36 Garh

Full of surprises

India's 26th state Chhattisgarh, a 21st century State, came into being on November 1, 2000. Larger than Tamil Nadu (Chhattisgarh State is larger than 16 other Indian states) , it is just the right size, and is also fortunate to have a low population density.

India's Lung/Oxygen Zone:
So, why I am calling Chattisgarh as India's Lung. Here are my reasons:
A human lung's principal function is to transport oxygen from the atmosphere into the bloodstream, and to excrete carbon dioxide from the bloodstream into the atmosphere. Chattisgarh does this by its forest. Over 59000 sq. km area in the State is under forest, which is 12% of India's forests. Identified as one of the richest bio-diversity habitats, the Green State of Chhattisgarh has the densest forests in India, rich wildlife, and above all, over 200 non-timber forest products, with tremendous potential for value addition.

Rich Land:
With all major minerals including diamonds, coal, iron, bauxite, limestones in abundance, it is the richest State in mineral resources. There are mega industries in Steel, Aluminium and Cement.
Here are some BIG players:
1) SECL,Bilaspur is largest coal producing company in India.
2) SAIL, Bhilai is one of biggest steel plant in India
3) BALCO, Korba is one of the largest Aluminium producer in India
4) NTPC has one of the biggest power plant in Korba.
5) Lafarge, ACC, Birla, Tata Steel has cement plants in Chattisgarh cement belt.

Other major playors are Jindal Steels in Raigarh, NMDC (iron ore) in Bailadila etc. South East Central Railways (SECR), Bilaspur is Indian Railways MOST revenue earning zone (contributing 17% of the revenues of Indian Railways).

Power Hub:
Its large power surplus is attracting power-intensive industries, and the State is poised to become the power-hub of the nation. Its central location helps easy power transmission to any part of the country. The State is supplying power to Western Grid which inculdes Maharsatra, Goa, MP and Gujrat and also to Delhi and Karnataka, among others. NTPC, CSEB has super thermal power plants in Korba. NTPC is building one more mega power plant with 3000+ MW capacity in Sipat, Bilaspur. Essar, Jindal, IIFCO and others have submitted proposal to build more power plants.

People:
In urban Chhattisgarh, people from all over of country have settled. You will find marathi, sindhi, punjabi, keralites, telugu, tamil, upites, bihari, bengali people in any urban city like Bhilai, Raipur, Bilaspur, Korba, Raigarh etc. These immigrants gives Chattisgarh a unique identity and adds colors to diverse culture. One third of Chhattisgarh's population is of tribes, mostly in the thickly forested areas in the North and South.

Education:
Chattisgarh contributes substantially to the Human Resources of India. Several hundred students from the State qualify for admissions in prestigious academic institutions every year. Bhilai, the knowledge capital of the State, alone sends over 50+ students year to the elite Indian Institutes of Technology every year. Female literacy has doubled in the last decade, and male literacy is higher than India's average. Gender ratio is next only to Kerala.

A unique Private Universities Act has been passed to attract investments in quality higher education. Female literacy has doubled in the last decade, and male literacy is higher than India's average. Gender ratio is next only to Kerala.

Rice Bowl:
The central plains of Chhattisgarh are known as the "Rice Bowl" of Central India. It is staple food and many rice mills export rice to other states.

Tourism:
Bastar is known the world over for its unique and distinctive tribal heritage. The Bastar Dassera is the traditional celebration of the gaiety of our tribals. All of Chhattisgarh has many virgin, unexplored tourism destinations.

Above all, the State's biggest asset is its 208 lakh people. The people are friendly, open, warm and industrious. Chhattisgarh has an enviable record of social harmony and maintenance of public order. Upholding the Rule of Law is top priority for the Government.

http://www.chhattisgarhtourism.net/
http://chhattisgarh.nic.in/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chattisgarh

posted by Pradeep @ 5:40 PM