Chhattisgarh was formed on 1 November 2000 by partitioning 16 Chhattisgarhi-

speaking southeastern districts of Madhya Pradesh. Chhattisgarh is a state in

central India. It is the 10th largest state in India, with an area of 135,194 km2
(52,199 sq mi). With a population of 25.5 million, Chhattisgarh is the 16th most-
populated state of the nation. This state is a good source of electricity and steel for
India, accounting for 15% of the total steel production in the country.

Facts about Chhattisgarh:

1.Area 1,35,191sq.km
2.Establishment 1 November 2000
3. Population 2.55 cr. (2011 census)
4. Principal The official language of the state is Hindi. Odia, Marathi,
official Telugu also spoken
Language
5. Climate The climate of Chhattisgarh is tropical. It is hot and humid
because of its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer.
Summer in Chhattisgarh temperatures can reach 45 °C (113 °F)
6. Capital Raipur
7. Members of 11 (Rajya Sabha seats_5 )
Lok Sabha
8. Legislature Unicameral (90 seats)
9. Airports Swami Vivekananda Airport,Raipur
10. Major Raipur,BilaspurDurg,Bhilai,Rajnandgaon,
Cities Chirmiri,Mahasamund,Dhamtari,Raigarh,Ambikapur,Jagdalpur
11. Festivals Bastar Dussehra/ Durga Puja,Bastar Lokotsa,Madai
Festival,Rajim Kumbh Mela,Pakhanjore Mela (Nara Narayan
Mela),Bhoramdeo Festival,Goncha Festival,Teeja
Festival,Champaran Mela
12. Economy US$ 36.33 billion,
Size Its 80% of total working population depends on agriculture
sector.
13. Literacy 71.04%
14. State 189 person/ km2
Density
15. Districts 27
16.Sex Ratio (as 991 per thousand male
per 2011
census)

17. Principal Panthi, Rawat Nacha, Pandwani, Chaitra, Kaksar, Saila and
Folk Dances Soowa
18. Principal Mahanadi, Godawari, Ganga, Narmada. Mahanadi is the
Rivers lifeline of this state.
19. Principal Iron Ore, Lime Stone, Dolomite, Coal, Bauxite, Corundum,
Minerals Garnet, Quartz, Marble, Diamond
20. Tourist & Bhoramdeo Temple,Arjuna’s Rath,Shadani Darbar(Raipur), hri
Historical Rajiv Lochan Mandir(Raipur),Lakshman Temple
Places (Mahasamund),Pasharwanath Tirth (Durg)

History and Geography

Chhattisgarh, carved out of Madhya Pradesh came into being on 1 November 2000 as the
26th State of the Union. It fulfills the long-cherished demand of the people. In ancient times the
region was known as Dakshin-Kausal. This finds mention in Ramayana and Mahabharata also.
Between the sixth and twelfth centuries Sarabhpurias, Panduavanshi, Somvanshi, Kalchuri and
Nagvanshi rulers dominated this region. Kalchuris ruled in Chhattisgarh from 980 to 1791 AD.
With the advent of the British in 1845, Raipur gained prominence instead of capital Ratanpur. In
1904 Sambalpur was transferred to Odisha and estates of Sarguja were transferred from Bengal
to Chhattisgarh.
Chhattisgarh is bounded by southern Jharkhand and Odisha in the east, Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra in the west, Uttar Pradesh and western Jharkhand in the north and Andhra Pradesh
in the south. Areawise Chhattisgarh is the ninth largest State and population-wise it is
seventeenth State of the nation.

Agriculture
Agriculture and allied activities account for nearly 80 per cent of the work force in the State. Out
of the geographical area 13,790 thousand hectares, gross cropped area is about 35 per cent of the
total geographical area. Kharif is the main cropping season. Rice is the predominant crop of the
state. Other important crops are maize, wheat, niger, groundnut and pulses. The State has one of
the biggest collections of rice germplasm. Horticulture crops are grown in an area of about 540
thousand hectares.
Chhattisgarh was recently awarded "Krishi Karman Award" for first position in Paddy
production in India for the year 2010-11. Paddy production increased from 50 lakh MT to 91
lakh MT in 2011.

Irrigation and Power

When the State came into being, the total irrigation capacity was 13.28 lakh hectares, which has
now increased to 18.09 lakh hectare. Major completed projects are Mahandai Reservoir project,
Hasdeo Bango project, Tandula, Kodar, Jonk D/S, Kharung, Maniyari Tank and Pairy (Sikasar)
project, Jonk project, Kharang project, Maniyani project.

Installed capacity of state sector is 1924.70 MW out of which 1786 MW is thermal and 138.7
MW is hydro electric. By December 2012, Power from 500 MW Korba west TPS and 1000 MW
Madwa TPS shall be available.

In Chhattisgarh 97 per cent of villages and 67.5 per cent of Majra/ Tola (hamlets) are electrified.
Per capita electricity consumption has increased from 317 unit in 2001 to 1547 units in 2011.

Mineral Resources
Chhattisgarh has the perfect geological set up to host a number of economically crucial minerals.
Large deposits of coal, iron ore, limestone, bauxite, and dolomite are found in various parts of
the state. Districts of North Chhattisgarh such as Surguja, Raigarh, Koriya and Bilaspur are
known for huge coal deposits. The state has 46682 million tones reserve in coal. In 2009-10 the
state produced 110 million tones of coal. In fact Chhattisgarh ranks first among states in
production of coal. The rich deposits of coal has attracted huge investment in power sector and in
the coming years the state will emerge as major power supplier to the national grid.

Industry
The economy of Chhattisgarh is largely natural resource driven and it leverages the state's rich
mineral resources. The key sectors where Chhattisgarh has a competitive advantage include
cement, mining, steel, aluminium and power. One of the most mineral-rich states in India,
Chhattisgarh provides a lucrative opportunity for cement production at the most competitive
prices.

Information Technology
E-Governance in Chhattisgarh is oriented towards ensuring people access to government. This
makes the government even more responsive and transparent. Chips (Chhattisgarh Infotech and
Biotech Promotion Society) was setup with a high powered governing council under the Chief
Ministers chairpersonship, to act as a prime mover for IT and Biotechnology in the State. All
citizen services of e-governance are under one umbrella project called CHOICE (Chhattisgarh
On-line Information for Citizens Empowerment). Chhattisgarh got the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Award 2007 for its Human Development Report, using
Information technology for the betterment of citizens.

Transport
Roads: The total length of the roads in the State under PWD is 33448.80kms. The length of
National Highways is 2226 kms; State highways 5240 kms; 10,539.80 kms; main district roads;
and 15443 kms other district and rural roads. The length of roads in Chhattisgarh has increased
from 17.75 kms to 21.40 kms per 100 kms.
984 kms of roads have been constructed and the work of 265 km roads is in progress under
Chhattisgarh State Road Development Project.

18,906 kms of roads have been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna. To
connect interior areas of State, not covered under the PMGSY, State Government has started
Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna and 4000 kms of roads worth Rs.2000 crores is under
construction.
Railways: Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Raigarh and Korba are important railway
stations.

Tourist Centres
Chhattisgarh (Chhattīsgaṛh, Hindi pronunciation: [/ˈtʃʰət̪ ːisgəɽʱ/], translation: Thirty-Six Forts) is one of
the 28 states of India, located in the centre-east of the country. It is the ninth-largest state in India,
with an area of 135,192 km2 (52,198 sq mi). With a 2011 population of 25.5 million, Chhattisgarh is
the 16th-most populated state in the country. A resource-rich state, it is a source of electricity and
steel for the country, accounting for 15% of the total steel produced as well as large contributor of
coal .[4] Chhattisgarh is one of the fastest-developing states in India.[5]
The state was formed on 1 November 2000 by partitioning ten Chhattisgarhi and six Gondi speaking
southeastern districts of Madhya Pradesh.[6][7] The capital city is Raipur. Chhattisgarh borders the
states of Madhya Pradesh in the northwest, Uttar Pradesh in the north, Jharkhand in
northeast, Maharashtra in the southwest, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the
south,[8] and Odisha in the southeast. Currently the state comprises 28 districts.

Divisions[edit]
Raipur Bilaspur
Bastar Division Durg Division Surguja Division
Division Division

 Bastar (Jagdalpu  Kawardha (Kabird  Dhamtari  Bilasp  Koriya

r) ham)  Gariyaban ur  Surajpur
 Bijapur  Rajnandgaon d  Munge  Surguja (Ambika
 Sukma  Balod  Raipur li pur)
 Dantewada (Dak  Durg  Baloda  Korba  Balrampur-
shin Bastar)  Bemetara Bazar  Janjgir Ramanujganj
 Kondagaon  Mahasam -  Jashpur
 Narayanpur und Cham
 Kanker (Uttar pa
Bastar)  Raigar
h
 Gaurel
a-
Pendr
a-
Marwa
hi

Mineral deposits[edit]
Chhattisgarh is rich in minerals. It produces 20% of the country's total cement production. It has the
highest output of coal in the country with second-highest reserves. It is third in iron ore production
and first in tin production. Limestone, dolomite and bauxite are abundant. It is the only tin ore-
producing state in India. Other commercially extracted minerals include
corandum, garnet, quartz, marble, alexandrite and diamonds.
Major companies[edit]
Major companies with a presence in the state include:

 Metal: Bhilai Steel Plant, Jindal Steel and Power, Bharat Aluminium Company
 Oil: Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
 Mining: NMDC, South Eastern Coalfields
 Power : NTPC, Lanco Infratech, KSK Energy Ventures, Jindal Power Limited

CULTURE

The state hosts many religious sects such as Satnami Panth, Kabirpanth, Ramnami Samaj and
others. Champaran (Chhattisgarh) is a small town with religious significance as the birthplace of the
Saint Vallabhacharya, increasingly important as a pilgrimage site for the Gujarati community.
Chhattisgarh has a significant role in the life of the Lord Rama. Lord Rama along with his wife Sita
and his younger brother Lakshaman had started his Vanvas (exile) in the Bastar region (more
precisely Dandakaranya region) of Chhattisgarh. They lived more than 10 of their 14 years of
Vanvas in different places of Chhattisgarh. One of the remarkable places is Shivrinarayan which is
nearby Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh. Shivrinarayan was named after an old lady Shabari. When
Ram visited Shabari she said "I do not have anything to offer other than my heart, but here are some
berry fruits. May it please you, my Lord." Saying so, Shabari offered the fruits she had meticulously
collected to Rama. When Rama was tasting them, Lakshmana raised the concern that Shabari had
already tasted them and therefore unworthy of eating. To this Rama said that of the many types of
food he had tasted, "nothing could equal these berry fruits, offered with such devotion. You taste
them, then alone will you know. Whomsoever offers a fruit, leaf, flower or some water with love, I
partake it with great joy."
The Odia culture is prominent in the eastern parts of Chhattisgarh bordering Odisha.
CRAFTS
Chhattisgarh is known for "Kosa silk" and "lost wax art". Besides saris and salwar suits, the fabric is
used to create lehengas, stoles, shawls and menswear including jackets, shirts, achkans and
sherwanis. Works by the internationally renowned sculptor, Sushil Sakhuja's Dhokra Nandi, are
available at the government's Shabagcrafts emporium, Raipur.

Dance[edit]
Panthi, Raut Nacha, Pandwani, Chaitra, Kaksar, Saila, Khamb-swang, Bhatra Naat, Rahas, Raai,
Maao-Pata and Soowa are the several indigenous dance styles of Chhattisgarh.
Panthi, the folk dance of the Satnami community, has religious overtones. Panthi is performed on
Maghi Purnima, tbla[clarification needed] the anniversary of the birth of Guru Ghasidas. The dancers dance
around a jaitkhamb set up for the occasion, to songs eulogising their spiritual head. The songs
reflect a view of nirvana, conveying the spirit of their guru's renunciation and the teachings of saint
poets like Kabir, Ramdas and Dadu. Dancers with bent torsos and swinging arms dance, carried
away by their devotion. As the rhythm quickens, they perform acrobatics and form human
pyramids.[66]
Pandwani[edit]
Pandavani is a folk ballad form performed predominantly in Chhattisgarh. It depicts the story of the
Pandavas, the leading characters in the epic Mahabharata. The artists in the Pandavani narration
consist of a lead artist and some supporting singers and musicians. There are two styles of narration
in Pandavani, Vedamati, and Kapalik. In the Vedamati style, the lead artist narrates in a simple
manner by sitting on the floor throughout the performance. The Kaplik style is livelier, where the
narrator actually enacts the scenes and characters. Padmvibhushan Tijan Bai is most popular artist
of Pandwani[67]
GK Questions on Chhatisgarh
1. Main Crops- Rice,Maize, Peanuts, Soyabeans, Sunflower
2. Known as Rice Bowl of Central India.
3. Main Festivals- Bastar Dushera, Bastar Lokotsav,Madai Festival, Rajim Kumbha
Mela,Pakhanjore Mela(Nara Narayan Mela)
4. Traditional Food - Roti, Bhat, Dal or Kadhi,Curry, Chutney and Bhaji. Other dishes
are Aamat,Bafauri, Bhajja,Chousela,Dubkikadhi,Farra,Khurmi,Moong Bara,Thethari
and Muthia
5.
1.Chaker Dam is situated in- Kabeerdham
2. What was the Old name of Rajnandgaon District- Nandigram
3. What is Chhattisgarh Population Rank in India-17th
4. What is Chhattisgarh Area Rank in India-10th
4. Total Number of Rajya Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh- 5 Nos
5. Total Number of Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh- 11 Nos

5. Area wise largest district- Sarguja

6. Total District- 27 Nos
7.Chitrakote Waterfall located in – Indravati River(Dandakaranya Region)
8. Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary located in Mahasamund District
9. 1st Akasbani Center(AIR) established at Raipur
10.1st Maratha Ruler- Bimbaji Bonsale
11.Folk dance on heroism, also known as Lok ballet- Pandawani
12. 1st Film on Folk Language- Kahi Debe Sandesh
13. District created by division of Durg District- Raj-Nandagaon
14.Eklama iron ore complex- Kabirdham District
15. Champa District is famous for “Kosa” weaving industry
16. Largest Tribal population- Gond
17. Prayag of Chhatisgarh- Rajim
18. Patora Dam is located in Jonk River
19. 1st Chief Minister- Ajit Jogi
20. Highest Point- Akash Nagar
21. State Flower of Chhatisgarh- Rhynchostylis gigantean

22. Mangal Pandey of Chhatisgarh- Saheed Hanuman Singh

23.Bhoramdeo Temple constructed by Fadinag Bansa

24. Old Name of Dantewada- Torla-Pal

25. Mini Mata Project is situated in Hasdo River

26. State Animal of Chhatisgarh- Wild Water Buffalow

27. High Court is in Bilaspur(Also Known as Judicial Capital of Chhatisgarh)

28. Railway Waggon(Luggage) Repairing Centre- Raipur

29. Current Chief Minister- Bhupesh Baghel (From 17th December-2018)

30. Current Governor- Anusuiya Uikey(From 29th July 2019)

31. State Tree of Chhatisgarh- Sal

32. State Bird- Hill Myna

33. Aondhi dam is in Bande River

34. Banki Dam is in Banki River

35. Sita Nadi Wildlife sanctuary located in Dhamtari

36. . Udanti Wildlife sanctuary located in Raipur

37. National Park- Indravati National Park-