The state of Jharkhand
Jharkhand: Highlights
Location
: Eastern India,
formerly part of Bihar. Districts:
18 (Ranchi, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Dumka, Pakur, Sahibganj, Godda, Deoghar,
Giridih, Hazaribagh, Kodarma, Chatra, Palamau, Garhwa, Lohardanga, Gomia,
West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum) Mineral resources: Coal
33%, Iron Ore 34%, Copper 34%, Mica 46%, Pyrite 58% and Quartzite 87%
of country’s total reserve. Tourist spots: Hudru falls, Lodha, Burha,
Deruaghah Sanctuaries: Betla National Park (wildlife,
tigers specially) near Daltongunj Pilgrimage centres: Pareshnath Hills (a pilgrimage
centre for the Jains), Chhinnamasta Temple in Rajarappa Resort: Netarhat resort at 1,200 metre above
sea level. Forest: Palamau forest Industry:Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO)
in Jamshedpur, Bokaro Steel Plant of Steel Authority of India (SAIL) in
Bokaro, Heavy Engineering Corporation in Ranchi, Metallurgical Consultancy
(MECON) in Ranchi, Fertilizer Corporation of India (Sindhri). Adityapur
Industrial Area for small scale industrial units.
Area: 79,714 sq km
Population: 218 million
Literacy: 52% (women’s literacy 27%)
Capital: Ranchi
Agriculture produce: Kendu (a kind of tobacco leaf), rice and wheat.
Click here for map of Jharkhand
Compiled by Amitabha Sen
Jharkhand, formerly part of Bihar, became the 28th state of the Indian federation on November 15, 2000.
The mineral-rich state, numerically dominated by tribals and the scheduled castes, has a number of industries. Two major steel plants (in Jamshedpur and Bokaro), coal mines, a heavy engineering unit and a fertilizer unit (in Sindhri) are situated in the state of Jharkhand.
All these notwithstanding, about 85 per cent of the tribals live below the poverty line. The people of the state are yet to get a nice road, potable water, steady power supply, required educational facilities etc.
None
else than the state chief minister himself admitted in an interview with
Sonali Das of The Times of India (November 15, 2000) that "connecting
villages with better roads, power, water and education will be given top
priority. Industrialization will also be accorded priority". He attributes
the basic reason the underdevelopment of Jharkhand to "exploitation
and illiteracy."
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Map
of Jharkhand
(Courtesy: Ranchi Express
Online)
