtra and is a municipal Corporation, making it a self-governed entity, under provincial or state laws and has a municipal charter. Solapur is near the Karnataka boarder, and is the administrative headquarters of the Solapur district.

Solapur is located on an important junction of the North – South railway line, a good base for its industries for logistical reasons, with approximately 98 medium and 8,986 smaller industries.

As stated the Solapur district consists of medium and small scale industries, although Solapur is one of the leading centres for handlooms, power looms and cotton mills.

Chaddars, (Solapur bed sheets) have earned Solapur a reputation and fame for their durability and novel designs.

The Solapur district has the largest industry in Maharashtra for Beedi production. A Beedi (or Bini – Biri) is a South Asian cigarette, thin and often flavoured, made from tobacco wrapped in a Tendi leaf, generally secured by a coloured thread at one end. A Beedi produces three times more nicotine and Carbon Monoxide than a regular cigarette, although it is much smaller and does not contain any added chemicals.

Beedi rolling is classed as a cottage industry, being typically made by women working from home; processed in much the same way as that of other handmade cigarettes.

The main crops in Solapur are Jowar, Wheat, and Sugarcane. During December to January agriculturists celebrate a Hurda party, a famous event in Solapur meaning pre-stage party for Jowar. This is when agriculturists sow a special breed of Hurda, called Gulbhendi, Dudhmogra, etc.

Apart from the textile industry and tobacco, Solapur is also known for its market in oilseeds.
According to The Times of India 21 July 2007, the states government is planning to trigger growth in Solapurs economy by setting up a technology park for software, but it has hit a few problems because the 4.5 Crore (40,000 sq ft) software technology park building at the MIDC premises is still unoccupied after two years.

This park lies 15Km outside Solapur and the Software Technology Parks of India’s director and chief executive Sushil Gupta has stated that there are no plans to set up a technology park in Solapur, indicating that the existing park was built by the MIDC. As the park is still vacant, it could possibly attract overseas buyers looking for premises and cheap labour.

The Solapur district not only leads the way in Beedi production and weaving but is also a multi diverse community speaking at least three different languages – Marathi, Telugu and Kannada. It has taken great strides in the fields of Literature, education, culture and rural prosperity.

This is an area to keep an eye on as it expands and becomes a hub of activity, if the software park is taken over by foreign investors, Solapur could easily become one of the focal points in the technological world.