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Tipu Sultan
Step towards Economic development
By Prof. Sheik Ali
(Former Vice Chancellor of Goa & Mangalore Universities)


Development work


Trade and Commerce
His interest in Agriculture
Social Reforms
Western political and economic development

Trade and Commerce

Despite the hectic political and military involvements, Tipu never ignored the main task of improving the life and condition of his people. To remove the economic disparities he undertook various measures. He devised a plan of state capitalism. His commercial regulations envisaged a scheme of banking organisation in which small investers received a higher benefits. It was an experiment of a new type of cooperative Bank





Silkyarn
Silkyarn
which encouraged small - savings. To strengthen this banking system he launched the state control of trade, commerce and industries. Mysore was rich in commercial crops such as silk, sandalwood, pepper, cardamom, coconut, elephants, ivory and so on, which were greatly in demand in the Western market. Tipu was keen that the trade of these commodities should not fall into foreign hands. Therefore, the state itself became the greatest exporter and importer of goods, which were sent out, and brought in, by his own fleet of merchantships. The hold of private bankers, money - lenders and middle-men was vastly reduced. Not only trade and commerce, but also arts and crafts attracted his attention for state control.
A large number of workshops were set up which manufactured guns, muskets, glass, cannon, paper, cutlery, cloth, sugar, and a host of other articles. It was his dream to keep Mysore in the vanguard of ship-building industry.
He built a navy both for commerce and war. In 1793, he ordered 100 ships to be built, all with the indigenous material. He paid attention to the manufacture of arms and ammunition. The factory at Srirangapatna converted iron into steel, and manufactured armaments. He named his iron-works as Taramandals, which were four in number, at Srirangapatna, Bangalore, Chitradurga and Bidnur. A machine was devised which bored cannon with power generated by flow of water. Haider and Tipu's names figure prominently as the originators of rockets.

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