On November 1, 2000, India gave birth to a new state called Chhattisgarh. The new state is carved out of India's largest state, Madhya Pradesh which spreads over an area of 443,000 square kilometers. Though the acquired area of 135,194 square kilometers accounts for only 30 per cent of the total area of Chhattisgarh, the state is still a considerable size, which is equivalent to almost sixteen times the size of Kerala.
India's latest state has its Capital at Raipur and the High Court at Bilaspur. The Capital may be shifted later to Nandghat, about midway between Raipur and Bilaspur on the banks of the Shivnad River. Bastar, Bilaspur, Dantewara, Dhamtari, Durg, Janjgir, Jashpur, Kanker, Kavardha, Korba, Mahasamund, Raigarh, Raipur, Rajnandgaon, Sarguja and West Sarguja are the sixteen districts of Chhattisgarh.
Of the 320 MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, 90 belong to the districts of Chhattisgarh. They have become the members of the Legislative Assembly of the new state. Chhatisgarh sends 11 members to the Lok Sabha and five members to the Rajya Sabha.
Chhattisgarh - Facts
Below is a table representing important facts about Chhattisgarh
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History of Chhattisgarh
The history of Chhattisgarh dates back to the 4th century AD. The state finds mention in the Mahabarata and the Ramayana. The state has witnessed the rule of several dynasties beginning with the Haihaya dynasty in the 14th century. After the Haihaya's the region was taken over by the Chalukya dynasty who established their rule in Bastar. Annmdev was the first Chalukya ruler, who founded the dynasty in Bastar in 1320. During the 17th century the Marathas seized Chattisgarh until it came under the British rule in 1818.
Economy of Chhatisgarh
The newly formed state is richly endowed with natural resources. Its forest revenue which alone accounts for 44% of the total state's forest revenue has been the main source of income of Madhya Pradesh. It has rich deposits of limestone, iron-ore, copper-ore, rock phosphate, manganese ore, bauxite, coal, asbestos and mica that contribute to around 48% of Madhya Pradesh's revenue from minerals.
Agriculture is the main activity for the population of 1,76,00,000 of this landlocked state enveloped by Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and of course Madhya Pradesh. 80% of the population is engaged in agriculture which is one crop a year. Chhattisgarh is known as the Rice Bowl of India and supplies food grains to 600 rice mills.
However, in spite of its abundant natural resources and manpower pool, Chhattisgarh remains a poverty stricken and socially backward region. A cursory look at some parameters will reveal this fact. Take literacy rate, as high as 81.3 per cent of the population above 19 years of the district of Bastar is illiterate. The rest of the state is slightly better in this respect. 49% of the households do not have drinking water. 68% of the households do not have an electricity connection (though it produces more power than it consumes; Chhattisgarh contributes 35.66% of total power generated in Madhya Pradesh). Infant mortality is high: 84 deaths per thousand live births against the national average of 71%. 41% of the women worked as laborers in the grueling activities (the national average is just 22.3).About half of its female population gets married between the ages of 15 and 19.
Now with a new government in place for Chhattisgarh, there are valid reasons to hope that the general condition of the state will improve, if not dramatically.
The mineral rich state is economically very poor. It will have to depend on the neighboring states of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. Agriculturally it is a very productive area. Called the country's Rice Bowl, Chhattisgarh supplies food grains to almost 600 rice mills. With substantial deposits of limestone, iron-ore, copper ore, rock phosphate, manganese ore, bauxite, coal, asbestos and mica, Chhattisgarh is one of the mineral rich State of India. Chhattisgarh contains about 525 million tones of dolomite reserves, accounting for 24 per cent of the country's share. It has healthy bauxite reserves of an estimated 73 million tones, an impressive reserve of iron ore at about 2,000 million tones and coal at 29,000 million tones. Tin ore reserves exceed 27,000 million tones.
The mineral revenue that will accrue to Chhattisgarh will exceed Rs 600 crore annually. Deobogh in Raipur district contains deposits of diamonds. Prospecting of diamonds has begun here and when extraction starts in about two years' time, it is expected to generate an additional RS 2,000 crore a year for the state. Chhattisgarh also accounts for more than 70 per cent of India's total production of tendu leaves that are used for making bidis.
But despite the high levels of productivity with natural and mineral resources, Chhattisgarh has remained backward because the money earned is not ploughed back into the region. Poverty pervades the 16 districts comprising the region. As a result, the region has for long nursed a grudge against the rest of Madhya Pradesh which has treated Chhattisgarh like a colony.
Tourism in Chhattisgarh
Evolving as an important tourists center Chhattisgarh is home to several tourists' attractions. Major tourist centers in the state are Amarkantak, Banjari Baba, Bhoramdev, Champaranya, Chitrakoot, Dudhadharimath, Indrawati National Park, Kangerghati National Park, Jagdalpur, Bastar, Danteswari Temple, and many more.
Hotels of Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is among the upcoming tourists destinations of the country. Numerous hotels have been dotting the region over the last few years. The hotels in Chhattisgarh are reputed for their hospitality and services and suit the needs of most travelers.
Last Updated on : 21 December 2010
