5. The Chotanagpur Industrial Region

This industrial region stretches over Jharkhand, Odisha, southern Bihar, and western parts of West Bengal. Having a large concentration of iron and steel industry, it is often called as the ‘'Ruhr of India’. This region is rich in the fossil fuel, and metallic and non-metallic minerals. Power is available from the Damodar Valley Corporation. There is enormous supply of cheap labour from the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal [Fig. 11.18).

The main iron and steel producing centres of the region are Asansol, Bokaro, Burnpur, Durgapur, Kulti, Jamshedpur, and Raurkela. The other important industrial centres of the region are Sindri for fertiliser, Chittranjan for locomotives, Khalari for cement, Ranchi for HMT, and Ramgarh and Bhurkunda for glass industry. The main problems of the region are shortage of power supply, and political unrest like those caused by Naxalites. The labour unrest has deterred many of the investors in this region.