| Chandigarh
Geographical Area : 114
Population in 2001 : 9 00 635
Estimated population in 2025 : 24 88 000
Provisional Numbers in Census 2011
Chandigarh population as percentage of India : 0.09%
Population in 2011 : 10 54 686
Males 5 80 282
Females 4 74 404
Sex ratio : 818
Under 6 Sex ratio : 867
Number of Districts : 1
Number of habitated villages : 23
Capital
Chandigarh
Principal Languages
Hindi, Punjabi, English
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 and 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 bound 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:
Extension and Farmers Study/Training Tour
Development of Kitchen Garden
Soil and Water Conservation.
Industry
The Administration is developing the Phase-III of the Industrial
Area at the revenue estate of village Mauli Jagran. 152 acres of
land have been acquired.
After a gap of 17 years, Chandigarh was awarded Silver Medal amongst
all UTs for its excellent display at the recently held India International
Trade Fair, 2007, New Delhi.
Information Technology
Construction work of Chandigarh Administration's visionary project
RGCTP is in its full swing. Completion of Phase III will provide
direct employment to 35000 professionals, thereby increasing the
direct employment of RGCTP to 67,000 and would create 2, 00,000
indirect jobs in Chandigarh. The Entrepreneur Development Centre
at the RGCTP is being set up over an area of 1.5 acres approximately.
The centre would become operational this year.
Chandigarh has become a role model in using information technology
to provide fast and user friendly services for the masses. Under
the E-Governance initiatives of the Department, seven more Gram
Sampark Centres have been set up in the villages of Dhanas, Khudda
Jassu, Kaimbwala, Raipur Khurd, Raipur Kalan, Makhan Majra and Bahlana
in 2007. As many as seven more Gram Sampark Centres in villages
Palsora, Dadu Majra, Hallo Majra, Khuda Alisher, Daria, Mauli Jagran
and Maloya have been made operative.
In addition to the existing Centres some more Sampark Centres have
been proposed and new services like payment of BSNL bills, power
bills, water bills, payment of LIC premium, school fees collection
and tube well booking, especially for rural citizens , has also
been incorporated or are being afoot.
The Administration is working on energy conservation. A Work order
has been issued to the Tata BP Solar Ltd. for commissioning the
State Level Energy Park at the Botanical Garden. Under the Solar
Lighting initiative, all street lights in the villages would be
replaced with solar based street lights.
Power
Provisions of sufficient electricity to all the residents of UT
are also getting attention of the Administration. To improve the
voltage profile and to reduce the load on the power distribution
network of UT, the Electricity Wing had planned to add 80 MVAR Automatic
Capacitor Banks at various existing 66KV Grid Sub-Station located
at different points in the periphery of UT.
Use of CFL has been made mandatory inside all government buildings.
Similarly, all institutional buildings will have to provide solar
lighting in their parking spaces within their complexes.
The Electricity Wing also achieved its target in reduction of transmission
& distribution losses from 20.89% to 19.24%. The reduction is
around 1.5%. Every effort is being made to reduce the losses further
in the next year by another 1.5%.
Rural Development
In order to sensitise the poor and weaker sections of the society
about the rights and different benefits being extended to them by
the State Legal Services Authority, 14 legal awareness seminars
have already been organized in different villages of the UT.
Cement concrete paving and underground drains in village Kajheri
and Palsora have been completed. 70 per cent work in village Mauli
Jagran has been completed.
Sports
The Administration has opened a Girls Hockey Academy in sector-18
and would shortly start two more girls academies — one for Cricket
and another for Football. The Administration successfully organized
a One-day International Cricket match between India and Australia
on October 8, 2007 by upgrading the Cricket Stadium of Sector-16.
Various facilities of international standards and latest ground
equipments have been added. A new athletic-cum-Football stadium
would be built with all state-of -art-facilities in Sector 56 with
a seating capacity of 40,000 spectators, the process for which has
already started. Indoor provisions for Basket Ball, Volley Ball,
Judo and wrestling will also be provided in this stadium.
In the year 2007, the Chandigarh Sports Council had set up two
more new in-house Academies, in Hockey and Cricket to churn out
high class first rate players from the UT. All facilities including
board and lodging, education, diet, sport gear etc. are being provided
free-of-cost to the trainees in the academies.
Social Welfare
Social Welfare has been a major focus of the Administration. Many
people-friendly and innovative schemes for them have been launched
by Administration. To wipe away the menace of casteism and encourage
the people for inter-caste marriage, a sum of Rs.5,000 is granted
to the married couples provided that one of the spouses belongs
to SC Community. The Administration has enhanced the amount to Rs.50,000.
Under the Balika Samridhi Yojana, A sum of Rs.500 is being given
to the newly born girl child in the BPL families. The Chandigarh
Administration has decided to set up a Preparatory School for Children
with Special Needs (for 50 children) which will run in the premises
of PRAYAS Building, Sector 38. An outlay of about Rs.14 lakh has
been proposed in the Annual Plan 2008-09 for purchase of equipments
and other contingent expenditure.
The Vocational Training Centre for Street Children in Maloya with
the capacity to provide training for 900 children is under construction.
The Administration has set up a child help line.
Health
Telemedicine Project has been launched with state-of-art facilities
at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh
aiming to help needy patients to avail the expert advice of the
doctors of specialized fields in PGI and ensuring them high-quality
medical services.
The Government Multi Speciality Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16 has
been upgraded by adding a Trauma Unit having 28 beds with Emergency
Operation Theatres.
The Administration has launched the project for improving the Monitorable
Indicators of Reproductive and Child Health in UT at a cost of Rs.5,273
per mother and her child.
Seven more "State of the art" operation theatres including
pre-anaesthesia, post-anaesthesia rooms and a post operative ward
has been commissioned in Government Medical College and Hospital,
Chandigarh. "SAMARTH" a residential house for mentally
retarded individuals had also been set up in Sector 15, Chandigarh.
A huge total of around 5.6 crore has been sanctioned for the Residential
Accommodation of the eligible faculty staff of GMCH.
Education
Chandigarh Administration is coming up with its World Class Project,
the multi institutional 'Chandigarh Education City' at Sarangpur
with a total area of 130 acres. Administration has enhanced the
attendance scholarship being given to girl students of general category
from Rs.30 per month to Rs.250 per month for a period for Class
1st to 5th. For ensuring enrolment and education among schedule
caste boys and girls, Administration has also decided to increase
the attendance scholarship being given to the Scheduled Castes students
studying in Class 1st to 8th from Rs.30 per month to Rs.250 per
month in the age group of 6 to 14 years.
It has been decided to increase the scholarship to the meritorious
SC/ST students of Class 9th to 12th; it has been now increased to
Rs.300 per month whereas it was Rs.20/- and 25/- earlier.
Chandigarh Administration has also decided to exempt the tuition
fees of Muslims, Christians, Other Backward Classes, Handicapped,
Ward of Freedom Fighters, Ex-serviceman, widows and divorcees having
family income below Rs.1.5 lakh per year. For the children belonging
to low income groups and slum based families, it has decided to
give incentive of Rs.250 per month to rope in the children presently
not enrolled in any school on their fresh enrolment.
Tourism
Administration has taken many innovative and novel measures like
Wedding Tourism. With the focus on extending efficient medical,
educational and entertainment oriented facilities, Administration
is promoting Cinematic Tourism, Sports Tourism and Medical Tourism
in a big way. Chandigarh International Airport will prove to be
a big leap for Tourism in the region.
Housing
Chandigarh Housing Board is working on various projects. CHB being
a Nodal agency for the implementation of the 'Chandigarh Small Flats
Scheme-2006' has during the year finalized the process for implementation
of the construction of 25,728 One Room Tenement under the scheme
in two phases. Construction of 1024 Flats in Sector 49 and 1120
Flats in Sector 38 (West) under the scheme has already commenced.
Similarly, construction at the remaining six locations will commence
in due course of time.
The Board during the year, has completed construction of 326 Prefab
Shelters in Sector-56 for allotment to rag pickers of the City.
Construction of 400 EWS houses in Sector-49 & 288 EWS houses
in Sector-38 (W) under the scheme is in progress and is likely to
be completed by February, 2009.
A special self-financing Housing Scheme has ben launched by the
Board for allotment of Dwelling Units to the employees of the Administration
which will be constructed over 45.5 acres of land in Sectors-52
and 56. Reservation of 5 per cent in favour of employees retiring
within three years and those who have retired in the last three
years has been kept in the scheme. Reservation of 3% for physically
challenged persons has also been made.
As a step towards utilization of land vacated by Slum Dwellers
in Sector-26 (East) Madrasi Colony, CHB has commenced construction
of 160 EWS houses in the area. The work is likely to be completed
by March, 2009.
The construction of 256 one bedroom and 208 two-bedroom flats are
in progress and are likely to be completed by June, 2008. The construction
of 400 EWS and 288 EWS are likely to be completed by March, 2009.
Municipal Corporation
Municipal Corporation Chandigarh has upgraded the Sewage Treatment
Plant at Diggian at a cost of Rs.28 crore. MC also bagged the 1st
prize both in water supply and sewage/drainage services from the
Government of India, which was awarded by the Prime Minister of
India.
A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System has been installed
at a cost of Rs.700 crore to keep surveillance and monitor the water
supply. It will save power consumption, reduce operation and maintenance
cost by approximately Rs.3 crore annually.
To save portable water & provide additional water for landscaping,
a project amounting to Rs.36 crores has been taken up. This project
will generate 10 MGD tertiary water. The existing Dhobi Ghat of
Sector 15 has been converted into Automatic Laundry Marts, The first
of its kind in India.
Adding another milestone to up-gradation of the environment in
City Beautiful, The Municipal Corporation has set up a Solid Waste
Processing Plant at Dadu Majra at a cost of Rs.30.00 crores on 10
acres. The plant is one of its kinds in northern India.
Transport
Chandigarh Administration comprehending the need for a user friendly
transport system has decided to launch a Mass Rapid Transport System
shortly. The UT Administration and the State Governments of Punjab
and Haryana have come together for the implementation of the project.
Administration will soon introduce Air Conditioned and Double Decker
buses. 85 buses were purchased and put on routes during the year
2007-08.
CTU has computerized 70 per cent of its working and is in the process
of further computerization. The Undertaking is also in the process
of installing a Global Positioning System to monitor its fleet in
a phased manner. The first phase of the ISBT Sector 43 has already
started functioning and the second phase is scheduled for completion
later this year.
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