HARYANA IN A ONE EYE

Area: 44,212 sq. km                                               Population: 25,353,081
Capital: Chandigarh                                               Principal Languages: Hindi
Total Literacy(%): 76

History and Geography

Haryana has a proud history going back to the Vedic Age. The state was the home of the legendary Bharata dynasty, which has given the name Bharat to India.Haryana finds mention in the great epic of Mahabharata. Kurukshetra, the scene of the epic battle between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, is situated in Haryana. The state continued to play a leading part in the history of India till the advent of the Muslims and the rise of Delhi as the imperial capital of India. Thereafter, Haryana functioned as an adjunct to Delhi and practically remained anonymous till the First War of India's Independence in 1857. When the rebellion was crushed and the British administration was re-established, the Nawabs of Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh, Raja of Ballabgarh and Rao Tula Ram of Rewari of the Haryana region were deprived of their territories. Their territories were either merged with the British territories or handed over to the rulers of Patiala, Nabha and Jind. Haryana thus became a part of the Punjab province. With the reorganisation of Punjab on 1 November 1966, Haryana was made into a full-fledged state. The state is bound by Uttar Pradesh in the east, Punjab in the west, Himachal Pradesh in the north and Rajasthan in the south. National Capital Territory of Delhi juts into Haryana.

Agriculture

Agriculture is the mainstay of more than 65 per cent population in Haryana with contribution of 26.4 per cent in GDP of the State. The quantum of food grains production, which was nearly 25.92 lakh tonnes at the time of inception of the state, is likely to touch 153.08 lakh tonnes in 2007-08 due to crop intensification and increase in production of principal crops. Rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, maize, barley and pulses, sugarcane, cotton, oilseeds and potato are the major crops of the state. Under the diversification of crops, more and more area is being brought under cash crops like sugarcane, cotton and oilseeds, vegetable and fruits. Cultivation of new crops like castor, soyabean, groundnuts and horticulture crops are also being encouraged. Sustainable agriculture is being promoted through the propagation of resource conserving technologies and organic farming. Dhaincha and Moong have also been encouraged to maintain soil fertility.

Information Technology

In view of the importance of Information Technology in the globalisation process throughout the world, the State Government has formulated an IT Policy which provides several incentives for IT and ITES/BPO Industry. Government has also recently announced a policy for Technology Parks, which gives considerable flexibility for setting up Technology Parks and IT Corridors. The objective of this policy is also to promote convergence of Information Technology with frontier technologies like Nano Technology, Bio Technology, Mobile Computing and Robotics, etc. Further, Gurgaon has been developed as a preferred investment destination for both IT and ITES/BPO companies. Now, Gurgaon has become the home of the corporate world in India. The State Government is planning to set up Hi-Tech Habitat Centre in the Electronic City, Gurgaon for IT/ITES/BPO companies, which would provide world-class facilities. Besides Gurgaon, the state also intends to develop other areas in NCR region, especially those alongside the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Express Highway and Faridabad, as satellites of Gurgaon-Manesar Mega IT Hub. The software exports from Haryana during 2007-08 were Rs. 17,500 (approximately) crore.

The Government is in the process of setting up 1159 Rural and 104 Urban ICT based Common Service Centres under the State brand name e-Disha Ekal Sewa Kendra in the State and work of CSC implementation has already been started. The rollout in rural areas has been achieved 100%, while in urban/showcase CSCs it is 67%. At present B2C services like computer training, e-ticketing, mobile recharge, job placement services, internet surfing, DTP etc. are being provided through these centres and the Government also proposes to start G2C services like bus passes, electricity bill collection, issuing of nakal (land record), issuing of certificates like SC/BC/Income/Domicile, birth/death and issuing of new Ration Cards through these centres. Under the Computer Training Programme, more than 23000 Government Employees have been trained.

Industry

Haryana has a large industrial base having more than 1,343 large and medium and 80,000 small scale units in the State. Name any item, it is produced in Haryana. Haryana is the largest producer of passenger cars, tractors, motorcycles, bicycles, refrigerators, scientific instruments, etc. Haryana is the largest exporter of Basmati rice to the overseas market. Panipat handlooms and carpets are known all over the world besides, the famous Pachranga Achaar.

Since July 1991, 3828 IEMs were filed and out of these 2228 IEMs were implemented with Capital Investment of Rs 21,578 crore and generating employment for 3,92,237 persons. As a result of the new Industrial Policy, the State has received about 94 proposals for setting up of SEZs in the State which is envisaging an investment of Rs. 2.00 lakh crore in the industrial infrastructure. These projects on implementation would create several thousand crores investment in the industrial sector besides, generating huge employment. The State is developing industrial model townships at Faridabad, Rohtak and Jagadhari besides expansion of IMT Manesar in Gurgaon. Petrochemical Hub is coming up with investment of Rs.33,000 crore at Panipat. Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway is being developed with an investment of Rs. 2000 crore. This will create a large number of economic hubs all along the expressway generating new investment opportunities inthe industrial and service sector. The State is also fully exploring the potential of economic development by developing new industrial estates at Bahadurgarh, Rohtak as well as expanding industrial infrastructure at Sonipat, Kundli, Rai and Barhi. Many proposals for setting up new industrial estates at different locations particularly in Ambala, Saha, Yamuna Nagar, Barwala, Karnal, Rohtak and Kaithal are under consideration with the State Government.

There is a great demand from industries for allotment of industrial land in the industrial estates developed by the HSIDC and HUDA. During this period of the present Government, 94 new industrial units in the large and medium sectors and 5031 new small-scale industrial units with investment of Rs. 4124 crore have been set up generating direct employment for more than 92,559 persons. Besides, a large number of industrial units have undergone expansion and as a result of it fresh investment of more than Rs. 35,000 crore has been created. Recently, Indian Oil Corporation has set up Paraxylene/PTA project at Panipat with an investment of about Rs. 5000 crore. Maruti Udyog Hero Honda and many other automobile ancillaries are undergoing expansion programme with investment of about Rs. 10,000 crore. At present, investment proposals of about Rs. 70,000 crore are under implementation in the Industrial Sector. Similarly, new investment in IT and Textile sector particularly the readymade garment is coming up in the State.

Irrigation

To ensure equitable distribution of water for irrigation and drinking purpose through out the State, the Government has been constructing a canal namely Bhakra Main Line-Hansi Branch-Buttana Branch Multipurpose link Channel of 109 kilometer length to the tune of Rs. 354 crores. To utilise surplus water of river Yamuna during monsoon season the construction work of Dadupur-Shahbad Nalvi Canal project has been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 267 crores. 590 cusecs surplus flood water will be used for irrigation and ground water recharging facilities to an area of 92,532 hectares falling in districts Yamuna Nagar, Ambala and Kurukshetra. The Government has sanctioned four projects of low height dams namely Kaushalaya dam, Dangrana dam, Dewanwala dam and Chhamla dam at an estimated cost of Rs. 118 crores, Rs. 63.69 crores, Rs. 132.70 crores and Rs. 20.41 crores respectively on river Ghaggar and its tributaries to prevent wasteful flow of water and loss to property by flood during the Monsoon season.

Power

Haryana became the first State in the country to achieve 100 per cent rural electrification in 1970. Starting with 20,000 tube wells in 1966 there were 4.51 lakh tube wells in March 2008. The average power availability during 2007-08 was 723.10 lakh units a day. The number of consumers in 2007-08 was 42.70 lakh. The installed generation capacity as on 31 March 2008 was 4368 MW.

Transport

Roads: In Haryana, all villages stand connected with metalled roads. The length of roads in the State is 31,010 km.
Railways: Kalka, Kurukshetra, Rohtak, Jind, Hissar,Ambala, Panipat and Jakhal are important railway stations. There is a railway workshop at Jagadhari.
Aviation: There are civil aerodromes at Pinjore, Karnal, Hisar, Bhiwani and Narnaul.

Tourist Centres

Haryana has a network of 44 Tourist Complexes in the State. Some of the important tourist complexes are: Blue Jay (Samalkha), Skylark (Panipat), Chakravarty Lake and Oasis (Uchana), Parakeet (Pipli), Kingfisher (Ambala), Magpie (Faridabad), Dabchick (Hodal), Shama (Gurgaon), Jungle Babbler (Dharuhere), Gauriyya (Bahadurgarh), Myna (Rohtak), Blue Bird (Hisar), Red Bishop (Panchkula) and Pinjore Gardens (Pinjore). Surajkund and Badkhal Lake near Delhi, Sultanpur bird sanctuary (Sultanpur, Gurgaon) and Damdama in Gurgaon and fascinating pocket of pines at Morni Hills are other attractions of tourist interest. The famous Surajkund Crafts Mela is held every year in the month of February. Similarly Pinjore Heritage Festival is celebrated every year.