Chandigarh
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Area |
114 sq km |
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Union Territory Portal |
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Population |
900,635 |
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Open Forum Partners
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Capital |
Chandigarh |
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Important Contact Numbers |
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Principal
Languages |
Hindi, Punjabi, English |
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Development Initiatives |
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.
