Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh छत्तीसगढ़
State of India
Seal
Location of Chhattisgarh (marked in red) in India
Map of Chhattisgarh
Coordinates (Raipur): 21°16′N 81°36′E / 21.27°N 81.60°E / 21.27; 81.60Coordinates: 21°16′N 81°36′E / 21.27°N 81.60°E / 21.27; 81.60
Country	India
Formation	1 November 2000†
Capital	Raipur
Largest city	Raipur
Districts	27 (9 dist. new)
Government
• Governor	Balramji Das Tandon
• Chief Minister	Raman Singh (BJP)
• Legislature	Unicameral (90 seats)
• Parliamentary constituency	11 (year 2010)
• High Court	Chhattisgarh High Court, Bilaspur
Area
• Total	135,194.5 km2 (52,198.9 sq mi)
Area rank	10
Population (2011)
• Total	25,545,198
• Rank	17th
• Density	190/km2 (490/sq mi)
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
ISO 3166 code	IN-CT
HDI	0.358 (low)
HDI rank	23rd (2005)
Literacy	71.04% (23rd)
Official language(s)	Hindi
Website	chhattisgarh.nic.in
Symbols of Chhattisgarh
Language	Chhattisgarhi (a dialect of Hindi)
Animal	Van Bhainsa (Wild Buffalo)
Bird	Pahari Myna (Hill Myna)
Tree	Sal or Sarai

Chhattisgarh (Chatīsgaṛh, literally 'Thirty-Six Forts') is a state in central India. It is the 10th largest state in India, with an area of 135,194 km² (52,199 sq mi). With a population of 25.5 million, Chhattisgarh is the 16th most-populated state of the nation. It is a source of electricity and steel for India, accounting for 15% of the total steel produced in the country.^[1] Chhattisgarh is one of the fastest-developing states in India.^[2]

The state was formed on 1 November 2000 by partitioning 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking southeastern districts of Madhya Pradesh.^[3][4] Raipur was made its capital city. Chhattisgarh borders the states of Madhya Pradesh in the northwest, Maharashtra in the southwest, Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari District) in the south,^[5] Telangana (which includes eastern parts of old Bhadrachalam constituency which was part of East Godavari District prior to 1956 and later added to Khammam district and most of which was retained by Telangana after Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014) in the south, Odisha in the east, Jharkhand in the northeast and Uttar Pradesh in the north. Currently the state comprises 27 districts.

Etymology

There are several opinions as to the origin of the name Chhattisgarh, which in ancient times formed part of Dakshina Kausala (South Kosala).^[6] "Chhattisgarh" was popularized later during the time of the Maratha Empire and was first used in an official document in 1795.

It is claimed that Chhattisgarh takes its name from the 36 ancient forts in the area^[6] (chhattis—thirty-six" and garh—fort). The old state had 36 demesnes (feudal territories): Ratanpur, Vijaypur, Kharound, Maro, Kautgarh, Nawagarh, Sondhi, Aukhar, Padarbhatta, Semriya, Champa, Lafa, Chhuri, Kenda, Matin, Aparora, Pendra, Kurkuti-kandri, Raipur, Patan, Simaga, Singarpur, Lavan, Omera, Durg, Saradha, Sirasa, Menhadi, Khallari, Sirpur, Figeswar, Rajim, Singhangarh, Suvarmar, Tenganagarh and Akaltara.^[7] However, experts do not agree with this explanation, as 36 forts cannot be archaeologically identified in this region.

Another view, more popular with experts and historians, is that Chhattisgarh is the corrupted form of Chedisgarh which means Raj or "Empire of the Chedis".^[6]

Geography

The northern and southern parts of the state are hilly, while the central part is a fertile plain. The highest point in the state is the Bailadila Range.^[8] Deciduous forests of the Eastern Highlands Forests cover roughly 44% of the state . The state animal is the van bhainsa, or wild water buffalo. The state bird is the pahari myna, or hill myna. The state tree is the Sal (Sarai) found in Bastar division.

In, the north lies the edge of the great Indo-Gangetic plain. The Rihand River, a tributary of the Ganges, drains this area. The eastern end of the Satpura Range and the western edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau form an east-west belt of hills that divide the Mahanadi River basin from the Indo-Gangetic plain. The outline of Chhattisgarh is like a sea horse.

The central part of the state lies in the fertile upper basin of the Mahanadi river and its tributaries. This area has extensive rice cultivation. The upper Mahanadi basin is separated from the upper Narmada basin to the west by the Maikal Hills (part of the Satpuras) and from the plains of Odisha to the east by ranges of hills. The southern part of the state lies on the Deccan plateau, in the watershed of the Godavari River and its tributary, the Indravati River. The Mahanadi is the chief river of the state. The other main rivers are Hasdo (a tributary of Mahanadi), Rihand, Indravati, Jonk, Arpa and Shivnath. It is situated in the east of Madhya Pradesh.

Amrit Dhara Waterfall.The natural beauty of Koriya is known all over India. The place is full of dense forests, mountains, rivers and waterfalls. Amrit Dhara Waterfall in Koriya is among the most famous waterfalls in Koriya. Koriya in Chhattisgarh was a princely state during the British rule in India. Koriya is also known for the rich mineral deposits. Coal is found in abundance in this part of the country. The dense forests present here have a rich wildlife too. The climate of Koriya is quite pleasant. The mild summers and cool winters make Koriya a suitable place to visit throughout the year.

The Amrit Dhara Water fall, Koriya is a natural waterfall which originates from the Hasdo River. The fall is situated at a distance of seven kilometers from Nagpur. The waterfall is ideally located on the Manendragarh-Baikunthpur road. The Amrit Dhara Waterfall in Koriya in Chhattisgarh in India falls from a height of 90 feet. The waterfall is about 10–15 feet wide. The point where the water falls, there, a cloudy atmosphere is formed all around. Chirimiri Is The Jannat Of Chhattisgarh.

Climate

The climate of Chhattisgarh is tropical. It is hot and humid because of its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer and its dependence on the monsoons for rains. Summer in Chhattisgarh temperatures can reach 45 °C (113 °F). The monsoon season is from late June to October and is a welcome respite from the heat. Chhattisgarh receives an average of 1,292 millimetres (50.9 in) of rain. Winter is from November to January and it is a good time to visit Chhattishgarh. Winters are pleasant with low temperatures and less humidity.^[9]

Temperature

The temperature varies between 30 and 45 °C (86 and 113 °F) in summer and between 0 and 25 °C (32 and 77 °F) during winter. However, extremes in temperature can be observed with scales falling to less than 0 °C to 49 °C.

Transport

Roads

Chhattisgarh has coverage of mostly 2-lane or 1-lane roads which provides connectivity to major cities. 11 national highways passing through the state which are together 3078.40 km in length. However most national highways are in poor conditions and provides only 2-lanes for slow moving traffic. Many national highways are on paper and not fully converted into 4-lane highway. This includes 130A New, 130B New, 130C New, 130D New, 149B New, 163A New, 343 New, 930New.. Other national highway includes NH 6, NH 16, NH 43, NH 12A, NH 78, NH 111, NH 200, NH 202, NH 216, NH 217, NH 221, NH30NH 930 NEW.^[10][11] The state highways and major district roads constitute another network of 8,031 km.

Chhattisgarh has on of lowest density of National Highway in Central and South India (12.1 km/lakh population) which is similar to North East states like Assam.

Rail network

Almost the entire railway network spread over the state comes under the geographical jurisdiction of the South East Central Railway Zone of Indian Railways centered around Bilaspur, which is the zonal headquarters of this zone. The main railway junction is Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur Junction, which is also a starting point of many long distance trains. These three junctions are well-connected to the major cities of India.^[12]

The state has the highest freight loading in the country and one-sixth of Indian Railway's revenue comes from Chhattisgarh. The length of rail network in the state is 1,108 km, while a third track has been commissioned between Durg and Raigarh.^[13] Construction of some new railway lines are under process. These include Dalli-Rajhara–Jagdalpur rail line, Pendra Road-Gevra Road Rail Line rail line, Raigarh-Mand Colliery to Bhupdeopur rail line and Barwadih-Chirmiri rail line.^[14] Freight/goods trains provide services mostly to coal and iron ore industries in east-west corridor (Mumbai-Howrah route) . There is lack of passenger services to north and south of Chhattisgarh. Current train stations are mostly over crowded and not maintained well for passengers.

Rail Network Expansion ^[15]

Presently, Chhattisgarh has 1,187-km long railway line network, which is less than half of the national average of rail density.

The construction of new 546-km long rail network including 95km long Dalli Rajhara-Rowghat rail project, 311km long East and East-West Rail Corridors and 140km long Rowghat-Jagdalpur rail project are underway in the state.

The Chhattisgarh government has now decided to form a joint venture company with the Ministry of Railways for the expansion of railway tracks in the state. The decision to form a joint venture company with Ministry of Railways was taken during a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister on 5 February 2016. An MoU will shortly be signed between the state Commerce and Industries Department and the railway ministry in this regard. Under the MoU, the state government will have 51% share and the railways remaining 49% share. The proposed joint venture company will identify viable rail projects in the state and implement them.

Major Railway heads are Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Champa, Raigarh, Rajnandgaon

Air

The air infrastructure in Chhattisgarh is small compared to other states. Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur is its sole airport with scheduled commercial air services. A massive reduction in sales tax on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) from 25 to 4 per cent in Chhattisgarh in 2003 has contributed to a sharp rise in passenger flow. The passenger flow has increased by an overwhelming 58 per cent between 2011 and November 2012.^[16]

Other major areas like north and south of state and industrial cities like Bilaspur, Korba, Raigarh are not served by any airline. The majority of population in these area is not able take advantage of low cost airlines due to poor road connectivity and high cost of taxi fares. The State Government has signed a MOU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in July 2013 to develop Raigarh Airport as the state's second airport for domestic flights.^[17]

Other airstrips

• Bilaspur Airport, Bilaspur
• Jagdalpur Airport, Jagdalpur
• Nandini Airport, Bhilai
• Baikunth Airstrip, Baikunth
• JSPL’s Airstrip, Raigarh
• Darima Airstrip, Ambikapur
• Korba Airstrip, Korba
• Agdih Airstrip, Jashpur
• Dondi Airstrip, Dondi, Durg
• Kota Road Airstrip, MohanBhatha, Bilaspur

Proposed airstrips

History

Ancient and medieval history

In ancient times, this region was known as Dakshin-Kausal. This area also finds mention in Ramayana and Mahabharata. Between the sixth and twelfth centuries, Sarabhpurias, Panduavanshi, Somvanshi, Kalachuri and Nagvanshi rulers dominated this region. Kalachuris ruled in Chhattisgarh from 980 to 1741 AD. The Bastar region of Chhattisgarh was invaded by Rajendra Chola I and Kulothunga Chola I of the Chola dynasty in the 11th century.^[18][19][20]

Colonial and Post Independence history

Chhattisgarh was under Maratha rule (Bhonsales of Nagpur) from 1741 to 1845 AD. It came under British rule from 1845 to 1947 as the Chhattisgarh Division of the Central Provinces. Raipur gained prominence over the capital Ratanpur with the advent of the British in 1845. In 1905, the Sambalpur district was transferred to Odisha and the estates of Surguja were transferred from Bengal to Chhattisgarh.

The area constituting the new state merged into on November 1, 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 and remained a part of that state for 44 years. Prior to its becoming a part of the new state of Madhya Pradesh, the region was part of old Madhya Pradesh State, with its capital at Nagpur. Prior to that, the region was part of the Central Provinces and Berar (CP and Berar) under the British rule. Some areas constituting the Chhattisgarh state were princely states under the British rule, but later on were merged into Madhya Pradesh.^[21]

Separation of Chhattisgarh

The present state of Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000.^[3][4] The demand for a separate state was first raised in the 1920s. Similar demands kept cropping up at regular intervals; however, a well-organized movement was never launched. Several all-party platforms were formed and they usually resolved around petitions, public meetings, seminars, rallies and strikes.^[22] A demand for separate Chhattisgarh was raised in 1924 by the Raipur Congress unit and also discussed in the Annual Session of the Indian Congress at Tripuri. A discussion also took place of forming a Regional Congress organization for Chhattisgarh. When the State Reorganisation Commission was set up in 1954, the demand for a separate Chhattisgarh was put forward, but was not accepted. In 1955, a demand for a separate state was raised in the Nagpur assembly of the then state of Madhya Bharat.^[22]

The 1990s saw more activity for a demand for the new state, such as the formation of a statewide political forum, especially the Chhattisgarh Rajya Nirman Manch. Chandulal Chadrakar led this forum, several successful region-wide strikes and rallies were organized under the banner of the forum, all of which were supported by major political parties, including the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.^[22]

The new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government sent the redrafted Separate Chhattisgarh Bill for the approval of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, where it was once again unanimously approved and then it was tabled in the Lok Sabha. This bill for a separate Chhattisgarh was passed in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, paving the way for the creation of a separate state of Chhattisgarh. The President of India gave his consent to the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2000 on August 25, 2000. The Government of India subsequently set November 1, 2000, as the day the state of Madhya Pradesh would be divided into Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.^[22]

Governance and administration

The State Legislative assembly is composed of 90 members of the Legislative Assembly. There are 11 members of the Lok Sabha from Chhattisgarh. The Rajya Sabha has five members from the state.

Districts

Chhattisgarh state consists of 27 districts and 5 divisions:^{[23][24][25][26][27]}

Bastar Division	Durg Division	Raipur Division	Bilaspur Division	Surguja Division
Bastar (Jagdalpur) Bijapur Sukma Dantewada (Dakshin Bastar) Kondagaon Narayanpur Kanker (Uttar Bastar)	Kawardha (Kabirdham)[28][29] Rajnandgaon Balod Durg Bemetara	Dhamtari Gariyaband Raipur Baloda Bazar Mahasamund	Bilaspur Mungeli Korba Janjgir-Champa Raigarh	Koriya Surajpur Surguja (Ambikapur) Balrampur Jashpur

Largest cities in Chhattisgarh (2011 Census of India estimate)[30]
Rank	City	District	Population
01	Raipur	Raipur	4,063,872
02	Bhilai-Durg	Durg	3,343,872
03	Bilaspur	Bilaspur	2,663,629
04	Korba	Korba	1,206,640
05	Rajnandgaon	Rajnandgaon	1,537,133
06	Raigarh	Raigarh	1,493,984
07	Ambikapur	Sarguja	114,575
08	Jagdalpur	Bastar	125,345
09	Chirmiri	Koriya	100,656
10	Dhamtari	Dhamtari	90,254
11	Mahasamund	Mahasamund	85,650

Major cities

• Raipur
• Bilaspur
• Durg
• Bhilai
• Rajnandgaon
• Chirmiri
• Mahasamund
• Dhamtari
• Raigarh
• Ambikapur
• Jagdalpur
• Korba
• Champa
• Kanker
• Pakhanjore

see List of cities in Chhattisgarh

Human Development Indicators (HDIs)

HDI

As of 2011 Chhattisgarh state had a Human Development Index value of 0.358, the lowest of any Indian state. The national average is 0.467 according to 2011 Indian NHDR report.^[31]

Standard of living

Chhattisgarh has one of the lowest standard of living in India as per the Income Index (0.127) along with the states of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan. These states have incomes below the national average, with Bihar having the lowest income per capita.

These poor states, despite low absolute incomes, have witnessed high Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) growth rates especially Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Uttarakhand which had growth rates above 10 per cent per annum during the Tenth Five Year Plan period (2002–7).

Education Index

Chhattisgarh has an Education Index of 0.526 according to 2011 NHDR which is higher than that of states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan which are below the 0.5 mark. Though, it is lower than the national average of 0.563.

With respect to literacy, the state fared just below the national average. The recent estimates from Census (2011) also depict a similar picture with the literacy rate of 71 per cent (81.4% Males & 60.5% Females), which is close to the all India literacy rate of 74 per cent.

According to NSS (2007–8), the literacy rate for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs) was better than the corresponding national average and this is a positive sign.

Among the marginalized groups, STs are at the bottom of the rankings, further emphasizing the lack of social development in the state. Bastar and Dantewada in south Chhattisgarh are the most illiterate districts and the drop out ratio is the highest among all the districts. The reason for this is the extreme poverty in rural areas.

Health Index

Health Index of Chhattisgarh is less than 0.49, one of the lowest in the country. The Health Index is defined in terms of life expectancy at birth since a higher life expectancy at birth reflects better health outcomes for an individual.

Despite different health related schemes and programmes, the health indicators such as percentage of women with BMI<18.5, Under Five Mortality Rate and underweight children are poor. This may be due to the difficulty in accessing the remote areas in the state. The prevalence of female malnutrition in Chhattisgarh is higher than the national average—half of the ST females are malnourished. The performance of SCs is a little better than the corresponding national and state average. The Under Five Mortality Rate among STs is significantly higher than the national average. The percentage of under-weight children in Chhattisgarh is also higher than the national average, further underlining the appalling health condition of the state’s population.

Net state domestic product (NSDP)

Chhattisgarh is one of the emerging states with relatively high growth rates of NSDP (8.2% vs. 7.1% All India over 2002–2008) and per capita NSDP(6.2% vs. 5.4% All India over 2002-2008). The growth rates of the said parameters are above the national averages and thus it appears that Chhattisgarh is catching up with other states in this respect. However, the state still has very low levels of per capita income as compared to the other states.

Urbanisation

The demographic profile shows that about 80 per cent of the total population lived in rural areas.

Sex ratio

There are 1,30,32,895 (more than 1.28 crore) males and 1,29,12,303 (more than 1.27 crore) females in Chhattisgarh which is 2.11 per cent of the country’s total population. The sex ratio in the state is one of the best in India with 991 females per 1,000 males, as is the child sex-ratio with 969 females per 1,000 males (Census 2011)

Fertility rate

Chhattisgarh has a fairly high fertility rate (3.1) as compared to All India (2.6) and the replacement rate (2.1). It has rural fertility rate of 3.2 and urban fertility rate of 2.1.

SC and ST population

With the exception of the hilly states of the north-east, Chhattisgarh has one of highest shares of Scheduled Tribe (ST) populations within a state, accounting for about 10 per cent of the STs in India. Scheduled Castes and STs together constitute more than 50 per cent of the state’s population. The tribals are an important part of the state population and mainly inhabit the dense forests of Bastar and other districts of south Chhattisgarh. The Scheduled Caste (SC) population of Chhattisgarh is 2,418,722 as per 2001 census constituting 11.6 per cent of the total population (20,833,803).The proportion of Scheduled Castes has increased from 11.6 per cent in 2001 to 12.8% in 2011. The percentage increase in the population of the scheduled list of tribals during the 2001-2011 decade had been at the rate of 18.23 per cent. The share of the tribal population in the entire state had been 30.62 per cent which was 31.76 per cent during 2001.

Poverty

The incidence of poverty in Chhattisgarh is very high. The estimated poverty ratio in 2004–5 based on uniform reference period consumption was around 50 per cent, which is approximately double the all India level. The incidence of poverty in the rural and urban areas is almost the same.

More than half of the rural STs and urban SCs are poor. In general, the proportion of poor SC and ST households in the state is higher than the state average and their community’s respective national averages (except for rural SC households). Given that more than 50 per cent of the state’s population comprises STs and SCs, the high incidence of income poverty among them is a matter of serious concern in the state.

This indicates that the good economic performance in recent years has not percolated to this socially deprived group, which is reflected in their poor performance in human development indicators.

Access to drinking water

In terms of access to improved drinking water sources, at the aggregate level, Chhattisgarh fared better than the national average and the SCs of the state performed better than the corresponding national average. Scheduled Tribes are marginally below the state average, but still better than the STs at the all India level.

The proportion of households with access to improved sources of drinking water in 2008–9 was 91 per cent. This proportion was over 90 per cent even in states like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. This was largely because these states had over 70 per cent of their households accessing tube wells/ handpumps as sources of drinking water.

Sanitation

Sanitation facilities in the state are abysmally low with only about 27 per cent having toilet facilities, which is far below the all-India average of 44%.^[32][33] The STs are the most deprived section in this regard with only 18 per cent of the ST households having toilet facilities, which is lower than the all India average for STs. The SCs also have a lower proportion of households with toilet facilities as compared to the all India average.

States with low sanitation coverage in 2001 that improved coverage by 4-10% points are [Chhattisgarh], Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh, Daman and Diu, Haryana, Sikkim, Punjab, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa and Uttarakhand registered increased coverage by more than 20 percentage points.^[32]

Teledensity

Across states, it has been found that teledensity (telephone density) was below 10 per cent in 2010 for Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, reflecting a lack of access to telephones in these relatively poorer states. On the other hand, for states like Delhi and Himachal Pradesh and metropolitan cities like Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, teledensity was over 100 per cent in 2010 implying that individuals have more than one telephone connection.

Road density

The road length per 100 km² was less than the national average of 81 km (81,000 m) per 100 km² in Chhattisgarh. The rural areas of Chhattisgarh failed to meet their targets of constructing new roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) plan.^[34]

Demographics

Population Growth
Census	Pop.		%±
1951	7,457,000		—
1961	9,154,000		22.8%
1971	11,637,000		27.1%
1981	14,010,000		20.4%
1991	17,615,000		25.7%
2001	20,834,000		18.3%
2011	25,540,198		22.6%
Source:Census of India[35][36]

Chhattisgarh is primarily a rural state with only 20% of its population (around 5,1 million people in 2011) residing in urban areas. According to a report by the government of India,^[37] at least 34% are Scheduled Tribes, 12% are Scheduled Castes and over 50% belong to the official list of Other Backward Classes. The plains are numerically dominated by castes such as Teli, Satnami and Kurmi; while forest areas are mainly occupied by tribes such as Gond, Halbi, Halba and Kamar/Bujia and Oraon. A large community of Bengalis has existed in major cities since the times of the British Raj. They are associated with education, industry and services.

Religion

According to the 2011 census, the 93.2% of Chhattisgarh's population practiced Hinduism, while 2% followed Islam, 1% followed Chritianity and smaller number followed Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism or other religions.^[38] Sarnaism is the indigenous religion followed by the indigenous tribes of the state.

Language

The official language of the state is Hindi and is used by non-rural population of the state. Chhattisgarhi, a dialect of Hindi language, is spoken and understood by the majority of people in Chhattisgarh. Among other languages, Odia is widely spoken by a significant number of Odia population in the eastern part of the state.Telugu, Marathi is also spoken in parts of Chhattishgarh.

Chhattisgarhi was known as "Khaltahi" to the surrounding hill-people and as "Laria" to Odia speakers.

Status of women

Chhattisgarh has a high female-male sex ratio (991)^[39] ranking at the 5th position among other states of India. Although this ratio is small compared to other states, it is unique in India because Chhattisgarh is — the 10th largest state in India.

The gender ratio (number of females per 1000 males) has been steadily declining over 20th century in Chhattisgarh. But it is conspicuous that Chhattisgarh always had a better female-to-male ratio compared with national average.

Year	1901	1911	1921	1931	1941	1951	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001	2011
India	972	964	955	950	945	946	941	930	934	927	933	940
Chhattisgarh	1046	1039	1041	1043	1032	1024	1008	998	998	985	989	991

Probably, such social composition also results in some customs and cultural practices that seem unique to Chhattisgarh: The regional variants are common in India's diverse cultural pattern.

Rural women, although poor, are independent, better organized, socially outspoken.^[40] According to another local custom, women can choose to terminate a marriage relationship through a custom called chudi pahanana, if she desires. Most of the old temples and shrines here are related to 'women power' (e.g., Shabari, Mahamaya, Danteshwari) and the existence of these temples gives insight into historical and current social fabric of this state. However, a mention of these progressive local customs in no way suggests that the ideology of female subservience does not exist in Chhattisgarh. On the contrary, the male authority and dominance is seen quite clearly in the social and cultural life.

Detailed information on aspects of women's status in Chhattisgarh can be found in 'A situational analysis of women and girls in Chhattisgarh' prepared in 2004 by the National Commission of Women, a statutory body belonging to government of India.

Witchcraft

In order to bring about social reforms and with a view to discourage undesirable social practices, Chhattisgarh government has enacted the Chhattisgarh Tonhi Atyachar (Niwaran) Act, 2005 against witchery.^[41] Much has to be done on the issue of law enforcement by judicial authorities to protect women in this regard, bringing such persecution to an end.^[42]

Some sections of tribal population of Chhattisgarh state believe in witchcraft.^[42] Women are believed to have access to supernatural forces and are accused of being witches (tonhi) often to settle personal scores.

As of 2010, they are still hounded out of villages on the basis of flimsy accusations by male village sorcerers paid to do so by villagers with personal agendas, such as property and goods acquisition.^[42] According to National Geographic Channel’s investigations, those accused are fortunate if they are only verbally bullied and shunned or exiled from their village.

Culture

The state hosts many religious sects such as Satnami Panth, Kabirpanth, Ramnami Samaj and others. Champaran (Chhattisgarh) is a small town with religious significance as the birthplace of the Saint Vallabhacharya, increasingly important as a pilgrimage site for the Gujarati community.

Chhattisgarh has a significant role in the life of lord Rama. Lord Rama along with his wife Sita and his younger brother Lakshaman had started his Vanvas (exile) in the Bastar region (more precisely Dandakaranya region) of Chhattisgarh. They lived more than 10 years of their 14 years of Vanvas in different places of Chhattisgarh. One of the remarkable place is Shivrinarayan which is nearby Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh. Shivrinarayan was named after an old lady Shabari. When Ram visited Shabari she said "I do not have anything to offer other than my heart, but here are some berry fruits. May it please you, my Lord." Saying so, Shabari offered the fruits she had meticulously collected to Rama. When Rama was tasting them, Lakshmana raised the concern that Shabari had already tasted them and therefore unworthy of eating. To this Rama said that of the many types of food he had tasted, "nothing could equal these berry fruits, offered with such devotion. You taste them, then alone will you know. Whomsoever offers a fruit, leaf, flower or some water with love, I partake it with great joy."

The Odia culture is prominent in the eastern parts of Chhattisgarh bordering Odisha.

Literature

Chhattisgarh is a storehouse of literature, performing arts and crafts — all of which derives its substance and sustenance from the day-to-day life experiences of its people. Religion, mythology, social and political events, nature and folklore are favourite motifs. Traditional crafts include painting, woodcarving, bell metal craft, bamboo ware and tribal jewellery. Chhattisgarh has a rich literary heritage with roots that lie deep in the sociological and historical movements of the region. Its literature reflects the regional consciousness and the evolution of an identity distinct from others in Central India.

Crafts

Chhattisgarh is known for "Kosa silk" and "lost wax art". Besides saris and salwar suits, the fabric is used to create lehengas, stoles, shawls and menswear including jackets, shirts, achkans and sherwanis. Works by the internationally renowned sculptor, Sushil Sakhuja's Dhokra Nandi, are available at government's Shabari handicrafts emporium, Raipur.

Dance

Panthi, Rawat Nacha, Pandwani, Chaitra, Kaksar, Saila and Soowa are the several indigenous dance styles of Chhattisgarh.

Panthi

Panthi, the folk dance of the Satnami community, has religious overtones. Panthi is performed on Maghi Purnima, the anniversary of the birth of Guru Ghasidas. The dancers dance around a jaitkhamb set up for the occasion, to songs eulogizing their spiritual head. The songs reflect a view of nirvana, conveying the spirit of their guru's renunciation and the teachings of saint poets like Kabir, Ramdas and Dadu. Dancers with bent torsos and swinging arms dance, carried away by their devotion. As the rhythm quickens, they perform acrobatics and form human pyramids.^[43]

Pandwani

Pandavani is a folk ballad form performed predominantly in Chhattisgarh. It depicts the story of the Pandavas, the leading characters in the epic Mahabharata. The artists in the Pandavani narration consist of a lead artist and some supporting singers and musicians. There are two styles of narration in Pandavani, Vedamati and Kapalik. In the Vedamati style the lead artist narrates in a simple manner by sitting on the floor throughout the performance. The Kaplik style is livelier, where the narrator actually enacts the scenes and characters.^[44]

Raut Nacha

Raut Nacha, the folk dance of cowherds, is a traditional dance of Yaduvanshis (clan of Yadu) as symbol of worship to Krishna from the 4th day of Diwali(Goverdhan Puja) till the time of Dev Uthani Ekadashi (day of awakening of the gods after a brief rest) which is the 11th day after Diwali according to the Hindu calendar . The dance closely resembles Krishna's dance with the gopis (milkmaids).^[45][46]

In Bilaspur, the Raut Nach Mahotsav folk dance festival is organized annually since 1978. Tens of hundreds of Rautt dancers from remote areas participate.^[47]

Soowa Nacha

Soowa or Suwa tribal dance in Chhattisgarh is also known as Parrot Dance. It is a symbolic form of dancing related to worship. Dancers keep a parrot in a bamboo-pot and form a circle around it. Then performers sing and dance, moving around it with clapping. This is one of the main dance form of tribal women of Chhattisgarh.^[48]

Karma

Tribal groups like Gonds, the Baigas and the Oraons in Chhattisgarh have Karma dance as part of their culture. Both men and women arrange themselves in two rows and follow the rhythmic steps, directed by the singer group. The Karma tribal dance marks the end of the rainy season and the advent of spring season.^[49][50]

Festivals of Chhattisgarh

• Bastar Dussehra/ Durga Puja
• Bastar Lokotsav
• Madai Festival
• Rajim Kumbh Mela
• Pakhanjore Mela (Nara Narayan Mela)
• Bhoramdeo Festival
• Goncha Festival
• Teeja Festival
• Champaran Mela
• Narayanpur Mela
• Pola
• Hareli
• First fruit Festival
• Earth Festival
• Chakradhar Samaroh
• Dantewada Fair
• Ramaram Fair
• Ma Bambleshwari Fair
• Ratanpur Fair
• Shivrinarayan Fair
• Sihawa Fair
• Girodhpuri Fair
• Damakheda Fair
• Sirpur Festival

^[51]

Other state people cultural contribution

• Lata mangeshkar sang a song for Chhattisgarhi film Bhakla of Dhriti pati sarkar.
• Mohmd Rafi sang a song for Chhattisgarhi film. He had also sung songs for various Chhattisgarhi films like Ghardwaar, Kahi Debe Sandes, Punni Ke Chanda, etc.

Theatre

Theater is known as Gammat in Chhattisgarh. Pandavani is one of the lyrical forms of this theater. Several acclaimed plays of Habib Tanvir, such as Charandas Chor, are variations of Chhattisgarhi theater.

Film Industry

Chhollywood is Chhattisgarh's film industries. Every year many Chhattisgarhi film produced by local producers.

Traditional food

The State of Chhattisgarh is known as the rice bowl of India and has a rich tradition of food culture.^{[52][53][54] [55] [56] [57]}

Most of the traditional and tribal foods are made of rice and rice flour, curd and a variety of green leafy vegetables like lal bhaaji, chowlai bhaaji, chech bhaji, kaanda bhaaji, kochai patta, kohda and bohar bhaji. Badi and Bijori are optional food categories; gulgula (bobra), bidiya, dhoodh fara, bafauli, kusli, balooshahi and khurmi fall in sweet categories. Some well known breakfast dishes made out of rice & rice flour include fara/muthiya (rice rolls in white sauce), cheela(dosa like dish made with rice batter), angakar roti, chousera roti (rice puris), etc. One of the common meal had during the scorching summer is Bore Baasi ( literally means dipped rice from last cooked meal) which mainly consists of cooked rice dipped water/dahi/buttermilk. It is mostly accompanied by pickle and raw onion. It helps maintain the water levels in the body, keeping it cool and hydrated during the hot and arid summer days.

One of the well known traditional dishes of Chhattisgarh is "Iddhar". It is made with ground urad dal and kochai patta. Both are arranged in alternate layers 2-3 time and then rolled. This roll is then cooked in steam and cut into pieces. After that it is prepared with curd like curry. Some people also make it with gram flour (besan) instead of urad dal.

Tribal and village populations drink a brew made of the small, creamy white flower of a local tree called Mahuwa.

Economy

Chhattisgarh's gross state domestic product for 2010 is estimated at INR 60,079 crore in current prices. The economy of Chhattisgarh has grown rapidly in recent years with a growth rate of 11.49 per cent in GDP for 2009–2010.^[58] Chhattisgarh’s success factors in achieving high growth rate are growth in agriculture and industrial production.

Tea production

Chhattisgarh State is ranked as the 17th largest tea production state in India. The districts of Jashpur and Surguja are favorable tea production areas. In Jashpur district, the first tea plantation, Brahmnishthajaya Sogara Ashram was established under the direction of Pujya Pad Gurupad. Tea production started after two years at the Sogara Ashram. A tea processing unit was established in Sogara Ashram and the unit name set as the Aghor Tea Processing Plant. The forestry department has also started a tea plantation motivated by the Sogara Ashram. In Surguja district, a tea nursery is being developed by the Margdarshan Sansthan Agriculture College in Ambikapur, Surguja.

Agriculture

Agriculture is counted as the chief economic occupation of the state. According to a government estimate, net sown area of the state is 4.828 million hectares and the gross sown area is 5.788 million hectares.^[59] Horticulture and animal husbandry also engage a major share of the total population of the state.^[60] About 80% of the population of the state is rural and the main livelihood of the villagers is agriculture and agriculture-based small industry.

The majority of the farmers are still practicing the traditional methods of cultivation, resulting in low growth rates and productivity. The farmers have to be made aware of modern technologies suitable to their holdings. Providing adequate knowledge to the farmers is essential for better implementation of the agricultural development plans and to improve the productivity.^[61]

Considering this and a very limited irrigated area, the productivity of not only rice but also other crops is low, hence the farmers are unable to obtain economic benefits from agriculture and it has remained as subsistence agriculture till now.

Agricultural products

The main crops are rice, maize,^[62] kodo-kutki and other small millets and pulses (tuar^[63] and kulthi); oilseeds, such as groundnuts (peanuts), soybeans^[64] and sunflowers, are also grown. In the mid-1990s, most of Chhattisgarh was still a monocrop belt. Only one-fourth to one-fifth of the sown area was double-cropped. When a very substantial portion of the population is dependent on agriculture, a situation where nearly 80% of a state's area is covered only by one crop, immediate attention to turn them into double crop areas is needed. Also, very few cash crops are grown in Chhattisgarh, so there is a need to diversify the agriculture produce towards oilseeds and other cash crops. Chhattisgarh is also called the "rice bowl of central India".^[59]

Irrigation

In Chhattisgarh, rice, the main crop, is grown on about 77% of the net sown area. Only about 20% of the area is under irrigation; the rest depends on rain. Of the three agroclimatic zones, about 73% of the Chhattisgarh plains, 97% of the Bastar plateau and 95% of the northern hills are rainfed. The irrigated area available for double cropping is only 87,000 ha in Chhattisgarh plains and 2300 ha in Bastar plateau and northern hills. Due to this, the productivity of rice and other crops is low, hence the farmers are unable to obtain economic benefits from agriculture and it has remained as subsistence agriculture till now, though agriculture is the main occupation of more than 80% of the population.^[61]

In Chhattisgarh region about 22% of net cropped area was under irrigation as compared to 36.5% in Madhya Pradesh in 1998-99, whereas the average national irrigation was about 40%. The irrigation is characterized by a high order of variability ranging from 1.6% in Bastar to 75.0% in Dhamtari. Based on an average growth trend in irrigated area, about 0.43% additional area is brought under irrigation every year as compared to 1.89% in Madhya Pradesh and 1.0% in the country as a whole. Thus, irrigation has been growing at a very low rate in Chhattisgarh and the pace of irrigation is so slow, it would take about 122 years to reach the 75% level of net irrigated area in Chhattisgarh at the present rate of growth.^[61]

Chhattisgarh has a limited irrigation system, with dams and canals on some rivers. Average rainfall in the state is around 1400 mm and the entire state falls under the rice agroclimatic zone. Large variation in the yearly rainfall directly affects the production of rice. Irrigation is the prime need of the state for its overall development and therefore the state government has given top priority to development of irrigation.^[59]

A total of four major, 33 medium and 2199 minor irrigation projects have been completed and five major, 9 medium and 312 minor projects are under construction, as of 31 March 2006.

Industrial sector

Power sector

Chhattisgarh is one of the few states of India where the power sector is effectively developed. Based on the current production of surplus electric power, the position of the State is comfortable and profitable. The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) is in a strong position to meet the electricity requirement of the new state and is in good financial health. Chhattisgarh provides electricity to several other states because of surplus production.

In Chhattisgarh, National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (|NTPC) has Sipat Thermal Power Station with a capacity of 2980 MW at Sipat, Bilaspur; and Korba Super Thermal Power Station with a capacity of 2600 MW at Korba, while CSEB's units have a thermal capacity of 1780 MW and hydel capacity of 130 MW. Apart from NTPC and CSEB, there are a number of private generation units of large and small capacity. The state government has pursued a liberal policy with regard to captive generation which has resulted in a number of private players coming up.^[65]

As per a study made by the Power Finance Corporation Ltd., New Delhi, the state has potential of 61000 MW of additional thermal power in terms of availability of coal for more than 100 years and more than 2500 MW hydel capacity. To use this vast potential, substantial additions to the existing generation capacity are already under way.^[65]

Steel sector

The steel industry is one of the biggest heavy industries of Chhattisgarh. Bhilai Steel Plant, Bhilai operated by SAIL, with a capacity of 5.4 million tonnes per year, is regarded as a significant growth indicator of the state. More than 100 steel rolling mills, 90 sponge iron plants and ferro-alloy units are in Chhattisgarh. Along with Bhilai, today Raipur, Bilaspur, Korba and Raigarh have become the steel hub of Chhattisgarh. Today, Raipur has become the center of the steel sector, the biggest market for steel in India.^[66]

Aluminium sector

The aluminium industry of Chhattisgarh was established by Bharat Aluminum Company Limited, which has a capacity of around one million tonnes each year.^[66]

Natural resources

Forest

Forests occupy 41.33% of the total area (as per the latest report by the Indian Forest Service) and the rich forest resources include wood, tendu leaves, honey and lac.

Mineral deposits

Chhattisgarh is rich in minerals. It produces 20% of the country's total cement produce. It ranks first in the nation for coal production and second in reserves, third in iron ore production and first in tin production. Limestone, dolomite and bauxite are abundant. It is the only tin-ore producing state in the country. Other minerals include corandum, garnet, quartz, marble, alexandrite and diamonds.

Information and technologies

In recent years, Chhattisgarh is also getting exposure in information technology (IT) projects and consultancy. Its government is also promoting IT and has set up a body to take care of the IT solutions. The body, known as CHIPS, is providing large IT projects such as Choice, Swan, etc.

Major companies

Major companies with a presence in the state include:

• Metal: Bhilai Steel Plant, Jindal Steel and Power, Bharat Aluminium Company, Baldev Alloys Pvt Ltd
• Oil: Indian Oil Corporation
• Engineering: Simplex Casting Ltd,
• Real estate: CHPL-Dream-Homes (Chouhan Housing Pvt Ltd.)
• Mining: NMDC, South Eastern Coalfields
• Power : NTPC, Lanco Infratech, KSK Energy Ventures, Vandana Vidyut, Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company, Jindal Power Limited.

Exports

Chhattisgarh’s total exports were US$353.3 million in 2009-10. Nearly 75 per cent of exports comes from Bhilai and the remaining from Urla, Bhanpuri and Sirgitti. The major exports products include steel, handicrafts, handlooms, blended yarn, food and agri-products, iron, aluminium, cement, minerals and engineering products. CSIDC (Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation Limited) is the nodal agency of the Government of Chhattisgarh for export promotion in the state.

Tourism

Chhattisgarh, situated in the heart of India, is endowed with a rich cultural heritage and attractive natural diversity. The state is full of ancient monuments, rare wildlife, exquisitely carved temples, Buddhist sites, palaces, water falls, caves, rock paintings and hill plateaus.

There are many Waterfalls, hot springs, caves, temples, dams and National parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Chhattisgarh.

Education

According to the census of 2011, Chhattisgarh's literacy, the most basic indicator of education was at 71.04 percent. Female literacy is at 60.59 percent.

Absolute literates and literacy rate

Data from Census of India, 2011.^[67]

Description	2001 census	2011 census
Total	20,833,803	25,540,196
Male	10,474,218	12,827,915
Female	10,359,585	12,712,281
% Total	64.66	71.04
% Male	77.38	81.45
% Female	55.85	60.59

Universities

Bastar Vishwavidyalaya, is one of the new universities erected at the same time as Surguja university. Bastar University is bifurcated from Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur.

Premier institutes in Chhattisgarh

There are a number of premier professional institutes in the state of Chhattisgarh.

1. Indian Institute of Management Raipur
2. Indira Kala Sangeet University
3. Guru Ghasidas University^[68]
4. National Institute of Technology Raipur^[69]
5. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur
6. Hidayatullah National Law University

Other universities

1. Bilaspur University
2. Sarguja University
3. Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University
4. Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University
5. Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya
6. Pandit Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University^[70]

Guru Ghasidas University

Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya is the Central University of the Chhattisgarh state. Established in the year 1983, the university was centralized under the act 2009. The first Vice Chancellor of the University after it got centralized was Dr. Lakshman Chaturvedi, who retired on 28 February 2014. At present, the acting VC is Dr, Khokkhar. The university provides hons degree in various courses like BA, B.Sc., B.Tech, B.E., etc.

Sarguja University

Surguja Vishwavidyalaya was established and incorporated by Chhattisgarh Vishwavidyalaya Adhiniyam No. 18 of 2008. The territorial jurisdiction of the University is the entire Surguja division comprising the revenue districts of Koriya, Surguja, and Jaspur. It started functioning from September 2, 2008. Surguja is a fast-growing industrial area, having a large number of small industrial units. The jurisdiction is the nerve centre of business, especially coal, forestry, and natural resources, including medicinal trees. The region has a very rich historical and cultural heritage. The university is situated in a tribally enriched, socially and economically challenged area of Chhattisgarh. At present the university is partially residential and fully one, having its jurisdiction spread over the Surguja revenue division. At present the university has 65 affiliated colleges offering various courses in arts, science, commerce, education, law, management, and social science as well as multidisciplinary courses such as Environmental Sciences, Biotechnology, Farm Forestry, Computer Science and Information Technology. Ambikapur town is a Municipal Corporation and is well connected with all parts of the country by road and rail also. This town is connected with Durg, Raipur, Bilaspur and Anuppur of the South East Central Railway Zone (SECR). The railway station is 4 km from town. Frequent local transport is available for reaching the university. The nearest railway zone and main railway is Bilaspur in the SECR, 235 km away. Raipur, the capital of Chhattishgarh is 350 km away which is the nearest airport. An airstrip in Darima, which is just 10 km away is still in its developing stage and will cater to air traffic for the entire region.^[71]

Dr. C. V. Raman University

Dr. C. V. Raman University was established on 3 November 2006, and inaugurated on October 14, 2007 by Hon. Shri Suresh Pachouri (Minister of State for Personnel and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India), in the presence of Senior Ministers of GoCG — Shri Amar Agarwal (Minister of Commerce) and Dr. Krishnamurti Bandhi (Minister of Higher Education), Shri Santosh Kumar Choubey (Chancellor), Dr. A.S. Zadgaonkar (Vice Chancellor) along with other Members of the Parliament and MLAs of various constituencies.^[72]

Media and communications

• Print media: Times of India, Hindustan Times, Central Chronicle, The Hitavada, The Statesman, Dainik Bhaskar, Nai Dunia,Deshbandhu, Patrika, Navabharat, Haribhumi, Utkal Mail

Telecommunications

• Airtel, Aircel, BSNL, Idea Cellular, Reliance Mobile, Tata Docomo, Vodafone, Videocon

Television

• Airtel digital TV, Dish TV, Reliance Digital TV, TATA Sky, Videocon D2H, Big Tv

Radio

• All India Radio
• 94.3 MYFM
• Radio Rangeela
• Radio Mirchi
• Radio Tadka

See also

• Bibliography of India
• Index of India-related articles
• India – Wikipedia book
• List of people from Chhattisgarh
• Outline of India

Notes

References

• Books on Chhattisgarh
  • ड़ा.संजय अलंग-छत्तीसगढ़ की जनजातियाँ Tribes और जातियाँ Castes (मानसी पब्लीकेशन,दिल्ली 6, ISBN 978-81-89559-32-8)
  • ड़ा.संजय अलंग-छत्तीसगढ़ की पूर्व रियासतें और जमीन्दारियाँ (वैभव प्रकाशन,रायपुर 1, ISBN 81-89244-96-5) http://www.scribd.com/doc/72030961/Dr-Sanjay-Alung-CG-Ki-Riyaste-Jamindariya-Hindi
  • Deshbandhu Publication Division, "सन्दर्भ छत्तीसगढ़"
  • Deshbandhu Publication Division, "छत्तीसगढ़ के तीर्थ और पर्यटन स्थल"
  • Deshbandhu Publication Division, "Chhattisgarh: Beautiful & Bountiful (Study in Biodiversity of Chhattisgarh)"
  • Ramesh Dewangan & Sunil Tuteja, "Chhattisgarh Samagra"
  • C.K. Chandrakar, "Chhattisgarhi Shabadkosh" ....
  • C.K. Chandrakar, "Manak Chhattisgarhi Vyakaran"
  • C.K. Chandrakar, "Chhattisgarhi Muhawara Kosh"
  • Lawrence Babb, "The Divine Hierarchy: Popular Hinduism in Central India"
  • Saurabh Dube, "Untouchable Pasts: Religion, Identity and Power among a Central Indian Community, 1780–1950" (on the Satnamis)
  • Ramdas Lamb, "Rapt in the Name: Ramnamis, Ramnam and Untouchable Religion in Central India"
  • Chad Bauman, "Identifying the Satnam: Hindu Satnamis, Indian Christians and Dalit Religion in Colonial Chhattisgarh, India (1868–1947) (Ph. D. dissertation, Princeton Theological Seminary, 2005)
  • "List of books by Prof H. L. Shukla

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chhattisgarh.

• Chhattisgarh travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Chhattisgarh News
• Chhattisgarh business overview by the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF)
•  "Chhattisgarh". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911. 

	Madhya Pradesh	Uttar Pradesh	Jharkhand
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State of Chhattisgarh Capital: Raipur (Legislative) Naya Raipur (Administrative) Governance Legislature Chief Ministers Governors Raj Bhavan High Court Police Topics Education Election Language Music People Highest point Districts Balod Baloda Bazar Balrampur Bastar Bemetara Bijapur Bilaspur Dantewada Dhamtari Durg Gariaban Janjgir–Champa Jashpur Kawardha Kanker Kondagaon Korba Koriya Mahasamund Mungeli Narayanpur Raigarh Raipur Rajnandgaon Sukma Surajpur Surguja Cities Ambikapur Bhilai Bilaspur Charoda Dhamtari Durg Jagdalpur Korba Naya Raipur Raipur Raigarh Rajnandgaon Chhattisgarh

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