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Chhattisgarh |
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Chhattisgarh has been carved out of the State of Madhya Pradesh as the ninth largest State with an area of approximately 135,133 sq km. It lies in 17 degree 46' to 24 degree 5' North latitude and 80 degree 15' to 84 degree 20' East longitude. It is bound by southern Jharkhand and Orissa in east; Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in west; Uttar Pradesh and western Jharkhand in north and Andhra Pradesh in the south. It is blessed with two mighty rivers known as Indravati and Mahanadi. Also, the great Vindhyachal mountain range dominates its landscape. It has a rich cultural heritage which includes ancient monuments, carved temples, Buddhist sites, palaces, caves, rock paintings, etc.
The State is bestowed with natural resources like forests, rare wildlife, surface water and waterfalls. It is the richest State in terms of mineral resources, with abundance of all the major minerals including diamonds. For instance, all the tin ore in India is in Chhattisgarh. It has one of the best quality iron ore deposits in the world which is found in its Bailadila mines. Also, rich deposits of bauxite, limestone, dolomite and corundum are found in the State. Its large coal deposits have the potential of transforming it into a power hub. All this makes the State an ideal location for setting up industrial unit at the lowest cost of production. The added virtue is the availability of technically qualified manpower trained in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, mineral beneficiation, mining engineering and environmental science. Thus, there exist several opportunities to harness these natural advantages embedded in the State.
Accordingly, the State welcomes investment for setting up such industries which add value to its natural resource base through an investor friendly climate. For this purpose, t he State Government has made several policy announcements and incentives for attracting investors into the State. The Government has been focusing on the critical areas of law and order, education, health, environment, social safety nets, fiscal reforms and e-governance. Realising that its large human resource base is the key to its prosperity, the State has been making all efforts to tap the creative energies of the people. Besides, the State's Vision document, known as 'Chhattisgarh 2010', lays out the key actions to be taken over the coming years by charting out a roadmap for the State’s progress. It clearly delineates and emphasises on the important sectors of the economy to ensure rapid and balanced development of the State.
Investment Opportunities
Chhattisgarh is truly a land of opportunities, with abundant reserve of natural resources like forests, minerals and surface water. Its large manpower base at varying skill levels and the availability of variety of agricultural crops are the key to the State's future and prosperity. In addition, its unique culture and ecological identity makes it an attractive tourist destination. All these advantages can be strategically exploited for setting up various industrial units in the State and creating an investor friendly environment. Thus, there exist numerous investment opportunities in several sectors of an economy.
Agriculture: Agriculture and allied activities account for nearly 80 per cent of the work force in the State. Out of the geographical area of 13,789 thousand hectares, gross cropped area is about 35 per cent. Kharif is the main cropping season. The predominant crop of the State is rice and it has one of the biggest collection of rice germoplasm. As a result, the State is known as the 'rice bowl' of Madhya Pradesh. Other important crops grown in the State are paddy, maize, wheat, niger, soyabean, sunflower, groundnut and pulses. Besides, horticulture crops are grown in an area of about 123 thousand hectares.
Mineral Resources: Chhattisgarh is the richest State in terms of mineral wealth. It hosts a wide variety of minerals found in igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic terrains. These mineral resources have immense potential for large investment in mining, setting of mineral based industries and generating employment in the State. The large deposits of coal, iron ore, limestone, bauxite, dolomite and tin ore are located in several parts of the State. Chhattisgarh produces around twenty per cent of the country's steel and cement and is the only tin-ore producing State in the country. It is nestling atop the world's largest Kimberlite area. Eight blocks have been demarcated for diamond exploration. For instance, Diamondiferous Kimberlites identified in Raipur district are likely to yield substantial quantity of diamonds. Apart from diamond, four blocks of gold exploration and five blocks for base metal investigation have been demarcated. The State is also encouraging establishment of a Gems and Jewellery Park to attract new investment in the sector.
Information Technology: The State of Chhattisgarh recognizes the importance of Information Technology (IT) as a key enabler in its economic development and improving the quality of life of people. Accordingly, the State has prepared its IT policy with a vision of establishing an information society consisting of informed, active and responsible citizens. It seeks to provide all citizens widespread and easy access to Government services, in the local language effectively addressing the existing digital divide and promoting entrepreneurs.
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November 2009
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