Structure and growth aspects of large scale industries in West Bengal: some results with ASI data

This paper explores the growth and structural changes in registered manufacturing industries in West Bengal with data from Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) during the period 1998–2007. In terms of value added, the leading industries in West Bengal are the manufacture of basic metals, chemicals and textiles. Employment had declined at the rate of 3 per cent during this period. Labour productivity grows at a faster proportional rate than growth rate of wage per labour. The empirical results in this study ensure the presence of large scale casualization of labour force and declining bargaining power of trade unions in West Bengal.