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HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY
Chandigarh is a fully grown town of most modern architectural splendour.
The city nestles in a picturesque setting in the foothills of Shivalik hills and
enjoys the popular epithet the "City Beautiful". Representative of modern
Architecture & Town Planning, the city is a creation of the French Architect, Le
Corbusier, Chandigarh and the area surrounding it were constituted as a
Union Territory on 1 November 1966. It serves as the joint capital of both
Punjab and Haryana States. It is bounded on North and West by Punjab and
on the East and South by Haryana.
ADMINISTRATION
Chandigarh Administration is moving on four broad fronts. First, it is our aim
to provide, with the help of information technology, an accessible and
transparent administration. We were among the earliest to implement the
provisions of the Right to Information Act. A number of services, for which
citizens earlier had to go to government offices, are now available on computer
and mobile phones. All rules are being reviewed to see what simplification can
be carried out to make them user-friendly. The purpose is to minimise the
exercise of discretion, and minimise the leg work of the citizen in dealing with
the Administration.
Secondly, the Administration is working towards a higher rate of economic
growth by encouraging economic activities which provide greater value
addition, such as knowledge based industries, high-end commercial activity,
etc., Chandigarh already has the highest per capita income in the country.
Thirdly, the Administration is seeking to provide infrastructural services
such as electricity supply, water supply, health and educational services and
public transport which should compare with those in advanced countries. It
will take time, but we believe that our ambitions can be achieved in the
medium term.
Fourthly, the Administration is all too conscious of the fact that the
benefits of development do not reach everyone equally. Hence there is a special emphasis on reaching out to those whom development has
by-passed.
AGRICULTURE
The Union Territory Chandigarh has limited area under Agriculture. The agricultural land is being gradually acquired for the expansion of Chandigarh City, and cultivated area has shrunk from 5,441 hectares in 1966 to 1,400 hectares in 2002-03. The main sources of irrigation are deep-bore tube-wells installed by the Administration and shallow tube-wells installed by individual farmers. The main crop of foodgrain is wheat and it is sown nearly in 700 hectares of land. The Department is making efforts to promote techniques of harvesting by following measures: (i) Extension and Farmers Study/Training Tour, (ii) Development of Kitchen Garden, (iii) Soil and Water Conservation.
INDUSTRY
There are 15 large and medium industries, and about 3,140 small-scale industrial units in the State, offering employment to about 30,000 persons and giving an annual output of approximately Rs 600 crore. These units are mainly ancillary units engaged in the manufacturing of industrial fasteners, steel and wooden furniture, machine tools, soaps and detergents, pharmaceuticals, electrical/electronic items, sanitary fittings, sports goods, plastic goods, knitting needles, etc. There are about 20 major exporting units in Chandigarh, which export goods to the tune of Rs 60 crore (approximately) annually. Although in national terms, the quantity of exports may appear to be rather small, the Administration's efforts now are to promote only hi-tech electronic and information technology, non-polluting industry besides the export oriented industry for future expansion.
POWER
Chandigarh gets power from neighbouring states and Central generation projects to meet its power requirement. It has 3.5 per cent share of total power generation of Bhakra complex. Further, the firm allocation is 82.9 mw , out of thermal, nuclear and gas based Central generation projects. The shortfall is being met through ad hoc allocation from BBMB besides Central projects. All the villages around the city stand electrified and have been extended the facility of public lighting. About 2,000 number of energy efficient lamps have been installed in various important buildings.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Chandigarh has made strides in the field of Information Technology which
today is synonymous with development and progress. 25 September 2005 will
be remembered as a red letter day in the history of Chandigarh. On that day
the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, inaugurated the Rajiv Gandhi
Chandigarh Technology Park. This has added a fresh dimension to the economy
of the city. The creation of a knowledge-based industry is an impetus to
Chandigarh being seen as an investment destination for technology companies.
This in turn will improve not only the quantity but also the quality of
employment. The Administration is also considering the development of
Chandigarh as a financial services hub. Projects like the Chandigarh Technology
Park, Education City and Film City will further improve the level of economic
activity. Chandigarh is becoming one of the preferred destinations for
technology companies since it affords an excellent quality of life and a
competent base of human resource.
In the second phase of the IT Park, Wipro has been made an anchor
company and Bharti Teleservices has also been allotted land to set up its
software development centre-cum-campus. The 250 acre phase-II of the CTP
will comprise of 115 acres for Technology Park and 135 acres for integrated
support facilities. An Entrepreneur Development Centre (EDC) is also being
established at the CTP. It would be available to IT/ITES/BPO companies for
incubation and for setting up of plug and play facilities. It will have a research
laboratory which will provide modern facilities to companies to work in.
WATER TREATMENT AND IRRIGATION
The Chandigarh Administration has also initiated action on the various projects
to meet the objectives of Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
so as to have planned development of urban areas with focus on efficiency in
urban services delivery system. The Municipal Corporation has already sent
a project on Tertiary Water Treatment, seeking an assistance of Rs.35 crore to
the Union Government. The Chandigarh Administration has made a provision
of Rs.94.22 crore of tax revenue for the Municipal Corporation. In addition to
this, Rs.7.03 crore were also allotted for payment of street light bills. The
Administration has also been giving additional grant to the Municipal
Corporation for creation of civic amenities under various projects. Recently
Rs. 50 lakh were given to the Municipal Corporation for upgradation of
facilities in Sector 17.
Chandigarh Administration has always endeavoured to improve the
infrastructural facilities of the city. The Administration is giving top priority to
the conservation of water. The Administration has been working in close
coordination with the Municipal Corporation to provide various civic amenities
and services. The augmentation work of water supply scheme, Phase-IV has
been completed at the cost of Rs.4722 lakh, 25 new deep tube wells have been
installed at various parts of the city at the cost of Rs.300 lakh, and 12 new
irrigation tube wells have been installed at the cost of Rs.100 lakh for supply
of water for irrigation. A 5 MGD Sewerage Treatment Plant has been constructed
at the cost of Rs.505 lakh in village Raipur Kalan for treating sewage affluent
of Manimajra. The sewerage and storm water drainage system of the city has
further been augmented and strengthened at the cost of Rs.235 lakh.
There is a proposal to upgrade the Sewerage Treatment Plant at Diggian
to 45MGD at an estimated cost of Rs.3200 lakh. The Tertiary Water Distribution
Network will be further augmented at the cost of Rs.2200 lakh. Construction
of a 2MGD Sewerage Treatment Plan at Maloya at the cost of Rs.300 lakh is
also in pipeline. For further augmenting the water supply, 19 new tube wells
will also be installed at a cost of Rs. 300 lakh.
ENVIRONMENT
For healthy living, the sustainability of environment and conducive atmosphere
is important. In this regard, the Municipal Corporation has developed Green
Belts in Sec 38C&D and 24A, B, C&D. Shivalik Garden in Manimajra (Pocket
No.7) is being developed at a cost of Rs.200 lakh. Around 5000 trees and
shrubs have been planted during the last six months. Community Centers are
being constructed at Modern Housing Complex, Manimajra, Sec.28B and
Sec.30B at the cost of Rs.50 lakh. For the convenience of commuters, the
Corporation has constructed 48 state of the art bus queue shelters.
POWER
Chandigarh has one of the better power supply and electricity distribution
systems in the country. We have undertaken a project to provide electricity
with a reliability of 99.99 per cent within two years. Keeping in view the need
for a quick and efficient public transportation system for Chandigarh, a new
Grid Transport System has been introduced. Expressions of interest have been
invited for a rail based mass rapid transit system.
EDUCATION AND HEALTH
It is one of the priorities to give the social sector especially education and
health a definite and desired thrust. Recently, the administration has launched
an ambitious Nutrition Programme which aims at maintaining the health and
well being of school children. Under the programme, healthy cooked meal
such as chapattis, vegetables and dal are being given to the students free of
cost especially in colonies, villages, rehabilitation colonies and non-model
schools whose pupils are from low income families. In the second phase, other
schools will also be supplied same cooked food. Simultaneously teams of
doctors would regularly visit schools for repeated monitoring to provide
nutrition supplements in tablet form to nutritionally deficient children at least
for six months. All anemic and worm affected children examined by the School
Health Teams would be provided treatment for three months. For worm
infestation, the first dose will be given on the spot while the teachers can be
assigned the tasks of administering the second dose on the next due date.
Children needing further medical treatment, dental treatment and eye check
ups would be referred to the appropriate Hospital for further treatment. The
parents of the schools going children in the target areas including rehabilitation and labour colonies would be sensitized repeatedly about nutritional
requirements, deficiencies and diseases.The Chandigarh Administration has
taken the lead in providing free and compulsory education to all children of
the age group 6-14 years as enshrined in our constitution. The fee upto class
VIII chargeable from students has also been abolished in all government
schools. Not only this, the system of collection of funds from the students in
the government schools has also been abolished from December 2005 and the
requirement of the government schools will be met from the budget of the
Administration. It has also been decided that all students in non-model
schools upto class VIII will be provided free books and all children studying
in non-model schools upto class VIII will be provided free school uniforms
from the forthcoming session.
In its endeavour to provide accessible, affordable and reliable health care
to the citizens of Chandigarh, the Administration has taken several steps to
improve, upgrade and modernise the existing health facilities and infrastructure.
Several state of the art facilities have been started at the Government Medical
College and Hospital, Sector 32 and the General Hospital, Sector 16 to provide
better patient care. The existing system of the GMCH is being networked and
the process to start Endoscopic Surgery in the Department of Gynaecology has
also been started. Computerised Radiography System and Digital Radiotherapy
will be installed in the Department of Radio-diagnosis of the GMCH. Seven
well-equipped operation theatres along with Post Anesthesia Care Unit and
Post Operative Ward will be commissioned in the GMCH. Toxicology Laboratory
will be established to facilitate patient care with regard to analysis of chemical
and poison at the GMCH. Foundation stone of the Regional Institute for
Mentally Handicapped at Sector 31-C has been laid.
The Emergency Block of the General Hospital, Sector16 will be renovated
and a 6-storeyed OPD Block has been planned in the General Hospital. Help
Desk at the General Hospital, Sector 16, has been established for convenience
of patients and provision for blue coloured cards for according preference to
senior citizens in outdoor clinics has been made. Uniformity is being made at
primary level by outsourcing laboratory investigations at the rates equivalent
to that of user charges fixed by the Administration. The National Board of
Examination, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have accredited
the General Hospital 16 to award Post Graduate Diploma in Gynecology and
Pediatrics. There is a proposal to upgrade the School of Nursing into College
of Nursing. The patients below poverty line and patients under financial
distress are provided free OPD/Indoor treatment. The Chandigarh
Administration has set up a Drop-in-Centre for HIV patients to improve their
quality of life and a new Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre has also
been established at Community Health Centre, Manimajra.
COMMERCE AND TRADE
With an aim to create an entrepreneur friendly environment all the major
decisions are taken in consultation with the user groups. Public opinion on the
Excise Policy 2006-07 has been sought by the Chandigarh Administration to
make it more user friendly before its final implementation. The draft Excise Policy has been framed in consonance with the Model Excise Policy/Taxation/
Act Rules for alcoholic beverages circulated by the Union Ministry of Food
Processing Industries. Simultaneously, it will also check the evasion of the
excise duty and other taxes and substantially enhance the revenue of the
Administration.
To boost commercial activities in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the
Administration has recently announced the liberalization of conversion from
one trade to another. Under the policy, free conversion of trade in respect of
the ground floors of commercial establishments has been allowed. Allottees of
commercial sites and premises can pursue most trades without applying for
conversion and without paying for it on the ground floor.
WELFARE
A society is judged by the way it treats its downtrodden, poor, destitute, senior
citizens and widows. In the field of social welfare, the Administration has
taken several initiatives. An inclusive Vocational Training-cum-Production
Marketing Centre is coming up in Sector 46, which would be a hub of training,
trades, self-employment activities, early intervention and prevention of
childhood disabilities and to make the children self supported persons. The
Centre will also cater to the needs of deserving persons of the neighbouring
states. A Vocational Training Programme for Persons with Disabilities is
proposed to be funded under the Govt. of India’s scheme where vocational
training and sheltered workshops can be established. For the convenience of
the pensioners, the Administration has started disbursing Old Age Pension,
Widow Pension and Pension to Disabled Person through Sampark Centres
established in Sectors 10,15,18,23,43,47, Manimajra and Industrial Area Phase-
I. Chandigarh Administration has set up a Maintenance Cell at the Chandigarh
College of Engineering and Technology to provide maintenance services to the
residents of the city in technical fields. It will also impart technical training in
various fields to the people living below poverty line to make them self
dependent wage earners.
The Administration has also launched a project under which local artisans
will be provided a place to showcase their artifacts and a platform to exhibit
and sell their products. A directory of artisans will be prepared which will be
kept at the Panchayat Bhawan so that the artisans can be contacted whenever
required. The artisans will also be encouraged to form cooperative societies for
which all help will be extended to them by the Registrar Cooperative Societies
so as to enable them to exhibit and sell their products in a profitable way. A
Child Art Gallery in Govt. Museum and Art Gallery will be established.
HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Chandigarh Administration has been making sincere efforts to meet the
housing demand of the residents. Housing scheme for 96 one bedroom and 96
two bedroom flats in Sector 49 has recently been launched. Similarly, another
housing scheme for 160 one bed room and 112 two bed room flats in Sector 49
is likely to be launched shortly. For economically weaker sections, 288 flats in
Sector 38(West) and 400 flats in Sector 49 will be launched under another housing scheme. About 1600 multi-storeyed flats will be constructed in Sector
63 for which consultants are being engaged. Chandigarh Administration has
earmarked 135 acres of land for residential facility in the CTP where about
2000 flats are expected to be constructed. About 90 acres of land has also been
allotted to the CHB in Sectors 53, 54 and 55 for housing scheme. Chandigarh
Administration is also in the process of earmarking 20 acres of land in Sector
52 for construction of houses of different categories for U.T. employees.
Chandigarh Housing Board is being computerized to provide online data to
public to check their accounts and pay dues online. Software for providing
online information to the allottees has been prepared and property records are
being computerised.
Chandigarh Police has strived to provide a people friendly, transparent
and responsive policing to the residents of the city with focus on professionalism
and basic policing. The Chandigarh Police has recently launched an SMS
information facility. The SMS information facility would enable any person to
know status of public complaints submitted at the public window system and
the status of their passport applications. The Common Integrated Police
Application is also being introduced in all the police stations of the Union
Territory of Chandigarh.
Chandigarh boasts of an excellent sports infrastructure in the country. Its
modern sports infrastructure has further been strengthened. Flood lights with
latest technology at a cost of Rs.1.67 crore have been commissioned at Hockey
Stadium, Sector 42. The swimming pool of the Lake Club is being renovated
and several world class facilities are being added to the Cricket stadium,
Sector 16 to bring it at par with an international cricket ground. Flood lights
will also be installed. All weather swimming pool at Sports Complex, Sector
42, will be constructed
TRANSPORT
Chandigarh Transport Undertaking has the privilege to operate public transport plied on sub-urban routes, city routes and on inter-state routes. The length of national highways is 15.275 km. Chandigarh is well connected by all, road and air as well.
TOURIST CENTRES
Important tourist centres are Rock Garden, Rose Garden, Sukhna Lake, Museum and Art Gallery, City Museum, Tower of Shadows, Geometric Hill Museum of Evolution, Kala Gram, Log Huts, Nepli Forests, Fitness Trails (in Leisure Valley), National Gallery of Portraits, Central Plaza, International Doll Museum and Smriti Upvan.
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