 "Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2023: All you need to know about the state")
The history of the Chhattisgarh region dates back to about the 4th century when it was referred to as "Southern Kosala".
In 1741, the state of Chhattisgarh came under the Maratha rule. Following this, the state came under British rule in 1818 as the Chhattisgarh Division of the Central Provinces.
Raipur gained prominence over the capital, Ratanpur, with the advent of the British in 1818. In 1905, the Sambalpur district was transferred to Odisha, and the estates of Surguja were transferred to Chhattisgarh from Bengal.
The area constituting the new state merged into Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. This area remained a part of that state for 44 years.
Before that, some areas constituting the Chhattisgarh state were princely states under British rule, but later merged into Madhya Pradesh.
Here is everything you need to know about Chhattisgarh ahead of the assembly elections 2023.
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Capital: Raipur
Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
Chief Minister: Bhupesh Baghel
Deputy Chief Minister: T S Singh Deo
Chief Secretary: Amitabh Jain (IAS)
Party in power: Indian National Congress (INC)
Population: 29.4 million (2020)
Founded: November 1, 2000
Area: 135,194 sq km
Nickname: Rice bowl of India
Chhattisgarh as a separate state
The demand for a separate state rose in the 1920s. In 1924, the Raipur Congress unit demanded a separate Chhattisgarh in the Annual session of the Indian Congress in Tripuri.
When the State Reorganisation Commission was set up in 1954, the demand for the separation of the state was again put forward. Even in the 1990s, there was an active demand for a separate state. This led to the formation of a political forum, Chhattisgarh Rajya Nirman Manch, which was led by Chandulal Chadrakar.
The new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, in the year 2000, sent the Separate Chhattisgarh Bill for approval by the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, where it was unanimously approved.
The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, which allowed the creation of Chhattisgarh.
The then President K R Narayanan gave consent to the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act on August 25, 2000.
The government set November 1, 2000 as the day Chhattisgarh would be separated from Madhya Pradesh.
Demographics and religion
Chhattisgarh has a population of around 30 million.
The urban population in the state is close to 23.4 per cent. According to a report by the Government of India, around 34 per cent are Scheduled Tribes (STs), 12 per cent are Scheduled Castes (SCs), and over 50 per cent are Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
The plain regions in the state are dominated by castes such as Teli, Satnami and Kurmi, while forest areas are mainly occupied by tribes such as Gond, Halba, Kamar/Bujia and Oraon.
According to the 2011 census, 93.25 per cent are Hindus, followed by Islam (2.02 per cent), Christianity (1.92 per cent), and smaller numbers follow Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, or other religions.
Chhattisgarh has a high female-male sex ratio (991), ranking fifth among other Indian states.
Chhattisgarh has had a better female-to-male sex ratio compared to the national average. In 2022, the sex ratio in Chhattisgarh was 991, whereas the national sex ratio was at 940.
Geography
Chhattisgarh is the tenth largest state in India and is located in the central part of India. The northern and southern areas are hilly, and the central region is fertile.
The highest point in Chhattisgarh is the Gaurlata in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district. In terms of area, the deciduous forests of the Eastern Highlands forests cover around 44 per cent of the state.
In the north is the edge of the Indo-Gangetic plain, where the Rihand River drains. The east side of the Satpura range and the west of the Chota Nagpur plateau comprise the hills that divide the Mahanadi river basin from the Indo-Gangetic plain. The southern part of the state lies on the Deccan plateau,in the watershed of the Godavari River and Indravati River.
The rivers that follow suit in the state are Mahanadi, Rihand, Indravati, Jonk, Arpa, and Shivnath. Chhattisgarh is located between 21.27° N latitude and 81.60° E longitude.
Economy
Chhattisgarh's gross state domestic product (GSDP) is estimated at Rs 5.09 trillion in 2023-24. The state is the 17th largest state economy in India.
The state's economy witnessed a growth rate of 11.2 per cent in 2023-24.
According to Chhattisgarh state data, services contributed the highest to the state economy at 36 per cent, followed by agriculture and industry sectors, both at 32 per cent.
The major source of economy in the state is agriculture. Owing to its fertile lands, agriculture thrives as a vital economic indicator across the state.
Paddy is the principal crop in Chhattisgarh. Apart from paddy, cereals such as maize, small millets, pulses such as tur and kulthi, and oilseeds such as groundnut, soyabean, niger, and sunflower are also grown across the state.
The main rabi crops are jowar, gram, urad, mong, and moth. Chhattisgarh produces around 45 per cent of the jower and over 80 per cent of the gram, which was produced in undivided Madhya Pradesh.
Chhattisgarh is ranked 17th in tea production, and Jashpur and Surguja districts are favourable for tea production.
Agriculture, steel, and handicrafts are also a significant source of economic sector in Chhattisgarh.
Governance
The State Legislative Assembly has 90 members of the Legislative Assembly. There are 11 members of the Lok Sabha from Chhattisgarh, and the Rajya Sabha has five members from the state. The state of Chhattisgarh comprises 33 districts, which are divided into five divisions, namely Bastar division, Durg division, Raipur division, Bilaspur division, and Surguja division.
According to the 2011 census of India, estimates show that Raipur is the largest city with a population of 1,010,087, followed by Bhilai Durg (1,003,406), Bilaspur (717,030), and Korba (365,253).
Climate
The climate of Chhattisgarh is mainly tropical. It is hot and humid in the summer because of its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer. It is dependent on the monsoons for rain. The summer season in the state is from April to June and can be uncomfortably hot, with the mercury hitting 40 degrees. Sometimes, the temperature can even rise up to 49 degrees.
The monsoon season is from late June to October. The state receives an average rainfall of 1,292 mm. The winter season is from November to January, which is pleasant with low temperature and less humidity. Some of the coldest places in Chhattisgarh are Ambikapur, Mainpat, Pendra Road, Samri, and Jashpur.
Flora and fauna
The state of Chhattisgarh has around 44 per cent of forest cover. This accounts for 12 per cent in terms of forest areas in India.
The dense forests in the state are home to various species of flora and fauna, including more than 80 types of medicinal plants.
The state animal is van bhainsa (wild water buffalo), and the state bird is pahari myna (hill myna). The state tree is sal (sarai), which is found extensively in Bastar.
The state has two National Parks — Guru Ghasidas National Park, and Kanger Valley National Park — three tiger reserves, eight wildlife sanctuaries, and one bio-sphere reserve. The Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO recognised bio-sphere with total area of 383,551 hectares.
It is interesting to note that the state border of Chhattisgarh is covered in forests. Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Telangana border it on different sides, making Chhattisgarh the largest state with covered forest area on state boundaries.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the main economic occupation of the state. According to government estimates, the net sown area in Chhattisgarh is 4.828 million hectares, and the gross sown area is 5.788 million hectare.
Around 80 per cent of the state's population lives in rural areas and the villagers' main livelihood is agriculture and agriculture-based small industry.
Most farmers in the state still practice traditional cultivation methods, resulting in low productivity and low income.
Considering this and a minimal irrigated area, the productivity of not only rice but also other crops is low. Hence, the farmers cannot obtain economic benefits from agriculture, which has remained subsistence agriculture until now.
"Rice bowl of Central India"
Chhattisgarh is called the "rice bowl of Central India" due to the wide variety of rice grown in the state. There are over 20,000 varieties of rice grown in this region, which include wild types, varieties that can be cultivated, and aromatic and non-aromatic varieties. In 2018, Chhattisgarh produced around 10.5 million tonnes of rice.
Currently, Chhattisgarh is the seventh largest producer of rice in India. Rice is grown in over 35 per cent of the total area in the state. Bastar district has the highest cultivation of rice.
The state of Chhattisgarh is the largest rice exporter among India's rice-producing states. Almost 85 per cent of the state's population is dependent on agriculture as their primary source of income, thus the area under cultivation is very high.
Mineral resources
Chhattisgarh accounts for over 13 per cent of India's total mineral production, worth around Rs 4,000 crore annually.
Around 23 per cent of the country's iron ore deposits, 14 per cent of the dolomite deposits, and 6.6 per cent of the limestone deposits are found in the state.
Chhattisgarh has 18 per cent of the coal reserves of the country, and the state is ranked third after Jharkhand and Orissa.
Industries
Power sector
According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Chhattisgarh provides electricity to several other states due to surplus electricity production.
The National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (|NTPC) has the Sipat Thermal Power Station with a capacity of 2,980 megawatts (MW) in Bilaspur; the LARA Super Thermal Power Station with a capacity of 1,600 MW and the Korba Super Thermal Power Station with a capacity of 2,600 MW at Korba; and the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) units have a capacity of 1,780 MW and hydel capacity of 130 MW.
Steel sector
The steel industry is one of the biggest heavy industries in Chhattisgarh. The Bhilai Steel Plant, Bhilai, has a capacity of 5.4 million tonnes per year. It is the largest integrated steel plant in India.
Chhattisgarh has over 100 steel rolling mills, 90 sponge iron plants and ferro-alloy units. Raipur has become the centre of the steel sector, the biggest market for steel in India.
Aluminium sector
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BACL) established the aluminium industry in the state, which has a capacity of around 5,700,000 tonnes each year.
Culture and language
The state has multiple religious sects such as Satnampanth, Kabirpanth, Ramnami Samaj, among others. The Odia culture is prominent in the eastern parts of Chhattisgarh, bordering Odisha. The traditional dance forms include Rawat Nacha Pandwani, Chaitra, Panthi, Kaksar, Soowa, and Saila.
The traditional crafts of the state are paintings, bell metal crafts, bamboo, wood carving, and tribal jewellery. Chhattisgarhi Kosa silk and lost wax art are prominent across the country.
The official language of Chhattisgarh is Hindi, and Chhattisgarhi is the additional official language spoken in many parts of Chhattisgarh.
In some parts, Telugu is spoken as Andhra Pradesh borders the region on one side. The tribal people know Chhattisgarhi as Khaltahi, while Sambalpuri and Oriya speakers call it Laria. A countable number of the population also speaks Kosali and Oriya.