This is the user sandbox of Ayanosh. A user sandbox is a subpage of the user's user page. It serves as a testing spot and page development space for the user and is not an encyclopedia article. Create or edit your own sandbox here. Other sandboxes: Main sandbox | Template sandbox Finished writing a draft article? Are you ready to request review of it by an experienced editor for possible inclusion in Wikipedia? Submit your draft for review!

Uttarakhand/ˌ[invalid input: 'ʉ']tərəɑː khənd/ (Sanskrit: उत्तराखण्डम्, Uttarākhanḍam, Hindi: उत्तराखण्ड, Uttarākhanḍ), formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Land of the gods" (Hindi: देव भूमि, Dēv bhūmi) due to the many holy Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found throughout the state. Known for its natural beauty and wealth of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai, the state was carved out of the Himalayan and adjoining north-western districts of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, becoming the 27th state of the Republic of India.^[1] It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region on the north, the Mahakali Zone of Far-Western Region, Nepal on the east and the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh to the south and Himachal Pradesh to the north west.The state is divided into two divisions Kumaon and Garhwal with a total of 13 districts.The provisional capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, which is also a rail-head and the largest city in the region.The high court of the state is in Nainital.

Archaelogical evidence support the existence of humans in the region since prehistoric times.Among the first major dynasties of Garhwal and Kumaon were the Kunindas in the 2nd century BCE who practised an early form of Shaivism.Ashokan edicts at Kalsi show the early presence of Buddhism in this region.During the medieval period the region was consolidated under the Kumaon and Garhwal kingdom.By 1803 the regions fell to the Gurkha Empire of Nepal and with the conclusion of the Anglo-Nepalese War in 1816 most of today's Uttarakhand ceded to the British as part of Treaty of Sugauli.Although the erstwhile hill kingdoms of Garhwal and Kumaon were traditional rivals, the proximity of different neighbouring ethnic groups, the inseparable and complementary nature of their geography, economy, culture, language, and traditions created strong bonds between the two regions which further strengthened during the movement for statehood in the 90s.

The natives of the state are generally called either Kumaoni or Garhwali depending on their place of origin in either the Garhwal or the Kumaon region.According to the 2011 census of India Uttarakhand has a population of 10,116,752 being the 19th most populous state in India.A large portion of the population is Rajput and Brahmin.More than 8o% of the population is Hindu.Muslims are the largest minority in the state with Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Jains being the other major religions.Garhwali and Kumaoni are the two main regional languages with Hindi being the most widely spoken langusge.

The state is home to some the most important shrines of Hinduism giving it the moniker, Dev Bhumi.Two of the most important rivers in Hinduism originate in the religion, Ganga at Gangotri and Yamuna at Yamunotri.These two along with Badrinath and Kedarnath form the Chota Char Dham, a holy pilgrimage for the Hindus.Due to the Himalayas the state is home to some of the most beautiful hill stations in India including Nainital and Mussoorie.The state also hosts the Bengal Tiger in the Jim Corbett National Park, the oldest on the Indian sub continent.There is also the Unesco World Heritage Site of Valley of Flowers known for the variety of flowers and plants found here some of which are extremely rare.

rivers: Ganga, Yamuna history of region (not state only): 1 para tourism like hill stations population: ethnicity of people stats like area; no. of districts; Garhwal, Kumaon division names

Although the entertainment industry of Uttarakhand is in its infant stage, yet there is a rapid growth in terms of audio visual entertainment. The pure folk seems to be disappearing from villages, so is the younger generation. Still there are many options one can get close to the folk music. Recently, in the honor of all who gave Bedupako Baramaasa folk tune an international fame and also to make Uttarakhand folk available all around the world 24X7, an online radio, which is one of the only and very first on-line radio of Uttarakhand available on web, was created by the name of bedupako.

The State has many natural lakes at elevations from 1500 to 4500 m. The Kumaon region is particularly known as the "Lake District of India" for its large number of lakes.^[2]

• http://uk.gov.in/files/pdf/Uttarakhan_at_a_Glance_2011-12.pdf
• http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/data_files/india/Final_PPT_2011_progresstables.pdf
• http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/present/Uttarakhand.pdf
• http://media.lonelyplanet.com/shop/pdfs/470-Trekking_in_the_Indian_Himalaya_-_Uttarakhand__Chapter_.pdf
• http://books.google.co.in/books?id=XTfmGNfaoC4C&pg=PA188&lpg=PA188&dq=uttarakhand+phonetic+name&source=bl&ots=Bh5OqEDHrK&sig=XwWOHOVmI6nXZvTskGEEb47lPt0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fkr5T6yMHsLjrAfPl5zCBg&ved=0CFcQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
• http://books.google.co.in/books?id=iojJb5EjjaUC&pg=PA119&lpg=PA119&dq=uttarakhand+phonetic+name&source=bl&ots=KJn9yfTtUp&sig=ESury1VJ9CVH0oAv2jKE1aEnphM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fkr5T6yMHsLjrAfPl5zCBg&ved=0CEMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
• http://www.cleangangaportal.org/sites/default/files/user_attachements/Impacts%20of%20River%20Rafting%20on%20the%20Ganges.pdf
• http://www.tropentag.de/2007/abstracts/full/243.pdf
• http://books.google.co.in/books?id=jSelsX-adscC&pg=PA56&dq=uttarakhand+flora+fauna&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XXr6T-K1K4bMrQe12uXKBg&ved=0CFgQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=uttarakhand%20flora%20fauna&f=false
• http://books.google.co.in/books?id=ct6YMRvYJQ4C&pg=PA277&dq=uttarakhand+flora+fauna&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XXr6T-K1K4bMrQe12uXKBg&ved=0CFIQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=uttarakhand%20flora%20fauna&f=false
• http://www.pppinindia.com/infrastructure-uttaranchal.php
• http://www.nhai.org/statewise1.asp

• 
  Sculpted door, Uttarakhand, India
• 
  Tungnath idol being taken up to the temple, Uttarakhand
• 
  Ruskin Bond]]
• 
  Rajendra Pachauri - WEF 2008
• 
  World's largest Buddha Stupa in Mindroling Monastery
• 
  Prasoon Joshi,a prominent Indian poet and lyricist
• 
  A typical home, in Ransi village, in Garhwal, Uttarakhand
• 
  Bhagirathi River at Gangotri, source stream of the Ganges.
• 
  Woman from Than Gaon in Uttarakhand, with two goat kids
• A Garhwali lady in traditional attire.
  A Garhwali lady in traditional attire.
• 
  Mindroling Monastery in Clement Town.
• 
  Evening prayers at Har ki Pauri in Haridwar, one of the most sacred cities of Hinduism
• 
  A stone sculpture (Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu) depicting Bhagiratha in penance for the salvation of 60,000 of his ancestors
• 
  Valley of Flowers National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The mountains of the region have been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times shown by the ancient rock paintings, rock shelters, Paleolithic stone tools (hundreds of thousands of years old), and megaliths.There are also archaeological remains which show the existence of early Vedic (c. 1500 bce) practices in the area.^[3] The Pauravas, Kushanas, Kunindas, Guptas, Gurjara-Pratihara, Katyuris, Raikas, Palas, the Chands, and Parmaras or Panwars, Sikhs and the British have ruled Uttarakhand in turns.^[4] The region was originally settled by Kols, an aboriginal people of the austro- Asiatic physical type who were later joined by Indo-Aryan Khas tribes that arrived from the northwest by the Vedic period(1700-1100 BCE). At that time, present-day Uttarakhand also served as a haunt for Rishis and Sadhus. It is believed that Sage Vyasa scripted the Mahabharata here as the Pandavas are believed to have traveled and camped in the region.Among the first major dynasties of Garhwal and Kumaon were the Kunindas in the 2nd century B.C. who practiced an early form of Shaivism. They traded salt with Western Tibet. It is evident from the Ashokan edict at Kalsi in Western Garhwal that Buddhism made inroads in this region. Folk shamanic practices deviating from Hindu orthodoxy also persisted here. However, Garhwal and Kumaon were restored to nominal Brahmanical rule due to the travails of Shankaracharya and the arrival of migrants from the plains. Between the 4th and 14th centuries, the Katyuri dynasty of Khas origin dominated lands of varying extent from the Katyur (modern day Baijnath) valley in Kumaon. The historically significant temples at Jageshwar are believed to have been built by the Katyuris and later remodeled by the Chands. Other peoples of the Tibeto-Burman group known as Kiratas are thought to have settled in the northern highlands as well as in pockets throughout the region, and believed to be the ancestors to the modern day Bhotiya, Raji, Buksha, and Tharu peoples.^[5]

By the medieval period, the region was consolidated under the Garhwal Kingdom in the west and the Kumaon Kingdom in the east. From the 13th–18th century, Kumaon prospered under the Chand Rajas who had their origins in the plains of India. During this period, learning and new forms of painting (the Pahari school of art) developed.^[6] Modern-day Garhwal was likewise unified under the rule of Parmar/Panwar Rajas, who along with a mass migration of Brahmins and Rajputs, also arrived from the plains.^[7] In 1791, the expanding Gurkha Empire of Nepal, overran Almora, the seat of the Kumaon Kingdom. In 1803, the Garhwal Kingdom also fell to the Gurkhas. With the conclusion of the Anglo-Nepalese War in 1816, a rump portion of the Garhwal Kingdom was reestablished from Tehri, and eastern British Garhwal and Kumaon ceded to the British as part of the Treaty of Sugauli.

In the post-independence period, the Garhwal Kingdom was merged into Uttar Pradesh state, where Uttarakhand composed the Garhwal and Kumaon Divisions.^[8] Until 1998, Uttarakhand was the name most commonly used to refer to the region, as various political groups including most significantly the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Uttarakhand Revolutionary Party est. 1979), began agitating for separate statehood under its banner. Although the erstwhile hill kingdoms of Garhwal and Kumaon were traditional rivals with diverse lingual and cultural influences due to the proximity of different neighbouring ethnic groups, the inseparable and complementary nature of their geography, economy, culture, language, and traditions created strong bonds between the two regions.^[9] These bonds formed the basis of the new political identity of Uttarakhand, which gained significant momentum in 1994, when demand for separate statehood (within the Union of India) achieved almost unanimous acceptance among the local populace as well as political parties at the national level.^[10] Most notable incident during this period was the Rampur Tiraha firing case on the night of 1 October 1994, which led to public uproar.^[11] On 24 September 1998 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the 'Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill', 1998, which eventually led to the creation of the state,^[12] eventually the Parliament passed the Indian Federal Legislation - Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2000, and thus on 9 November 2000,^[13] Uttarakhand became the 27th state in the Republic of India.

Like most of India, agriculture is one of the most significant sectors of the economy of Uttarakhand.Rice, wheat, soybean, groundnut coarse cereals, pulses, oil seeds, are the most widely grown crops of the state.Fruits like apple, orange, pear, peach and plum are grown widely in the state giving immense opportunity for food processing industry.The state is one of the largest producers of seasonal fruits like Litchi, Apple, Plum, Peach, etc and premium quality basmati rice.Agro food processing is one of the most important industries of the state. To boost the agro food processing industries agri exports zones have been setup in the state for leechi, horticulture, herbs, medicinal plants and basmati rice.During the year 2010 the wheat production was 831 thousand tonnes and rice production was 610 thousand tonnes.The main cash crop pf the state, sugarcane had a production of 5058 thousand tonnes for the year 2010.As 90% of the state is hilly the yield per hectare is not very high.86% of the gross cropped area is in the plains while the remaining is from the hills.^[14]

During 2005-2006, the state successfully developed three Integrated Industrial Estates (IIEs) at Haridwar, Pantnagar and Sitarganj, Pharma City at Salequi, Information Technology Park at Sahastradhana (Dehradun), and Growth centre at Siggadi (Kotdwar). In 2005-2006. 20 private/joint/co-operative sector industrial sectors in public private partnership mode were also developed in the state.^[16]Tourism, Agro and food processing and hydropower are some of the key industries of the state alongwith prospective development in IT, ITES, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and automobiles.The service sector of Uttarakhand mainly includes tourism, information technology, higher education and banking.^[14]

Uttarakhand is one of the fastest growing states in India.The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) (at current prices) has almost doubled from Rs 20,438 crore in FY04 to Rs 40,159 crore in FY09. The real GSDP grew around 9% (average) during FY2004‐FY2009 period.The contribution of services sector in the GSDP of Uttarakhand was around 50% during FY2001‐09.Per capita income of Uttarakhand is Rs 42,031 (FY2010) which is slightly lower than national average of Rs 44,345 (FY2010).^[14]According to the Reserve Bank of India the total Forest Direct Invest ment in the state from April 2000 to October 2009 amounted to US$ 46.7 million. ^[17]

http://des.uk.gov.in/files/pdf/Uttarakhan_at_a_Glance_2011-12.pdf

hand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 10 1. Structure of the economy Uttarakhand is one of the fastest growing states in India. The state’s economy has shown a healthy growth path during the recent years. GSDP (at current prices) has almost doubled from Rs 20,438 crore in FY04 to Rs40159 crore in FY09. The real GSDP grew around 9% (average) during FY2004‐FY2009 period. Growth of Real GSDP from FY2004 to FY2009 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Directorate of Economics and Statistics Uttarakhand Tertiary sector contributes around 49% in GSDP followed by the secondary and primary sectors at 35% and 17% respectively in FY2009. Share of secondary sector in the GSDP has also shown excellent growth, it has grown from 22% in FY2001 to 34% in the FY2009. However, the share of primary sector has come down from 28% to 17% during the same period.     State Domestic Product and its Composition       Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Directorate of Economics and Statistics Uttarakhand.   

• Primary Sector includes Agriculture, Forest & Logging, Fishing and Mining & Quarrying
  • Secondary Sector includes Manufacturing, Construction, Electricity, Gas & Water Supply.
    • Tertiary Sector includes Transport, Storage & Communication,  Trade, Hotel & Rest, Banking & Insurance, Real Estate,    

Ownership of Dwelling & Business Services, Public Administration and other services. Components FY01 FY05 FY09 GSDP at Current prices (Rs Crore) 14501 23720 40159 NSDP at Current Prices (Rs Crore) 12879 20794 35048 Economic Growth % (GSDP at factor cost, constant prices)   11.84 12.99 8.67 Sectoral Contribution in GSDP at current prices (%) Primary* 28.75 23.67 17.28 Secondary** 22.12 26.45 34.88 Tertiary*** 49.95 49.88 49.61Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 11 Summary of socio‐economic indicators State Capital Dehradun Area (Sq. km) 53,483 Sq KM Population (Census 2011) 1.01 Crore Population Density(Sq. Km) Census 2011 189 No. of Districts 13 Important Rivers Ganga and Yamuna Mountains The Great Himalayas GSDP at Current Prices (2008‐09) 40,159 crore Growth of GSDP at Constant Prices(FY2008‐09) 8.67% Per capita  GSDP (2009‐10) Rs 42,031 Fiscal Deficit  (FY12)* 3.18% of GSDP Poverty  (FY2004‐05) 39.60% National Highway length (2009‐10) 1375 Kms. Rail Length (2005‐06) 345 Kms. Domestic Airport   Dehradun,  Pant Nagar Govt. Medical Institutions (2009‐10) 3236 Per Capita Health Expenditure (2004‐05) Rs. 818 Literacy Rate (2011 Census)** 79.6 Sex Ratio (2011 Census) 963 Key Industries Tourism, Agro and food processing and hydropower Prospective Industries IT, ITES, Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles. Main Industrial Cities Haridwar, Pantnagar, Sitarganj and Dehradun Investment environment 2 nd rank Composite ranking of the state 11 th rank Agriculture 11 th rank Macro economy 12 th rank Labour laws (2009) 15th rank Infrastructure 18 th rank     Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Directorate of Economics and Statistics Uttarakhand, RBI, Economic Survey of India 2010, India Today, 29 th Nov 2010, an article by Bibek Debroy and Laveesh Bhandari, Economic Freedom of the States of India 2011, by Laveesh Bhandari, Bibek Debroy and Swaminathan Aiyar and Annual report to people on health 2010.

• Advance estimates, ** Literacy rate for population aged 7 years and above.Uttarakhand: The State Profile

PHD Research Bureau 12 . Composite Ranking of the state Uttarakhand stands 11 th on the basis of various socio economic parameters viz. macro economy, investment environment, infrastructure, agriculture, primary education and consumer markets.   Composite Ranking of the state 0 5 10 15 20 25 Himachal Pradesh Punjab Tamil Nadu Kerala Gujrat Haryana Karnataka Jammu & Kashmir Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh Uttarakhand Rajasthan West Bengal Madhya Pradesh Orissa Uttar Pradesh Chhatisgarh Assam Jharkhand Bihar Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from India Today, 29 th Nov 2010, an article by BIbek Debroy and Laveesh Bhandari Note: Only big states have been taken up with area over 35000 sq. km. and with population over five million. The state has been ranked 2nd in industrial investments, 3rd in primary education, 6 th in Health Services, 10 th in the consumer markets, 11 th in agriculture, 12 th in macro economy and 18 th in Infrastructure. Socio‐economic ranking of the state 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Infrastructure Macro Economy Agriculture Consumer Markets Health Services Primary Education Industrial Investment Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from  India Today, 29 November 2010, an article by Bibek Debroy and Laveesh Bhandari. Chart depicting area with highest rank to the lowest rankUttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 13 The state has been ranked 20 th in terms of size, 19 th in overall economic freedom, 14 th in legal system and 15 th in labour regulations. Comparison of Uttarakhand with other states (2009) 0 5 10 15 20 25 Bi har Uttar akhand Assam Or i ssa Chhati sgar h West Bengal Uttar Pr adesh Kar nataka Punj ab M ahar ashtr a Ker al a Jammu & Kashmi r Jhar khand Raj asthan M adhya Pr adesh Hi machal Pr adesh Har yana Andhr a Pr adesh Guj r at T ami l Nadu Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Economic Freedom of the States of India 2011, by Laveesh Bhandari, Bibek Debroy and Swaminathan Aiyar. Competitiveness ranking of the state Among the 14 smaller states of India 1 , Uttarakhand ranks 5 th in the overall competitiveness ranking of the states. Uttarakhand has been ranked 3 rd in terms of its economic strength and 7 th in infrastructure. Uttarakhand has been ranked 9 th in terms of its business efficiency, governance quality & human resource.   Per‐capita income Per capita income of Uttarakhand is Rs42031 (FY2010)   which is slightly lower than national average of Rs44,345 (FY2010). According to the latest 2 comparable data (FY2008), Uttarakhand is ranked at the 12 th position in terms of per capita income among all the Indian states.                                                             1 Compiled from State competitiveness report 2004 by National Productivity Council. 2 Latest Comparable data of states available for 2008, economic survey Govt.  of India 2010‐11Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 14 Pattern of per‐capita income of the Indian states (FY 2008) 0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 Bihar Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pardesh Manipur Jharkhand Assam Rajasthan Jammu & Kashmir Orissa Mizoram Tripura Arunachal Pradesh Chhatisgarh Meghalaya West Bengal Sikkim Uttarakhand Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Himachal Pradesh Tamil nadu Kerala Gujrat Punjab Maharashtra Haryana Delhi Goa Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from economic survey of India 2010‐11. Fiscal Deficit Gross fiscal deficit of Uttarakhand as percentage of GSDP has declined to 3.3% during FY 2011 as compared to the 8.3% in FY2010. Primary deficit as percentage of GSDP has declined from 5.1% to 0.3% during the same period. The revenue deficit has also declined from 2.4% in FY2010 to  ‐0.3% of GSDP during 2011. Primary Revenue Balance has declined to  ‐3.2% from      ‐0.8% of GSDP during the same period. Fiscal Indicators                                                           (% of GSDP)                                              Fiscal components FY2005‐ 08 (Average) FY2009 FY2010(RE) FY2011(BE) GFD/GSDP 4.9 4.6 8.3 3.3 RD/GSDP  ‐1.4  ‐0.6 2.4  ‐0.3 PD/GSDP 1.9 1.6 5.1 0.3 PRB/GSDP  ‐4.5  ‐3.5  ‐0.8  ‐3.2 Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from RBI. RD: Revenue Deficit, GFD: Gross Fiscal Deficit, PD: Primary Deficit, PRB: Primary Revenue Balance. BE: Budgeted Estimates, RE: Revised Estimates, (‐) sign refers to surplus. Comparison of fiscal position with other states   Gross fiscal deficit of Uttarakhand is lower as compared to states like Punjab, Haryana and Gujrat and higher than newly formed states Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 15 Comparison of Gross Fiscal Deficit as a % of GSDP (FY2011) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Jharkhand Mizoram Arunachal Pradesh Maharashtra Bihar Chhattisgarh Meghalaya Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Uttarakhand Orissa Nagaland Manipur Gujrat Rajasthan Kerala Haryana Punjab Tamil Nadu Madhya Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir West Bengal Himachal Pradesh Goa Tripura Assam Sikkim Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from RBI. Industrial Investments Uttarakhand is the second fastest mover in the conducive investment environment. It has attracted industrial investment proposals of more than Rs31000 crore in the last four years. The state has been able to develop three Integrated Industrial Estates at Haridwar, Pantnagar and Sitarganj, one Pharma city at Salequi and an IT park at Dehradun in a short span of ten years. Investment opportunities in Uttarakhand Agro based industry & food processing Conducive state policy and availability of large number of seasonal fruits make Uttarakhand one of the best locations to set up Agro & food processing industry. Four Agri export zones have been developed in the state. Information Technology State government is highly focused on developing IT Infrastructure in state and with IT park coming up in Dehradun, it provides ample investment opportunities in the IT industry Floriculture and Horticulture Uttarakhand spans across almost all the different agro‐geo climatic zones making it particularly conducive for growing a wide range of fruits and flowers commercially. Floriculture and horticulture are emerging as ideal areas of investment and are being developed in a big way in Uttarakhand.Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 16 Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology Uttarakhand has one of the country’s largest Pharma city located at Salequi. State government has a vision that biotechnology is poised to make significant contributions in agriculture, human and animal health care, environment management and process industries. A biotechnology park is being developed near Pantnagar to integrate resources and to provide a focused institutional set up for accelerated commercial growth of biotechnology and bio‐Informatics in Uttarakhand.    Power Tariffs The Average rate of electricity for domestic 3 consumers stands at 218.75 Paise/kwh which is lower than most other states in India. The rate for Industrial 4 consumer stands at 390.48 Paise/kwh, which is also a relatively low rate in comparison with other states of India. Hydropower Uttarakhand has huge potential for generating hydropower; nearly 15000 MW of hydropower can be generated in the state. The government has identified 47 small hydro sites (upto 25 MW) for allotment to the private sector,17 major hydro sites (25‐100 MW) have also been taken up for development.   Tourism Tourism industry has been accorded the status of a thrust sector in the state; several areas of Uttarakhand are already established as centres of pilgrimage tourism. Huge investment potential exists in the tourism sector including development of facilities for providing spiritual lessons, reiki, and other rejuvenating courses. Eco‐  tourism hotels, spa, resorts, amusement parks and ropeways along with adventure tourism are also in the focus. State government has come up with many schemes to promote investment in the state including rebate in the taxes for new tourism units and tax holiday for five years for new amusement parks and ropeways.    Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from various policy papers of the Government. of Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand provides excellent investment opportunities in various sectors of the economy. Conducive government policies and favourable climate conditions adds to the attraction for industrial investments. Proximity of Uttarakhand to national capital is also an added advantage. Uttarakhand has received more than Rs.31000 crore as industrial investment proposals in the last four years.       Industrial Investments proposals in Uttarakhand vis‐à‐vis India       (Rs Crore)                                   Year Uttarakhand India Share of Uttarakhand In India 2007 8367 834249 1.00 2008 6115 1523852 0.40 2009 9293 1040259 0.89 2010 7997 1736322 0.46           Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Govt. of India           However the Industrial investments in Uttarakhand vis‐à‐vis India has shown volatile trend. Industrial investment proposals were 1% of the India’s total                                                             3 4 KW (400 KWh/month) 4 1000 KW 60% L.F.(438000 KWh/Month)Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 17 industrial investment proposals during FY2007, 0.40% in FY2008, 0.89% in FY2009 and 0.46% in FY2010. Trend in attracting industrial investments proposals (as % of India’s total industrial investments) 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 2007 2008 2009 2010 Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Govt. of India Small Scale Industries Favourable government policies and availability of natural resources in the state have led to a good growth in the number of SSI Units in the state. Number of SSIs has grown by around 29% in Uttarakhand, whereas the same for India grew by 22% between FY2002 and FY2007.     Number of SSI Units in Uttarakhand vis‐à‐vis India   Year Uttarakhand India 2001‐02 106484 10521190 2006‐07 137618 12843774                                  Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from Development Strategy for the Hill Districts of Uttarakhand Indian                                    Council for Research on International Economic Relations (July 2008)    FDI flows The FDI inflows (Kanpur Region) 5 have increased on year on year basis during the recent years. However, the region gets only around 0.1% of the total FDI inflows in India.                                                               5 Pertains to Uttarakhand and Uttar PradeshUttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 18 Regional (Kanpur) share of FDI (equity) in India’s total FDI inflows 0 5 10 15 20 Kanpur Kolkata Hyderabad Chennai Ahmedabad Banglore New Delhi Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Department of Industrial Policy and promotion, Govt. of India FDI inflows in Kanpur region increased from US$48mn in 2009‐10 to US$112 in FY2011. The Cumulative inflows during the last ten years (FY2001‐FY2010) have been estimated around US$177 million. Pattern in attracting FDI (equity) inflows: Kanpur Region Year FDI inflows (US$mn) FY2009‐10 48 FY2010‐11 112 Cumulative Inflows from(FY01 to FY11) 177 Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Govt. of India. Exports Uttarakhand government is highly focussed on the exports of fruits and processed fruit products. To promote the agri exports from the state four Agri Exports Zones (AEZs) have been developed. The state is one of the largest producers of seasonal fruits like Litchi, Apple, Plum, Peach, etc and premium quality basmati rice 2.       Economic policy of Uttarakhand    Uttarakhand has developed itself as an industrial hub of north India. The state has successfully developed three integrated industrial estates (IIEs) at Haridwar, Pantnagar and Sitarganj. A Pharma city at Selequi, an IT Park at Sahastradhara in Dehradun and a growth centre at Siggadi in Kotdwar has also been developed. The contribution of industry sector in the GSDP has gone up from 22% during FY2000‐ 01 to 37% during FY2008‐09.Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 19 Industry The Industrial policy of the state was announced in 2003. The policy focuses on the sectors where Uttarakhand has inherent advantage like Agro and Food Processing, Floriculture, Handloom, Hydropower, Khadi and Village Industries and Tourism. Subsequent to this, Integrated Industrial Development Policy was launched in February 2008. This policy aimed to accelerate industrial development in the industrially backward and remote hill districts of Uttarakhand. The policy focuses to develop industrial infrastructure, to encourage entrepreneurial development through market encouragement and to provide financial support to entrepreneurs. In order to promote Industrial development in the State, State Infrastructure & Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd (SIDCUL) was incorporated. SIDCUL provides financial assistance in the form of debt, equity and venture capital to facilitate the development of infrastructure in the state. It also provides assistance to private initiative in Industry and Infrastructure. SIDCUL facilitates implementation and management of projects.   Major financial incentives provided by the state government are as follows • 100 % income tax exemption for first five years and 30% for next five years for the companies and 25% for others. • 100% central excise exemption for ten years on items other than those mentioned in the negative list in the concessional industrial package announced by the Central Government. • Exemption from entry tax on Plant & Machinery for setting up industry or undertaking substantial expansion and modernization. • Capital investment subsidy @ 15%, subject to a maximum of Rs. 30 Lakhs. The economic agenda of Uttarakhand focuses on tourism, higher education, IT & ITES, food processing and biotech industry. Uttarakhand have been able to pull huge investments in the last few years due to favourable policies of the government. The key strategic thrust areas Agriculture and food processing State government provides assistance in establishing SME units for agro parks and food parks. Incentive from MoFPI for setting up units in Uttarakhand. Biotechnology Biotechnology parks are to be developed to integrate resources and to provide a focused institutional setup forUttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 20 accelerated commercial growth of biotechnology and bioinformatics. Higher Education 122 Institutes for higher education, including 1 central, 6 state, 5 private and 4 deemed universities and one IIT at Rurkee. IT and ITES The vision of the State government of Uttarakhand is to promote the development of Information Technology industry in the State. It plans to develop a state‐of‐the‐art Information Technology Park in more than 60 acres at Sahastradhara road, Dehradun. Manufacturing and hydroelectricity Strong focus on automobile industry proven by the presence of big players like Tata, Ashok leyland, Mahindra etc.Uttarakhand is being developed as an ‘energy state’ to tap its huge hydro‐electric power (HEP) potential of over 15,000 MW. Tourism Focus on religious tourism, wildlife tourism, eco tourism and adventure tourism                           Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from various policy papers of the Government. of Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand is poised for very high growth in the coming years. To promote Uttarakhand as an attractive destination for industrial investments, the state policy aims to promote public private partnership to boost infrastructure and industrial development. o Improving Business Climate‐‐focus on attracting investments in the state to develop industries. o Developing High Quality Infrastructure‐‐ Establishment of Integrated Infrastructure Development Centres (IIDC) and special economic and commodity zones and parks through PPP. o Enhancing Skill Levels and Employability‐‐  Focus on primary secondary and higher education along with vocational and technical education.   o Encouraging MSME‐‐The state strongly focuses on the development of SSI, khadi and village industry along with handicrafts and handloom sectors. o Promotion of Thrust Areas‐‐special emphasis for promotion of trust areas like infrastructure development, IT & ITES, higher education, agro and food processing industry and tourism. Agriculture Agriculture is one of the most significant sectors of the economy of Uttarakhand and Agro food processing is one of the most important industries of the state. To boost the agro food processing industries agri exports zones have been setup in the state for leechi, horticulture, herbs, medicinal plants and basmati rice. Fruits likeUttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 21 apple, orange, pear, peach and plum are grown widely in the state giving immense opportunity for food processing industry.    Summary of agro statistics Sr. No Components Growth/ratio/ production 1 Agriculture GSDP at Current prices (FY2009) Rs6228 Crore 2 Growth of Agriculture & Allied    GSDP ( Avg. from FY2001 to FY 2009) 1.98% 3 Agricultural sector’s contribution in GSDP (FY 2009) 15.50% 4 Food Grain production (FY2010) 1780 (Thousand Tonnes) 5 State’s contribution to national food grain production (FY2010) 0.81% 6 State’s rank in national food grains production (FY2010) 17 7 Yield ‐‐total food grains (FY2010) 1781 (Thousand Tonnes) 8 Gross area irrigated  (FY2009) 569769 (Hectare) 9 Area under wells and tube well irrigation (Hectare) FY2009 213780 (Hectare) 10 Population dependent on agriculture 3/4 11 Rice Production (FY2010) 610 (Thousand Tonnes) 12 Wheat Production (FY2010) 831 (Thousand Tonnes) 13 Coarse Cereals (FY2010) 297 (Thousand Tonnes) 14 Pulses (FY2010) 42 (Thousand Tonnes) 15 Oil Seeds (FY2010) 29 (Thousand Tonnes) 16 Sugarcane (FY2010) 5058 (Thousand Tonnes) 17 Rank in Sugarcane production (FY2010) 8 Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from RBI & Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Uttarakhand .Note:. Sugarcane, rice and wheat are cultivated  largely in Uttarakhand.  Since almost 90% of the terrain of Uttarakhand is hilly, yield per hectare is not very high. There is a disparity between the gross cropped area between hills and plains. Hills comprises only 14% whereas the plains comprise of the  86% of the gross cropped area. Foodgrain production in Uttarkhand vis‐à‐vis India                                                                                                                 (Million Tonnes)   Year Uttarakhand India Share of Uttarakhand in India FY 2001 1.72 196.81 0.88 FY 2002 1.7 212.85 0.79 FY 2003 1.55 174.78 0.88 FY 2004 1.72 213.19 0.8 FY 2005 1.76 198.36 0.88 FY 2006 1.59 208.59 0.76 FY 2007 1.73 217.28 0.79Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 22 FY 2008 1.79 230.78 0.77 FY 2009 1.76 234.47 0.75 FY 2010 1.78 218.2 0.81                  Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from RBI, Ministry of Agriculture Uttarakhand’s food grain production has not shown any significant growth in the last ten years. During FY2001, food grain production of Uttarakhand was 1.72 million tonne, has remained in the same trajectory during last ten years (1.78 million tonnes in 2010). Share of Uttarakhand’s food grain production in India’s food grain production                                                                                                                                (% Share) 0.65 0.7 0.75 0.8 0.85 0.9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from RBI, Ministry of Agriculture Sugarcane is the major crop of Uttarakhand. However, sugarcane production has gone down during last decade from 7.34 million in FY2001 to 5.05 million tonne in FY2010. Highest sugarcane production was registered during FY2008 with the production of 7.68 million tonnes. Sugarcane production in Uttarakhand vis‐à‐vis India                                                                                                                               (Million Tonnes)                                 Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from RBI, Ministry of Agriculture Year Uttarakhand India Share of Uttarakhand in India FY 2001 7.34 295.96 2.48 FY 2002 7.55 297.21 2.54 FY 2003 7.33 287.38 2.55 FY 2004 7.61 233.86 3.25 FY 2005 6.44 237.09 2.71 FY 2006 6.13 281.17 2.18 FY 2007 6.1 355.52 1.71 FY 2008 7.68 348.19 2.2 FY 2009 5.59 285.03 1.96 FY 2010 5.05 277.75 1.81Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 23 The share of Uttarakhand in the total sugarcane production of India has also gone down in recent years. It was 2.48% in FY2001 and it was estimated around 1.81% in FY2010. Share of Uttarakhand’s Sugarcane production in India’s sugarcane production 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 FY01 FY02 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from RBI, Ministry of Agriculture Agro business policy Agro business policy of Uttarakhand coupled with the policies of central government makes it one of the most preferred locations in the country for setting up agro and food processing industry. Uttarakhand has a natural advantage over the other states as very large numbers of fruits are grown in this region. The government of Uttarakhand provides assistance in establishing small and medium size units in agro parks and food parks. Many Agri Exports Zones (AEZs) have been declared under the AEZ scheme of the Government of India. Since Uttarakhand comes under the category of difficult areas of Ministry of Food Processing Industry (MoFPI), units being set up in Uttarakhand are eligible for higher incentives under various schemes as well. Service During the last decade, the share of services has been stable in Uttarakhand. The contribution of services sector in the GSDP of Uttarakhand was around 50% during FY2001‐09. The service sector of Uttarakhand mainly includes tourism, information technology, higher education and banking. IT and ITE Services –Uttarakhand is naturally endowed and has all the pre‐ requisites for developing as preferred destination for IT & ITES along with hardware production. IT and ITES have been accorded industry status by the state government of Uttarakhand of Uttarakhand. Land use, conversion charges are being rationalized for the promotion of IT in the state. A state of the art IT Park is being established in Dehradun.  Along with stamp duty concession, various exemptions are given to IT industry established in the IT parks and Industrial estates. The state government has announced free bandwidthUttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 24 upto 2mbps to all IT software companies/ IT enabled service based companies, call centres, BPOs, etc for 1 year.   Banking –Banks have become the spine for the development of the economy on all parameters in any state. Like wise banks play a pivotal role in the development of the Uttarakhand economy. Banks are not only important for the industrial development but they are equally helpful in social development activities. There are more than 1300 branches of different categories of banks (in Uttarakhand) with more than 800 branches of nationalized banks. Regional rural banks and co‐operative banks have very strong network to facilitate developmental activities of state.   Regional rural banks and co‐operative banks in Uttarakhand contribute more than 30% of the total number of branches/ offices of banks in Uttarakhand. Banking scenario in Uttarakhand FY2010 Banks in Uttarakhand No. of branches in Uttarakhand Nationalised Banks 885 Regional Rural Banks 184 Private Sector Banks 112 Dist. Co‐operative Banks 10 Branches of Co‐ operative Banks 203 Co‐ operative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank 20                          Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from directorate of economics and                           statistics, Uttarakhand. The CD Ratio of the banks has been estimated around 52% for the FY2010 with deposits in the banks at more than Rs.39000 crores where as advances were more than Rs.20000 crores.  Loan disbursement to priority sectors which includes agri & allied services and SSI is around 25% of the total advances. Agriculture & allied activities and SSI accounts for 11% and 14% respectively in total advances. The share of loans given to weaker sections of society is more than 11% of the total advances.             Uttarakhand’s total credit and deposits FY2010                                                    Category Value Rs. crore Deposits 39128 Advances 20530 C.D. Ratio 52% Loan Disbursements to priority sector   5114 (i) Agri and allied services 2293 (ii) Small Scale Industries and Others 2821 Advances to weaker section 2389 Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from Directorate of Economics   and Statistics, Uttarakhand.Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 25 Tourism‐‐Uttarakhand is very well known tourist destination for both domestic and international tourists. The state has enormous resources for cultural, pilgrimage, adventure, wildlife, and leisure tourism. The state is the first in the country to have created a tourism development board by legislation. The state was awarded the prestigious National Tourism Award by the Government of India in 2003 in the category of “Best practices by the state government”. The state in nutshell has a potential for tourism related services and scope to develop niche markets. 3. Infrastructure Infrastructure is a vital sector for the development of the industry and economy. Government of Uttarakhand is working towards the development of infrastructure to promote industry, commerce and trade in the state. Roads—Roads are the major mode of transportation service available in the Uttarakhand. During the last decade, not only the length but quality of roads has also improved. However there are still many areas which need to be worked upon, especially in rural and hilly regions. The length of pucca roads is merely 318 kms/000 sq Km in hilly area, as against 800kms/000 sq Km in the plains. 6 Recently in the state budget of 2011‐12, Rs1374 crore has been allocated for the   development of the roads. Road infrastructure Category of road Length in Kms National Highway 1375 State Highway 1576 Major district roads 568 Other district roads 6827 Rural roads 12375 Light vehicles road 1100 Total 23774 Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Directorate                                                                                                                       of Economics and Statistics   Uttarakhand Data pertains to 2009‐10. Railways – Uttarakhand is a hilly state and around 90% terrain is hilly. Therefore the railway services are very limited in the state and are largely confined to the plains. Total length of railways in the state was 345 Kms in the year 2006‐07. Recently, Uttarakhand is focussing on expanding the share of railway services in cargo transport and passenger transport.                                                             6 A research report by Mr. Sabyasachi Kar, IEG India.Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 26 Aviation – The civil aviation infrastructural activities are being strengthened slowly. The state has two domestic airports: one at Jolly Grant in district Dehradun and another at Pant Nagar in the district UdhamSingh Nagar. Up‐gradation work is underway at the Jolly Grant airport to facilitate international flights. State Government is also maintaining and upkeeping the Naini‐  Saini (Pithoragarh), Guacher (Chamoli) and Chinyalisaur (Uttarkashi) Airstrips. The Government has allocated US$230,000 (Rs.10580000) for the construction of at least one helipad per district because of the hilly terrain. Electricity‐‐ Electricity is one of the most important infrastructure ingredients for the development of an economy. The state has a large number of rivers and water sources Uttarakhand is strong in hydroelectricity generation. Availability of power is in abundance, the state does not have any restrictions on usage of power by the industries during the peak load hours as well. The capacity owned by the state utilities comprise of about 91.9% of  hydropower plants and rest is generated from other sources. Uttarakhand is being developed as an ‘energy state’ to tap its huge hydro electric power potential of over 15,000 MW. Uttarakhand is also promoting other sources of power such as bio gas and solar energy. For the energy generation Rs526.56 crore has been allocated by the state government in the budget for 2011‐12. However, it is mainly in the four districts of the plains where electricity consumption has been maximum. The electricity consumption in the hill districts of Uttarakhand is only 1.5% of the total consumption (FY2007). Power generation and consumption pattern in Uttarakhand Category Unit Value Total installed power generation capacity MW 1306 Electricity generated (Gross)   MU 4126 Electricity consumption       Domestic   (M.U.Watts) 1387 Commercial   (M.U.Watts) 865 Industrial   (M.U.Watts) 3399 Agriculture   (M.U.Watts) 298 Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Directorate of Economics and Statistics Uttarakhand.   Figures pertains to FY2009‐10 Urban Infrastructure— Urban infrastructure services (including water supply, sanitation, drainage, solid waste management) are lacking in the urban centres of Uttarakhand. Only a few towns have sewerage treatment facilities. However, there is a focussed effort to ensure good quality drinking water. The state government is promoting traditional methods of water harvesting and has allocated Rs. 521.97 crore in the budget 2011‐12 for availability of clean drinking water.Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 27 Various state housing projects, including the 275 acre project in Haridwar have been taken up under different urban infrastructure projects. Projects costing US$62.6 million have been sanctioned for Dehradun, Nainital and Haridwar, under the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM). Telecom – Uttarakhand is a part of telecom circle UP‐ west. According to TRAI, the total wireless subscriber base of UP west was 3.98 crore in the month of Nov2010. UP west contributes around 5.5% in total wireless subscribers in India and around 2.5% in wire line connectivity in India. Subscriber base   Name of the Region Wireless subscriber Wire line subscriber Uttarakhand* 39899952 856422 India 729569763 35188471 Share of Uttarakhand in India   5.46 % 2.43 % Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from TRAI as on 10 th Nov 2010.

• Includes Telecom circle UP West.

             4.      Social infrastructure Poverty – Although Uttarakhand is one of the fastest growing states of India but poverty is still a major bottle neck in the development of the state. Poverty level in the state is 39.6% which is quite high as compared to the national average of 27.5%. Population Below Poverty Line (BPL): Uttarakhand amongst other EAG states                                                                                            FY2004‐05      (% Population) Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Annual Report to People on Health, September 2010 Note: Empowered Action Group (EAG) Scheme has been launched by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and it covers the above eight states. Share of rural population is very large in the state’s BPL (Below Poverty Line) population. According to BPL survey 2002‐03, there are 6.24 lakh rural BPL families in Uttarakhand, which is 47% of the total rural families in the state. The state government has initiated many schemes to improve the employment and income level in the rural areas.Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 28 Unemployment – The state government has generated good employment opportunities in the state. The unemployment rate in Uttarakhand was 4.9% (2009‐ 10) which is better than the national average of 9.4%. It is ranked 4th in terms of unemployment at all India level. To generate employment, the government has opened 24 employment exchanges in the state. The total number of unemployed persons registered in the live register as on 31 March 2010 in Uttarakhand was 484972.   Education & Literacy– Education contributes directly to the human resource development and quality of life. The State Government is progressing towards provision of education to all. Dehradun, the state capital is an important centre of education in north India. There are 106 graduate and post graduate colleges in Uttarakhand. It is home to 1 central university 6 state universities, 5 private universities and 4 deemed universities. The state ranks number 3 in primary education 7 .   Uttarakhand has some of the best boarding schools in the country especially in the areas around Mussorie, Dehradun and Naintaal. Basic education is largely covered under Sarv Siksha Abhiyan. Rajiv Gandhi Navodya Vidyalyas are sanctioned in 8 districts to provide quality education and residential facilities to rural population.                              Educational Infrastructure‐ FY2009‐10 Type of Institution Number Basic/ Secondary Education    Schools/ Colleges 22379 Number of Students 2381594 Higher Education      Higher education institutes 122 Degree/ PG Colleges 106 Central Universities 1 State universities 6 Deemed Universities 4 Private Universities 5 Number of Students 163996 Vocational and Technical Education    Industrial Training Institutes 106 Polytechnics 37 Distt.Instt. Of Educ. Training 13 Source: PHD Research Bureau, compiled from Directorate of   Economics and Statistics Uttarakhand. According to the 2011 census, literacy rate in the state stands at 79.60%. In order to achieve 95% literacy target, a threefold strategy  ‐‐  100% enrolment, 100% retention, Continuous Education Programme is being adopted by the state government                                                             7 Source, article by Laveesh Bandari and Bibek Debroy in India today dated 10 th November.Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 29 Trend of literacy rate: Uttarakhand vis‐à‐vis India 0 20 40 60 80 100 FY51 FY61 FY71 FY81 FY91 FY01 FY11 Uttarakhand India Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Economic Survey of India 2010‐11 Since 1971, literacy rate of Uttarakhand has been higher than india’s literacy rate. In 2011, the literacy rate of Uttarakhand, which  is around 80%, is also higher than the national average, which is estimated around 74%. Uttarakhand ranks 12 th in literacy rate among all states of India; which is better than the developed states 8 like Punjab and Gujrat.              Trend in literacy in comparison with other states 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% Bihar Arunachal Pradesh Rajasthan Jharkhand Andhra Pradesh Jammu and Kashmir Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Chattisgarh Assam Orissa Meghalaya Karnataka Haryana Punjab West Bengal Gujarat Uttarakhand Manipur Nagaland Tamil Nadu Sikkim Maharashtra Himachal Pradesh Delhi Goa Tripura Mizoram Kerala Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Economic Survey 2010‐11 Health  ‐‐The Health infrastructure in the state comprises of 12 district level hospitals, 250 Primary Health Centres (PHC) and 322 state allopathic hospitals. There are 8075 beds in the government hospitals of Uttarakhand. Availability of natural herbs and medicinal plants in Uttarakhand boosted the large number of                                                             8 Economic survey of India 2010‐11.Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 30 Ayurvedic and Unani hospitals in the state. There are 540 Ayurvedic and 5 Unani hospitals in the state.      Summary of Health Indicators Infant Mortality Rate * 41 per 1000 live births Total Fertility Rate (2008) 3.3 children born per woman Per Capita Health Expenditure NHA‐04‐05 Rs 818 District Level Hospitals* 12 Primary Health Centres (PHC)* 250 State Allopathic Hospitals* 322 Beds in Govt. Hospitals* 8075 Ayrvedic Hospitals* 540 Unani Hospitals* 5 Homeopathic Hospitals/Dispensary* 107        Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Annual Report to People on Health, September 2010 and         Directorate of Economics and Statistics Uttarakhand, *data pertains to 2009‐10. There is a strong need to improve the per capita expenditure on health in Uttarakhand, the per capita health expenditure of Uttarakhand is almost 2/3 of the national average 9 . However the infant mortality rate of Uttarakhand is better as compared to the national average. Among the high focus EAG states, Uttarakhand has the lowest IMR.   Uttarakhand vis‐à‐vis other EAG states in IMR 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Madhya Pradesh Orissa Uttar Pradesh Rajasthan Chhattisgarh Bihar Jharkhand Uttarakhand Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Annual Report to people on Health, September 2010. Note: Empowered Action Group Scheme has been launched by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and covers the above eight states. Availability of Safe drinking water Uttarakhand is blessed with rich sources of water. Rivers like Ganga and Yamuna originate and flow through Uttarakhand. As per the census 2001 the state is ranked 6 th in availability of safe drinking water.                                                             9 Average national per capita health expenditure is Rs1201. Annual report to people on health Sep 2010.  Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 31 Availability of Safe drinking water to households                                                (%) 80 85 90 95 100 Punjab Delhi Himachal Pradesh West Bengal Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand Bihar Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Economic Survey 2010‐11 5. Performance in the six thrust areas focused by PHD Chamber    The Six thrust areas of PHD Chamber of commerce and Industry are industrial policy, Infrastructure, Education and Skill Development, Health, Housing, Agriculture and Agribusiness. Uttarakhand is one of the fastest growing states of India and has done well in the areas focussed by the PHD Chamber. Performance in six thrust areas Rural Development and Agriculture State government has proposed several schemes for employment generation to combat the challenge of rural unemployment and poverty. The government provides assistance in establishing small and medium size agro parks, food parks, etc. Four Agri Export Zones (AEZs) have been declared under the AEZ scheme of Government of India for leechi, horticulture, herbs, medicinal plants and basmati rice. State government is also providing subsidy for projects under various schemes of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), National Horticulture Board (NHB), Ministry of Food Processing Industry (MOFPI) and the Natural Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB). Education and Skill Development The literacy level of the state is higher than that of the national average. State government is progressing towards achieving 1oo% literacy target. The state has achieved 99.30% net enrolment ratio. There are more than 120 degree/post degree colleges in the state and 16 universities. There are 106 industrial training institutes for vocational and technical education. Health Uttarakhand has done fairly well in providing health facilities; IMR of Uttarakhand is lowest among the states covered by the Empowered Action Group. The state has a good network of hospitals and health centers. State has initiated many schemes to provide health service to the rural areas. Housing Uttarakhand Housing Development Board is responsible for undertaking housing development projects. Various housing projects, catering to all income groups have been successfully accomplished all over the State by the Development Authority of Uttarakhand. The government has taken up manyUttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 32 projects to meet the housing needs of the growing population. Industrial Policy Uttarakhand has a well diversified and stable industrial environment. Tourism, agribusiness, Pharmaceuticals and IT & ITES are the thrust industries of the state in which Uttarakhand has performed very well.  The policies are highly conducive and supportive. With development of three Integrated Industrial Estates (IIEs), Pharma city and IT park in Dehradun, Uttarakhand is the first state in the country to have created a Tourism Development Board by legislation as well. Government has allocated Rs. 90.06 crore for industrial development in the budget of 2011‐12. Infrastructure Uttarakhand is being developed as energy state of India; the state has huge potential to generate hydroelectricity. The State has ample capacities to set up new industries and meet their demand for power. Being a state with hilly terrain, roads are the major mode of transportation in Uttarakhand. There is a need to improve the road network in the state especially in hilly areas. The railways network also needs to be extended. The State’s connectivity through air also needs expansion as there are only two domestic airports providing connectivity mainly to Delhi.                6. Budget Highlights 2011‐12      The budget 2011‐12 has been formulated to accelerate the industrial and infrastructural development in the state. The budget has largely focused on agriculture and social sectors to improve the quality of the life.   With the view to step up infrastructure, Rs.1374.47crore has been allocated for the road development and Rs.521.97crore for the provision of clean drinking water in the state. The state has provided Rs.90.06 crore for the industrial development and Rs.526.56crore for the energy development. To provide better irrigation facilities to improve the productivity and income level of the farmers, Rs.835.88crore has been allocated for agriculture sector. The social sectors have received Rs.7056.77crore, the allocation for education, medical facilities and social welfare has been increased by 19%, 16% and 41% respectively. For the development of scheduled castes and tribes in the state, Rs.873.17crore has been allotted under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and Rs.227.71 for the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP).Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 33 A provision of Rs.1851.55 has been made under the gender budget to support the cause of women empowerment. Whereas, Atal Adarsh Foodgrain Scheme has also been launched for elimination of hunger, with a provision of  Rs. 295 crore.               Budget at a glance (2011‐12)                        Rs. Crore Category 2010‐11 (RE) 2011‐12 (BE) Revenue Reciepts   13340.59 14634.99 Capital Reciepts 3354.62 3705.95 Total Reciepts 16695.21 18340.94 Non Plan Expenditure 11233.11 12802.62 Plan Expenditure 5681.64 6564.29 Total Expenditure 16914.75 19366.91 Revenue Deficit 568.57 309.3 Fiscal Deficit  ‐2028.15  ‐2618.23 Primary Deficit  ‐500.03  ‐806.2                      Source: PHD Research Bureau, Compiled from Budget of Uttarakhand 2011‐12 7. Conclusion & Recommendations Uttarakhand is strategically located at the foothills of the Himalayan ranges and has a mountainous topography. It is a beautiful state endowed with 175 rare species of aromatic and medicinal plants.   Uttarakhand is one of the fastest growing states of India, the State’s economy grew more than 9% during the last decade. The tertiary sector contributes around 49% in GSDP followed by the secondary and primary sectors at 34% and 17% respectively. Share of Industry sector in the state’s economy has shown excellent growth during recent years. Gross Fiscal Deficit is estimated at 3.3% (FY2010‐11) of GSDP. It is lower as compared to states like Punjab (3.6%), Haryana (3.6%) and Gujrat (3.5%), however, it is higher than newly formed states Chhattisgarh (3.0%) and Jharkhand (0.7%).   The economic policy of the state focuses on the development of biotech industry, food processing, higher education, IT & ITES and tourism. The State provides excellent investment environment and has attracted around Rs.31000crore of industrial investments proposals during last four years (FY2007‐10).   Agriculture is one of the most important areas of the economy. The state contributes around 0.8% in the total food grain production of India. Its contribution in the national sugarcane production is around 2%. The agro‐business policies of the state are very supportive in establishing small and medium size units. There are four AEZs (Agri Exports Zone) in the state.    Industrial policy of Uttarakhand provides a wide range of financial incentives to the industries. Many industrial estates have been setup in the state. InfrastructureUttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 34 development is a thrust area of the state government. Power is available in surplus to both domestic and industrial segments.   In the services sector, tourism, banking and information technology are the important areas. The state has the potential to be developed as tourism hub of India. It is one of the most preferred locations in India for pilgrimage and adventure tourism. The other areas of the services sector, banking and information technology are also performing well. The banking sector has been developed at a good pace during recent years with more than 1300 branches of different banks in the state.   Progress in IT & ITES is also making ground in the state. In the Social sector developments, Uttarakhand has some of the best schools and higher education institutes of the country. The literacy rate (Census 2011) of the state at around 79% is better than the national average at 74%. Uttarakhand has a good number of hospitals and primary health centers. There are large numbers of unani and ayurvedic hospitals in the state. However, the per capita health expenditure (2004‐05) is low at around Rs818 as compared with the national average at Rs 1201. The poverty level in the state (2004‐05) at around 39% is also high as compared to the national average at around 27%.

Recommendations In spite of being a small state, Uttarakhand has certain key features which make it distinct from other states in India. The State grew more than 9% during the recent years and other macro economic parameters like fiscal deficit (3.3% of GDP in FY2011) and unemployment situation (4.9% in 2010) are also in the comfortable trajectory. However, the development has predominantly been in the plain area and the hill areas have been left behind.   The hill regions are lacking behind in terms of infrastructure, i.e., electricity, roads and irrigation facilities. The inter‐regions inequality in infrastructure leads to increasing disparity in terms of income and livelihood. Thus, it is essential to adopt different approach for the development of backward hill areas. The vast natural resources add to the state’s attractiveness as an investment destination, especially for tourism, agro‐processing and forest‐based industries. The state has managed to get good industrial investments during the last few years. There is a lot of scope to accelerate the investment volumes, going forward. However, the state should provide investment facilitation policies such as providing single‐window facilitation to investors.   More than three‐fourths of Uttarakhand’s total population depends on agriculture for their livelihood. The biggest challenge is the small and fragmented land holdings and poor irrigation facilities. Difficult terrain, unfavourable climatic conditions (for some crops), inadequate availability of inputs and technology, result in lowUttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 35 agricultural yield at around as compared to the national average. Lack of credit and marketing facilities make the situation worse for agriculture in this state.   An integrated approach should be adopted to facilitate development of agriculture & food processing industry in the state. Development of farm mandis and creating linkages between producers and buyers will boost the farm output growth.  Special focus on seasonal fruits like Litchi, Apple, Plum, Peach, high‐value herbal, medicinal and aromatic plantation etc, will help in improving income of the farmers.   There is huge potential for tourism in this state, with demand emanating from both the domestic and international tourists. The main challenge to the tourism sector in the state is lack of proper infrastructure facilities. Thus, tourist zones needs to be connected by formal and informal links in the form of roads, rails, and airports. The potential of tourism sector needs to be diversified to overcome the seasonality factor and to create employment for year‐round tourism. Transport linkages within the state and to the rest of the country are critical. Roads and connectivity with other regions, villages and states is lagging in Uttarakhand. The main problem is the maintenance of the roads due to heavy rainfall; soil erosion and even snow fall in certain regions. Railways have a very limited network which needs to be improved. Variety of transport options need to be offered to provide varying levels of service to the citizens. Keeping in view the topography of the State, high cost of road construction and environmental problems involved therein, civil aviation is a viable alternative for which organised and planned efforts are required. Electricity consumption in the domestic sector of Uttarakhand has been quite substantial and higher than the country’s average, but over the years this proportion has shifted in favour of the industrial sector. Alternative energy sources like solar energy should be encouraged; an investment in this direction can be both a cheaper and more eco‐friendly source of electrification. Medical and health facilities in the backward areas of Uttarakhand are a matter of concern. There is shortage of health centres and skilled human resource in the state for providing medical care. The per capita expenditure on health in the state is low as compared to the national average. Thus, special attention needs to provide to health sector of the state in general and for the hill areas in particular to minimise the uneven pattern development in health sector. There is a need to increase the public investments in the health sector to develop health care centers in the backward areas.   Although, the level of education is quite good in the state, there is a need to develop human resources and conduct capacity building programmes to boost the momentum and to achieve higher literacy rate. It is imperative to set up more and more skill development centres and vocational training institutes to create more employment opportunities, improve income level and enhance the potential for economic growth.  Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD Research Bureau 36 Some important Contacts Sector/Area Key Contact 1. Agriculture Director of Agriculture, Agriculture, Paudhi, Uttranchal Camp Office‐68, F‐II, Basant Vihar, Dehradun   +91‐135‐ 2766494 2. Industrial Infrastructure Principal Secretary (Industrial Development), State Infrastructure & Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd. 2 New Cantt Road, Dilaram Bazar, Dehradun‐248001 +91‐135‐2743292, 2743297, 2708100 3. General Guidance for investments in manufacturing sector Secretary, Directorate of Industries, Uttarakhand Industrial Area, Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand +91‐135‐2728227 4. Urban Development Director, Urban Development Department, Uttarakhand Nagar Nigam, Dehradun +91‐135‐2713817 5. Tourism Chairman, Tourism Development Department, Uttarakhand 3/3, Industrial Area, Patelnagar, Dehradun +91‐135‐2665080 6. Labour Laws Labour Commissioner, Office of the Labour Commissioner. Haldani   +91‐5946‐224214 7. Pollution Chairman, Pollution Control Board, Uttarakhand E‐115, Nehru Colony, Haridwar Road, Dehradun   +91‐135‐2712001 8. Power Director, Power Development Department, Uttarakhand Panchayat Bhawan, Almora +91‐5962‐236429 9. Public Works Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, Uttarakhand Yamuna Colony, Dehradun +91‐135‐2726144 10. Social Development Director, Social Welfare Department, Uttarakhand 6, Rest Camp,  Dehradun +91‐135‐2628099Uttarakhand: The State Profile PHD R^[18]

e topography of the state, basic infrastructural facilities like access to drinking water and primary school are available to most of the villages at less than 1 km distance. Existence of secondary schools, health care centres and transport facilities are available to the village residents within a 5 km radius.

Social Infrastructure � Health The state has a good network of hospitals and health centres; health and population policy were laid to improve the quality of life of the populace, with focus on developing an effective health infrastructure. Following objectives were laid down by the state in its health and population policy:

Eradicate polio by 2007 Reduce the level of leprosy to below one per 10,000 population by December 2007 Reduce mortality on account of tuberculosis, malaria, and other vector and water-borne diseases by 50 per cent by 2010 Reduce prevalence of blindness from around one per cent to 0.3 per cent by 2010 Reduce Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) by 50 per cent of the present level by 2010 Increase awareness on HIV/AIDS Social Infrastructure � Education The state acclaims some of the country�s best institutes of higher learning which include:

GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee Forest Research Institute, Dehradun GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Almora Rural Biotechnology Complex in Kosi and Herbal Research and Development Institute, Gopeswar With a current literacy rate of 72.28 per cent, the state strives to achieve 95 per cent literacy rate, for which it has adopted a trifold strategy with the following elements:

100 per cent enrolment 100 per cent retention Continuous education programme The state plans to achieve 100 per cent computer literacy for students by the end of the tenth five-year plan. For this purpose the state has worked at improving the IT infrastructure at all levels, beginning with educational institutes.

Industrial Infrastructure State has transformed an essentially agrarian state into a hub of industrial activity. During 2005-2006, the state successfully developed three Integrated Industrial Estates (IIEs) at Haridwar, Pantnagar and Sitarganj, Pharma City at Salequi, Information Technology Park at Sahastradhana (Dehradun), and Growth centre at Siggadi (Kotdwar). In 2005-2006, Uttarakhand also saw the development of 20 private/joint/co-operative sector industrial sectors in public private partnership mode. Some of the other efforts made in this direction include provision of broadband connectivity for all industries in the state and proposed strengthening of single window � contact, information and facilitation mechanism from 2006 to 2007. Infrastructure: New Initiatives For a nascent state like uttarakhand, it is important to assess the new initiatives taken by the government to augment infrastructure facilities rather than focus entirely on existing infrastructure.

Power Uttarakhand is being developed as an �energy state� to tap its immense hydro power potential of 20,000 MW. The state aims to increase its capacity to 5,000 MW hydro electric power by 2011-12. The state has simultaneously supported alternate sources of power generation; solar water heaters with heating capacity of 97,500 litres per day, seven biogas-bracketing plants, 12 solar plants, and a state level energy park in Dehradun. In 2006-2007, the number of electrified villages rose to 15,547.

IT: Enhancing the presence of IT and ITES services in the State The state has established a Software Technology Park of India earth station at Dehradun. Meanwhile, the proposed earth stations at other locations have positioned Uttarakhand well with respect to provide high speed connectivity. Information Technology department has actively worked in developing two Information technology parks in the state 2005-2006. The Uttarakhand State Wide Area Network (USWAN) project proposed has been approved by the Government of India. By the end of 2006-2007, the state intends to have the required Information Technology Infrastructure for USWAN and data centre in place.

Special Economic Zones: uttarakhand to host four of the forty-eight export zones in India Vavasi Telegence have proposed to set up a SEZ at Pantnagar. The SEZ will focus on biotechnology, agriculture and food processing industries.

Tehri Dam Tourist Area The Tehri Hydro Development project is one of the highest multipurpose projects to be built across river Ganges. The Tehri Dam Tourist Area can well establish as a major hub of recreation and entertainment at National and International level. The site offers immense tourism opportunities and boasts of excellent infrastructure support. The tourist area has 24 hour uninterrupted power and water supply and is connected to all major cities.

Water Resources The State Cabinet has decided to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the World Bank for a new drinking water scheme. Under the Swajaldhara scheme, the World Bank would provide approx. USD 103 millions loan to the State Government to cover those areas, which are facing drinking water shorta

Urban infrastructure development became a priority sector for the state government since 2005-2006, with an allocation of US$ 20.33 million for its activities. This was further increased to US$ 58.84 million for the year 2006-2007. State housing projects have been taken up under various urban infrastructure development projects. 275 acre housing project in Haridwaris one of the instances of such projects. With an aid of US$ 15.12 million from the Government of India, conservation and rejuvenation project of Naini Lake and four other lakes in the surrounding areas have been taken up. Concentrated effort to ensure supply of pure drinking water. State government is encouraging traditional methods of water harvesting like nauley, dharey, chal and khal. In 2005-2006, US$ 76.28 million was the spend on improvement of water supply systems. Government proposes to spend US$ 86.05 million on further improving the water supply in the state in 2006-2007. Government has undertaken development of total sanitation systems for villages in the state Worked at developing the waste disposal system under �Total Sanitation� campaign Partial sewer arrangements have been provided for one-third of the towns in the state Financial Infrastructure Uttarakhand is host to a number of banks and financial institutions. During 2002-03, the state had 646 nationalised bank branches and 173 regional rural bank branches. The state also has significant presence of commercial, co-operative and cooperative agriculture and rural development bank. Credit to deposit ratio stood at 24.8 per cent during the year.

Natural Resource Advantage Covering an area of 53843 sq km, uttarakhand has a very diverse topography ranging from plains in the south to snow covered peaks in North. About 65 per cent of the geographical area of the state is covered under forests. ^[19]

The state has significant hydro-potential (15,000 MW) of which only 1124 MW has been realised.

The state is promoting establishment of Industrial estates, industrial parks and growth centre in the State.

A dedicated IT Park to come up in Dehradun.

Uttarakhand is the first state in the country to have created a Tourism Development Board by legislation.

Vast pool of a natural resource adds to the state�s attractiveness as an investment destination, especially for tourism and forest based industry.

Abundant availability of quality human resource base at competitive rates.

Uttarakhand compares favourably with the all India aggregates in terms of the spread of basic infrastructural facilities.

Investments in Uttarakhand enjoy a number of fiscal benefits like the Concessional Industrial Package offered by the State and the Central governments.

The Tehri Hydro Development project is one of the highest multipurpose projects to be built across river Ganges.

Uttarakhand has been successfully able to attract some of the key industrial players like Mahindra & Mahindra, Asahi India Glass, Atlas Cycle Ltd., Britannia Industries Ltd., LG Electronics India Ltd, etc.

^[20]

The size of Uttarakhand's Economy as measured by its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for 2011 (Financial year ending March 2011) is estimated at ₹775.8 billion in current prices. Born out of the division of Uttar Pradesh, the new state of Uttarakhand produces about 12% of the output of the old Uttar Pradesh state. Consolidated Finvest and Holdings, a S&P CNX 500 conglomerate has its corporate office in Uttarakhand. It reported a gross income of ₹137 million for 2005. ^{[citation needed]}

In 2003, a new industrial policy for the state with generous tax benefits for investors was initiated that has led to a massive upsurge of capital investment. SIDCUL, the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand has established seven industrial estates in the southern periphery of the state, while dozens of hydroelectric dams are being built in the upper reaches. However, hill development remains an uphill challenge as out migration of local peoples continues from the highland hinterlands.

The native people of Uttarakhand are generally called either Kumaoni or Garhwali depending on their place of origin in either the Garhwal or Kumaon region.According to the 2011 census of India Uttarakhand has a population of 10,116,752 with 5,154,178 males and 4,962,574 females with 69.45% of the population living in rural areas.The state is the 20th most populous state of the country having 0.84% of the population on 1.69% of the land.The population density of the state is 189 people per square km having a 2001-2011 decadal growth rate of 19.17%. The gender ratio is 963 females per 1000 males.^[21][22][23]The crude birth rate in the state is 18.6 with total fertility rate being 2.3.The state has a infant mortality rate of 43, maternal mortality rate of 188 and crude death rate of 6.6.^[24]

Uttarakhand has a multiethnic population spread across two geocultural regions: the Gahrwal, and the Kumaon.A large portion of the population is Rajput (various clans of landowning rulers and their descendants)—including members of the native Garhwali, Gujjar, and Kumaoni communities, as well as a number of immigrants.Approximately one-fifth of the population belongs to the Scheduled Castes (an official term for the lower castes in the traditional Hindu caste system). Scheduled Tribes (an official term for natives outside Indian social system), such as the Raji, who live near the border with Nepal, comprise less than 5 percent of the population.More than four-fifths of Uttarakhand’s residents are Hindus.According to a 2007 study, Uttarakhand has the highest percentage of brahmins of any state in India, with approximately 20% of the population being brahmin.^[25]Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, and Jains make up the remaining population with the Muslims being the largest minority.^[26][27]

Kumaoni and Garhwali dialects of Central Pahari are spoken in Kumaon and Garhwal region respectively. Jaunsari and Bhotiya dialects are also spoken by tribal communities in the west and north respectively. The urban population however converses mostly in Hindi, which is a official language of the state.Uttarakhand is the only Indian state to give the official language status to Sanskrit.^[28]

Template:IndiaCensusPop

Another well known category is Gujjar, they were the rulers of a kingdom with capital at Landhaura of gurjar partihar dynasty. Hindu gurjar is more powerful than other Muslim gurjar of the state landhora gurjar was a big riyasat of gurjar's in past and which covered the whole of today's Haridwar District. Gujjars King Raja Ramdayal Singh Panwar had helped the Tehri ruler against the Gorkhas and the Present MLA from Laksar in Haridwar is Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion is the descendant of that King. Gujjar is a dominant community of Haridwar District.

Hindus form the majority of the population at 85.0%, Muslims form 9.2%, Sikhs 2.5% and Christians, Buddhists, Jains and others about 0.5%. It has male-female ratio of .963 and has a literacy rate of 79.63%. The largest cities in the state include Dehradun (530,263), Haridwar (220,767), Roorkee (158,896), Haldwani (145,278) and Rudrapur (88,720). The state government recognizes 15,620 villages and 81 cities and urban areas.

Historians of Kumaon and Garhwal say that in the beginning there were only three castes: Rajput, Brahmin and Shilpkar. Main occupation of Rajput were Zamindari and law enforcement. Occupation of Brahmins were to perform religious rituals in temples and religious occasions. Shilpkar were mainly working for rajputs, in their lands and were expert in handcrafts. The famous surnames Pundir, Kalakoti, Chauhan, Bashera or Basera,Bhaisora(Thal,distt pithoragarh), Bisht, Bhayera, Nainwal, Rawat, Dhapola, Rautela and Negi are used by Rajputs. Bahuguna, Painuly (Panuly), Kukreti, Bhatt, Nautiyal, Naithani, Joshi, Tripathi, Pant are some of the famous Brahmin surname, also having a university by the name of Bahuguna in Pauri district of Garhwal.

/ˈdɛli/

Literally North Country or Section in Sanskrit, the name of Uttarakhand., is derived from Sanskrit uttara (उत्तर) meaning north, and khaṇḍ (खण्ड्) meaning country or part of a country. The name finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as the combined region of Kedarkhand (present day Garhwal) and Manaskhand (present day Kumaon). Uttarakhand was also the ancient Puranic term for the central stretch of the Indian Himalayas.^[29]

However, the term Uttaranchal came into use when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central and Uttar Pradesh state governments initiated a new round of state reorganization in 1998 and introduced its preferred name. Chosen for its allegedly less separatist connotations, the name change generated enormous controversy among the rank and file of the separate state activists who saw it as a political act,^[30]However, they were not quite successful successful in thwarting the move. Nevertheless, the name Uttarakhand remained popular in the region, even while Uttaranchal was promulgated through official usage.

In August 2006, India's Union Cabinet assented to the four-year-old demand of the Uttaranchal state assembly and leading members of the Uttarakhand movement to rename Uttaranchal state as Uttarakhand. Legislation to that effect was passed by the State Legislative Assembly in October 2006,^[31] and the Union Cabinet brought in the bill in the winter session of Parliament. The bill was passed by Parliament and signed into law by the President in December 2006. Since then, Uttarakhand denotes a state in the Union of India.

State symbols of Uttarakhand^[32]

Bird	Monal
Flower	Brahma Kamal
Tree	Burans

Uttarakhand has a great diversity of flora and fauna.It has a recorded forest area of 34651 Sq Km which constitutes 65% of the total geographical area of the state.^[33].Uttarakhand is home to rare species of plants and animals which are protected by sanctuaries and reserves.National parks in Uttarakhand include the Jim Corbett National Park (the oldest national park of India)^[34] at Ramnagar in Nainital District, Valley of Flowers National Park and Nanda Devi National Park in Chamoli District, which together are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.A number of plant species in the valley are internationally threatened, several have not been recorded from elsewhere in Uttarakhand and two have not been recorded in Nanda Devi National Park.^[35]. Rajaji National Park in Haridwar District, Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Sanctuary and Gangotri National Park in Uttarkashi District are some other protected areas in the state.

Leopards are found in hilly areas but may also venture into the low land jungles.Smaller felines include the jungle cat, fishing cat and leopard cat.Other mammals include four kinds of deer (barking, sambar, hog and chital), Sloth and Himalayan Black bears, Indian Grey Mongoose, otters, yellow-throated martens, ghoral (goat-antelopes), Indian pangolins, and langur and rhesus monkeys.In the summer, elephants can be seen in herds of several hundred.The Indian python found in the Jim Corbett National Park is a dangerous species, capable of killing a chital deer.Marsh crocodile (Crocodylus palustris),Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and other reptiles are also found in the region.Local crocodiles were saved from extinction by captive breeding programs that subsequently released crocodiles into the Ramganga river.^[36]Several freshwater terrapins and turtles like Indian Sawback turtle(Kachuga tecta), Brahminy river turtle(Hardella thurgii) and Ganges softshell turtle(Trionyx gangeticus) are found in the rivers.Butterflies and birds of the region include Red Helen(Papilio helenus), the Great Eggfly (Hypolimnos bolina), Common Tiger(Danaus genutia), Pale Wanderer(Pareronia avatar avatar), Jungle Babbler, Tawny-bellied Babbler, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Red-breasted Parakeet, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon and Chestnut-winged Cuckoo.^[37]

Evergreen oaks, rhododendrons, conifers predominate the hills.Sal (Shorea robusta),Silk cotton tree (Bombax ciliata), Dalbergia sissoo, Mallotus philippensis ,Acacia catechu, Bauhinia racemosa and Bauhinia variegata also known as camels foot tree are some of the other trees of the region.Albizia chinensis, the sweet sticky flowers of which are favoured by sloth bears are also part of the region's flora.^[37]A decade long study of Prof. C.P. Kala from 1993 onwards concluded that the Valley of Flowers is endowed with 520 species of higher plants (angiosperms, gymnosperms and pteridophytes), of these 498 are flowering plants. The park has many species of medicinal plants including Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Aconitum violaceum, Polygonatum multiflorum, Fritillaria roylei and Podophyllum hexandrum^[38][39].

Following the Constitution of India, the State of Uttarakhand has a parliamentary system of representative democracy for its governance, a feature the state shares with other Indian states.

The Governor is the constitutional and formal head of the government who is appointed for a five-year term by the President of India on the advice of the Union government.The Chief Minister, who holds the real executive powers, is the head of the party or coalition garnering the majority in the state elections.Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly, consists of elected members and special office bearers such as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, that are elected by the members. Assembly meetings are presided over by the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker in the Speaker's absence.A Council of Ministers is appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Council of Ministers reports to the Legislative Assembly.Uttarakhand has a unicameral house with 70 Members of the Legislative Assembly or MLAs^[40] .Auxiliary authorities to govern at local level are known as panchayats in rural areas and municipalities in urban areas.Terms of office for all the governing bodies whether the state government or rural panchayats is 5 years. The state also contributes 5 seats to Lok Sabha and 3 seats to Rajya Sabha of the Indian Parliament^[41] .The judiciary consists of the Uttarakhand High Court and a system of lower courts.The present Chief Justice of the High Court,located at Nainital is Barin Ghosh.^[42]

Politics in Uttarakhand is dominated by the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.Since the formation of the state both these parties have ruled the state in turns.Following the hung mandate in the Uttarakhand State Assembly Election in 2011, the Indian National Congress having the maximum number of seats, formed a coalition government and Vijay Bahuguna became the Chief Minister.^[43]

The diverse ethnicity has resulted in rich literary and language tradition.Major languages are Hindi, Kumaoni,Garhwali,Jaunsari and Bhotiya.Both Kumaon and Garhwal are a rich repository of traditional literature. Originally in the form of lyrical ballads and folklore chanted by itinerant singers, the tales of this region are now considered part of Hindi literature's best works.Ganga Prasad Vimal, Manohar Shyam Joshi, Shekhar Joshi, Shailesh Matiyani, Shivani, Mohan Upreti and Jnanpith awardee Sumitranandan Pant are some of the major literary figures from the region.Prominent philosopher and environmental activist Vandana Shiva is also from Uttarakhand.

The dances of the region are connected to life and human existence and exhibit myriad human emotions. Langvir nritya is a dance form for males and in many ways similar to gymnastic movements.Barada Nati folk dance is another famous dance of Dehradun,which is practised on some religious festivals.Hurka Baul,Jhumeila,Chaufula,Chholiya are some of the other better known dances^[44].Music is an integral part of the Uttarakhand culture.The calm and serene ambiance of this place surrounded with hills and mountains has inspired many musicians to compose great tones they mainly include the spiritual and socio-cultural scenes of the place.Some of the popular folk songs are `Mangals`, `Basanti`, `khuded`,and `Chhopati`^[45].These folk songs are composed on the beats and nodes of Dhol, damoun, turri, ransingha, dholki, daur, thali, bhankora and masakbhaja.Music is also used as a medium through which the gods are invoked.Jaagar is a form of ghost worship in which the singer or Jagariya sings a ballad of the gods with allusions to the great epics like Mahabharat and Ramayana and which describes the adventures and exploits of the god being invoked.Narendra Singh Negi is a popular singer of the region.^[46]

Among the prominent local crafts is wood carving, which appears most frequently in the ornately decorated temples of Uttarakhand. Intricately carved designs- of floral patterns, deities and geometrical motifs- also decorate the doors, windows, ceilings and walls of village houses. Beautifully worked paintings and murals are used to decorate both homes as well as temples.Pahari painting is a form of painting that flourished in the region between 17th and 19th century.Mola Ram started the Garhwal Branch of Kangra school of painting.Haripur Guler was famous as the cradle of Kangra paintings. Kumaoni art often is geometrical in nature, while Garhwali art has long been known for its closeness to the nature.Other crafts of Uttarakhand include handcrafted jewellery- usually of gold; basketry from Garhwal; woollen shawls and scarves and rugs. The latter are mainly produced by the Bhotias of northern Uttarakhand.

The primary food of Uttarakhand is vegetables with wheat being a staple , although non-vegeterian food is also served and savored by many.The primary characteristics of the Uttarakhand cuisine is that milk and milk based products is sparingly used here, use of tomato is also minimal.Coarse grain with high fibre content is very common in Uttarakhand due to the harsh terrain.Other food items which are famous are madua (Buck wheat) in the interior regions of Kumaun.Generally, either pure ghee or mustard oil is used for the purpose of cooking food. in the cuisines of Uttarakhand. Simple recipes of this state are made interesting with the use of hash seeds as spice.Bal Mithai is a popular fudge like sweet.Dubuk,Chains,Kaap,Churkani,Bhatt Ki Churdkani ,Sei,Gulgula aresome of the popular food items in Uttarakhand.Jhoi a regional variation of Kadhi is also popular.

One of the major Hindu pilgrimages Kumbh Mela takes place in Uttarakhand .Haridwar in Uttarakhand is one of the four places in India where this mela is organized.Haridwar hosted the Purna Kumbha mela from Makar Sankranti (14 January 2010) to Shakh Purnima Snan (28 April 2010). Hundreds of foreigners joined Indian pilgrims in the festival which is thought to be the largest religious gathering in the world.^[47][48].Kumauni Holi in all its forms such as Baithki Holi Khari Holi Mahila Holi all of which start from Basant Panchmi are noted for the musical affair it becomes and also that the festivities last almost a month.Ganga Dussehra ,Vasant Panchami, Makar Sankranti, Ghee Sankranti, Khatarua, Bat Savitri, Phool Dei are other major festivals.Besides various fairs like Harela mela ,Nanda Devi Mela take place.

Chitrashi Rawat was a state hockey player and an actress.

Glacier Trek from Gangotri, Uttarakhand Trek into the higher reaches of Uttarakhand, trek to the Gaumukh Glacier in Gangotri . The Gaumukh Glacier, so named as it is in the shape of a cow’s mouth, is the source of the Bhagirathi river, and eventually forms into the scared Ganges River at Devprayag where it meets the Alakananda river. From Gangotri it is a 14km easy trek to Bhowasa from where another 4kms will take you right up to the Glacier. Along the way are pilgrims praying and half clad holy men meditating by the mighty river Bhagirathi. The scenic beauty is unparallel and the sight of the Bhagirathi peaks compelling to say the least. Gangotri also happens to be one of the four sacred Dhams according to Hindu beliefs.

From Rishikesh it is a 12 hour road trip to Gangotri where basic accommodation is available.

yashpal arye