The story
Kota stone is a fine-grained limestone that splits into flat slabs, making it a cheap, hard-wearing floor. Quarries around Ramganj Mandi and units in Kota cut and polish it for builders across India and for export. Waste stone and slurry are a growing problem.
In numbers
The Kota stone and sandstone cluster had 1,600 units, Rs 2,000 crore turnover, exports of about Rs 900 crore, and 18,000 direct and 18,000 indirect workers (district profile 2015-16).
Brief Industrial Profile of Kota District 2015-16 (MSME-DI Jaipur, Ministry of MSME) · 2016
Ways in for a newcomer
- Stone cutting and polishing
- Using waste stone in tiles and blocks
- Online catalogues and export marketing
- Transport of slabs
Problems the cluster faces
- Stone industry re-categorised from orange to red by the pollution board
- Waste disposal
- Lack of catalogues and websites
Businesses to start here
Stone Polishing Unit →Stone Crusher (Aggregates) →Cement Concrete Block / Paver Unit →