| Puducherry
Geographical Area : 492
Population in 2001 : 9 74 345
Estimated population in 2025 : 22 19 000
Provisional Numbers in Census 2011
Puducherry population as percentage of India : 0.10%
Population in 2011 : 12 44 464
Males 6 10 485
Females 6 33 979
Sex ratio : 1038
Under 6 Sex ratio : 965
Number of Districts : 4
Number of habitated villages 92
Capital
Puducherry
Principal Languages
Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, English and French
History and Geography
The territory of (Puducherry) comprises the former French establishment
Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam, which lie scattered in South
India. Puducherry, the capital of the territory was once the original
headquarters of the French in India. It was under the French rule
for 138 years and merged with the Indian Union on 1st November 1954.
It is bounded on the east by the Bay of Bengal and on the three
sides by Tamil Nadu. About 150 kms south of Puducherry on the East
Coast lies Karaikal. Mahe is situated on the Malabar coast on the
Western Ghats surrounded by Kerala. It can be reached from Calicut
Airport, which is 70 kms from Mahe. Yanam is situated adjoining
the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh and is about 200 kms
from Visakhapatnam airport.
Agriculture
Nearly 24.37 per cent of the population of the Union Territory is
engaged in agriculture and allied pursuits. 80.7% of the cultivated
area is irrigated. Paddy is the predominant crop (65%) followed
by pulses. Mahe region contributes to the plantation wealth of this
territory. Crops like coconut, areca nut, condiments and spices
are grown here. Paddy crop is a major crop and pulses, groundnut
and chillies are the other rainfed crops grown in Yanam.
Industry
7,982 Industrial Units in total with an aggregate investment of
Rs.2,177.78 crores provided employment to 93,044 persons up to March
2008. The total value of production of these industrial units worked
out to Rs.13,455.34 crores.
Further, during the financial year 2006-2007 (upto March 2007)
the value of exports in respect of the various products manufactured
by the export oriented units is Rs.901.06 crores.
Irrigation
Under the assistance from the European Union many tanks were rehabilitated.
8 bed dams have been constructed across the river Sankaraparani
and Pennar at various places. In addition to the above, necessary
proposal to construct bed dams for ground water recharges at Aratchikuppam,
Pambaiyar confluence point at Sellipet, across Malatar in Vadukuppam
at Puducherry and across Mullaiyar, Pravadayanar and Vanjiar at
Karaikal and also the construction of a bridge-cum-barrage at Villanur
are under progress.
Power
The Power requirements of the Union Territory of Puducherry are
met by availing share of power from the Central Generating Stations
and by purchasing power from the neighbouring State Electricity
Boards viz., Tamilnadu Electricity Board, Kerala State Electricity
Board and from the Puducherry Power Corporation Limited. The total
power available for Union Territory of Puducherry is 396 58 MW.
Transport
Roads nearly 677.525 km. of various category are being maintained
by Roads Divisions of PWD Puducherry. Construction of bridges and
improvement of roads are under progress.
Urban Development
Sewerage scheme in sub urban areas of Pondicherry has been taken
up at a cost of Rs.4.48 crore. The implementation of underground
drainage scheme in Karaikal is proposed at a cost of Rs.34.00 crore
after conducting the investigation. Revitalisation of Bharathi Park
is proposed at a cost of Rs.2.47 crore under C.S.S. New Sewerage
treatment plant in Lawspet and Dubrayapet are being commissioned
to cater the growing demand.
Tourism
Located about 160 Km South of Chennai, Puducherry (known in Tamil
as Puddcherry), the former French Colony of the early 18th Century,
is a charming Indian town with a few enduring pockets of French
Culture, and an Ashram set beside the sea. Together with the other
former French enclaves of Karaikal (also in Tamil Nadu), Mahe (Kerala),
Yanam (Andhra Pradesh), it now forms the Union, Territory of Puducherry.
The uniqueness of this town invariably lies in skillful town planning
and Franco Tamil architecture. The town is built on the model of
"bastide", a fortified French coastal town of the late
18th Century.
Being the legendary abode of renowned saints, ancient trading settlement
with Rome and Greece, once capital of French India, a spiritual
Power house, Puducherry has touristic resources in the back waters,
rivers, beaches and other areas developed as sustainable eco-tourist
facilities. Influenced by East and West, Puducherry has unique handicrafts
in leather pottery, hand made paper, incense and antique colonial
furniture. Late Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru rightly described
Puducherry as "the Window of French Culture".
Sri Aurobindo, the great seer, poet and prophet of Indian spirituality,
preached his vision and ideals staying in Puducherry till his life.
His Ashram is still a unique institution with its distinctive way
of life attracting people from all over the world.
Being the legendary abode of renowned saints, ancient trading settlement
with Rome and Greece, once capital of French India, a spiritual
Power house, Pondicherry has touristic resources in the back waters,
rivers, beaches and other areas developed as sustainable eco-tourist
facilities. Influenced by East and West, Pondicherry has unique
handicrafts in leather pottery, hand made paper, incense and antique
colonial furniture. Late Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
rightly described Pondicherry as "the Window of French Culture".
Sri Aurobindo, the great seer, poet and prophet of Indian spiritually,
preached his vision and ideals staying in Pondicherry till his life.
His Ashram is still an unique institution with its distinctive way
of life attracting people from all over the world.
The new Pondicherry Tourism Development Corporation was evolved
on 1 April 2005 with the aim on new tourism projects, diversification
and expansion of the existing tourism activities
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