Uttarakhand - Background
Uttarakhand, The Land of Gods, is a state in northern India crossed by the Himalayas, is known for its Hindu pilgrimage sites. Rishikesh, a major centre for yoga study, was made famous by the Beatles’ 1968 visit. The city hosts the evening Ganga Aarti, a spiritual gathering on the sacred Ganges River. The state's forested Jim Corbett National Park shelters Bengal tigers and other native wildlife.
Uttarakhand was formed on the 9th November 2000 as the 27th State of India, when it was carved out of northern Uttar Pradesh. Located at the foothills of the Himalayan mountain ranges, it is largely a hilly State, having international boundaries with China (Tibet) in the north and Nepal in the east. On its north-west lies Himachal Pradesh, while on the south is Uttar Pradesh. It is rich in natural resources especially water and forests with many glaciers, rivers, dense forests and snow-clad mountain peaks.
Char-dhams, the four most sacred and revered Hindu temples of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are nestled in the mighty mountains. It’s truly God’s Land (Dev Bhoomi). Dehradun is the Capital of Uttarakhand. It is one of the most beautiful resort in the submountain tracts of India, known for its scenic surroundings. The town lies in the Dun Valley, on the watershed of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
It is blessed with a rare bio-diversity, inter-alia, 175 rare species of aromatic & medicinal plants are found in the State. It has almost all major climatic zones, making it amenable to a variety of commercial opportunities in horticulture, floriculture and agriculture. It has a vast tourism potential in adventure, leisure, and eco-tourism.
The State is rich in mineral deposits like limestone, marble, rock phosphate, dolomite, magnesite, copper, gypsum, etc. The number of small scale industries is 25,294 providing employment to 63,599 persons. As many as 1802 heavy and medium industries with an investment of Rs 20,000 crore employ 5 lakh persons. Most of the industries are forest-based. There is a total of 54,047 handicraft units in the state.
With levels of literacy higher than the national average, the State has abundant availability of quality human resources. Within a short span of its existence, Uttarakhand has emerged as a significant destination for investments in manufacturing industry, tourism and infrastructure. Emphasis is on stimulating all three sectors of its economy (agriculture, industry and services),to their fullest potential in tandem with the geographic profile of the state. The Government of Uttarakhand has undertaken several policy measures and incentives in order to encourage inflow of investment into the various sectors of its economy.
Uttarakhand a paradise for tourists lying in the north of the vast and beautiful expanse of India, cradled in the awesome beauty and calm serenity of the Stately Himalayas, Uttaranchal, the Devbhumi (Land of Gods) has attracted tourists and pilgrims from world over since time immemorial. Sacred pilgrimages of different religions including Haridwar and the world famous Char Dham or the four Hindu Pilgrimage destinations of Shri Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri the sacred Sikh pilgrimage of Hemkund, Lokpal, Nanakmatta and Meetha, Reetha Sahib and Piran Kaliyar have drawn pilgrims and seekers for spiritual fulfillment to Uttaranchal.
The holy river Ganga and Yamuna have their sources in the hills within this State. The rich cultural traditions, the rare natural beauty and the cool and invigorating climate of this land of origin of the holy Ganga and Yamuna rivers have been its main attractions.Culturally, Uttaranchal has a rich and vibrant heritage. There are several local fairs and festivals like Jhanda Mela (Dehradun), Surkanda Devi Mela (Tehri Garhwal), Magh Mela (Uttarkashi), Nanda Devi Mela (Nanital), Chaiti Mela (Udham Singh Nagar), Purnagiri Mela (Champawat), Piran Kaliyar Mela (Haridwar), Joljivi Mela (Pithoragarh) and Uttarayani Mela (Bageshwar), indicative of the immense possibilites for cultural tourism in Uttarakhand.
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