Chhattisgarh Foundation Day | 02 Nov 2022

Why in News?

Recently, the third edition of the National Tribal Dance Festival to be held from 1st November to 3rd November, 2022 was inaugurated at Raipur, Chhattisgarh on the event of state foundation day.

• Over 1,500 tribal artistes from around India and 10 countries, including Mozambique, Mongolia, Tongo, Russia, Indonesia, Maldives, Serbia, New Zealand and Egypt will be hosted at the event.

What are the Key Facts about Chhattisgarh?

• About:
  • Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on 1st November, 2000 with its 16 Chhattisgarhi speaking districts.
  • It is the 10th largest state in India with an area of 135,190 sq-km.
  • It is an important hub for the production of steel and electrical power in India, producing about 15% of the total steel produced in India.
  • Chhattisgarh is mainly famous for its agriculture accounting for about 80% of the work force. It is also known as ‘Dhan Ka Katora’ meaning ‘Bowl of Rice’ for the production of rice.
• Borders:
  • It is surrounded by seven states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Orissa, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
• Capital:
  • Raipur.
• Language:
  • The native language of people of Chhattisgarh is Chhattisgarhi.
    • However, Hindi is more prominent here.
• Tribes:
  • The most familiar tribes found in the state are Miriam, Baiga, Kamars, Halbas, Gonds, Bhumja, Kawars, etc.
• Important Festivals:
  • Few of the remarkable festivals celebrated by the tribal societies comprises Bastar Dussehra, Bastar Lokotsav, Koriya Mela, Fagun Wadai, Madai Festival, Goncha Festival, Pola Festival, and others.
• Mineral Resources:
  • It is a leading producer of minerals such as coal, iron ore and dolomite.
    • Moreover, considerable reserves of bauxite, limestone and quartzite are available in the state.
    • The state accounts for 35.4% of tin ore reserves of India. Chhattisgarh is the only state in India that produced tin concentrates.
• Important Rivers:
  • There are four main catchment areas in the state, mainly Mahanadi, Ganga, Godavari, and Narmada.
    • Under this, the Mahanadi, Shivnath, Arpa, Indravati, Sabari, Leelagar, Hasdo, Pairi, and Sondur are main rivers.
• National Parks:
  • Indravati National Park
  • Guru Ghasidas National Park
  • Kanger Valley National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries:
  • Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Pamed Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Gormada Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Badalkhol Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Bhairamgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Seramsot Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Nandan Van Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Python Forest Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Narsinghgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Udanti Wild Buffalo Wildlife Sanctuary
• Tiger Reserve:
  • National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has designated the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve.