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INDIA 2012

A REFERENCE ANNUAL

Compiled by

RESEARCH, REFERENCE AND TRAINING DIVISION

PUBLICATIONS DIVISION

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

ASSAM

Area : 78,438 sq km Population : 2,66,55,528 (census 2001)

Capital : Dispur

Principal Language : Assamese

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

The word ‘Assam’ as interpreted by some scholars is derived from the Sanskrit word Asoma meaning peerless or unparalleled. But the widely accepted opinion of the academic circles today is that the term has come from the original name of the Ahoms, who ruled the land for about six hundred years prior to its annexation by the British. The races like Austric, Mongolian, Dravidian and Aryan that came to this land long long ago have contributed to its composite culture. Thus Assam has a rich legacy of culture and civilization.

Assam was known as Pragjyotisha or the place of eastern astronomy during the epic period and later named as Kamrupa. The earliest epigraphic reference to the kingdom of Kamrupa is found in the Allahabad pillar inscription of king Samudragupta. Kamrupa is mentioned as a Pratyanta or frontier state outside the Gupta empire but with friendly and subordinate relation to it. Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese scholar pilgrim who visited Kamrupa in about 743 AD on an invitation of its monarch, Kumar Bhaskar Varman, left a record of the kingdom he called Kamolupa. Kamrupa also figured in the writings of the Arabian historian Alberuni in the eleventh century. Thus, from the epic period down to the twelfth century AD, the eastern frontier kingdom was known as Pragjyotisha and Kamrupa and kings called themselves ‘Lords of Pragjyotisha’.

The advent of the Ahoms across the eastern hills in 1228 AD was the turningpoint in Assam history. They ruled Assam nearly for six centuries. The Burmese entered through the eastern borders and overran the territory at a time when court intrigues and dissensions were sapping the vitality of the Ahom royalty. It became a British protectorate in 1826 when the Burmese ceded Assam to the British under the provision of the Treaty of Yandabo.

Assam is the sentinel of north-east India and gateway to the North-Eastern States. The State is close to India's international borders with Bangladesh and Bhutan. Assam is surrounded by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh on the north, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh on the east and Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram on the south.

AGRICULTURE

Assam is an agricultural State. Agriculture occupies an important place in the economy of the State. The principal food crop is rice. The cash crops are jute, tea, cotton, oilseeds, sugarcane, potato, etc. Noteworthy horticulture items are orange, banana, pineapple, arecanut, coconut, guava, mango, jackfruit and citrus fruits. The State has an estimated 39.83 lakh hectare gross cropped area of which net area sown is about 27.24 lakh hectare.

FORESTS

Assam is known for her rich forest wealth which constitutes 26.22 per cent of the total forest area.

WILD LIFE

The State has five National Parks and eleven wildlife sanctuaries. The Kaziranga National Park and the Manas Tiger Project (National Park) are internationally famous for the one horned Rhino and Royal Bengal Tiger respectively.

INDUSTRY

Of agriculture-based industries, tea occupies an important place. There are six industrial growth centres in the State and two such centres are being set up at Balipara and Matia. Presently four oil refineries have been working in the State including the one at Digboi. Construction of the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) at Amingaon near Guwahati is nearing completion. A Software Technology Park will be constructed at Borjhar near Guwahati. A Central Institute for Plastic Engineering Technology (CIPET) has been established at Amingaon near Guwahati. Assam has always enjoyed the highest reputation for her arts and crafts associated with her cottage industries. Cottage industries include handloom, sericulture, cane and bamboo articles, carpentry, brass and bell-metal crafts. Assam produces varieties of silk, Endi, Muga, Tassar, etc. Muga silk is produced only in Assam in the world.

POWER

The major power stations are Chandrapur Thermal Project, Namrup Thermal Project and a few Mobile Gas Turbine Units along with a mini hydro-electric project. Revitalising the Thermal Power Station of Bongaigaon and the on-going Karbi- Langpi Project will boost the power supply in the State.

TRANSPORT

Roads : The total length of roads in the State is 37,515 km which includes 2,836 kms of National Highways. The construction of 160 km of barbed wire fencing and 27 kms of the border road along the Indo-Bangladesh International Border have been completed.

Railways : The length of railway tract in Assam is 2,284.28 kms comprising 1,227.16 kms under broad-gauge and 1,057.12 km under metre-gauge lines.

Aviation: The regular civil air services operate from Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport (Guwahati), Salonibari (Tezpur), Mohanbari (Dibrugarh), Kumbhirgram (Silchar), Rawriah (Jorhat) and Silonibari (North Lakhimpur).

FESTIVALS

Assam has an exclusive range of colourful festivals. Bihu is the chief festival celebrated on three occasions. Rongali Bihu or Bohag Bihu marks the advent of the cropping season and it also ushers in the Assamese New Year. Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu is the harvest festival and Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu coming in autumn is a simple affair.

Religion accounts for a large variety of festivals. Vaishnavites observe the birth and death anniversaries of prominent Vaishnava saints through day-long singing of hymns and staging of Bhaonas (theatrical performances in traditional style). Ambubachi in Kamakhya shrine, Sivaratri Mela at Umananda and other places near Siva temples, Durga Puja, Diwali, Dol-Jatra, Id, Christmas, Ashokastami Mela, and Rash Mela, Parasuram Mela are other religious festivals.

TOURISM

Important places of tourism in and around Guwahati are Kamakhya temple, Umananda (Peacock Island), Navagraha (temple of nine planets), Basistha Ashram, Dolgobinda, Gandhi Mandap, State Zoo, State Museum, Sukreswar temple, Gita Mandir, Madan Kamdev temple, a magnificent archaeological place of interest, and Saraighat bridge.

Other places of tourist interest in the State are : Kaziranga National Park (famous for the one horned rhino), Manas Tiger Project, Pobi-tora and Orang (wildlife sanctuaries), Sibsagar (Shiv Temple-Rangghar-Karengghar), Tezpur (Bhairavi temple for its scenic beauty), Bhalukpung (Angling), Haflong (health resort with Jatinga hills), Majuli (largest river island in the world), Chandubi lake (picnic spot), Hajo (meeting point of Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam), Batadrava (birth place of great Vaishnava saint Sankaradeva) and Sualkuchi (famous for silk industry).

GOVERNMENT

Governor : Shri Janaki Ballav Pattanaik

Chief Secretary : Shri Naba Kumar Das

Chief Minister : Shri Tarun Gogoi Jurisdiction of : All North-Eastern States

Guwahati High Court

AREA, POPULATION AND HEADQUARTERS OF DISTRICTS

S. No. District Area (sq km) Population (in lakh) District

(Census 2001) Headquarters

1. Dhubri 2,838 16.35 Dhubri

2. Kokrajhar 3,129 9.30 Kokrajhar

3. Bongaigaon 2,510 9.06 Bongaigaon

4. Goalpara 1,824 8.22 Goalpara

5. Barpeta 3,245 16.42 Barpeta

6. Nalbari 2,257 11.38 Nalbari

7. Kamrup 4,345 25.15 Guwahati

8. Darrang 3,481 15.04 Mangaldoi

9. Sonitpur 5,324 16.78 Tezpur

10. Lakhimpur 2,277 8.89 North Lakhimpur

11. Dhemaji 3,217 5.89 Dhemaji

12. Morigaon 1,704 7.76 Morigaon

13. Nagaon 3,831 23.15 Nagaon

14. Golaghat 3,502 9.46 Golaghat

15. Jorhat 2,851 10.09 Jorhat

16. Sibsagar 2,668 10.53 Sibsagar

17. Dibrugarh 3,381 11.72 Dibrugarh

18. Tinsukia 3,790 11.50 Tinsukia

19. Karbi-Anglong 10,434 8.12 Diphu

20. North Cachar Hills 4,888 1.86 Haflong

21. Karimganj 1,809 10.04 Karimganj

22. Hailakandi 1,327 5.43 Hailakandi

23. Cachar 3,786 14.42 Silchar

(as per census 2001)

Wildlife parks and sanctuaries: India

Tezpur (Assam)

GETTING THERE

By Air - Nearest airport is Tezpur. There are daily flights by Indian Airlines from Calcutta. By Rail - The nearest railhead is North Lakhimpur in Assam 60 km from Itanagar. By Road - Itanagar is connected by road to the other state capitals in the North East. Guwahati 381 km, Shillong 481 km, Imphal 495 km, Calcutta 1,539 km. Bus services run from Itanagar to Bomdila.

TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit Arunachal is from October to February.

PLACES OPEN IN RESTRICTED/PROTECTED AREA

VISIT PERMITTED TO

Itanagar, Ziro, Along, Pasighat, Deporijo Miao, Namdapha & Tipi Sujusa (Puki), Bhalukpong

AUTHORITY

Home Commissioner, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar All FRROs at Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chief Immigration Officer, Chennai All Indian Missions abroad

REMARKS

Tourists groups may travel on identified tour circuits only Individual tourists not permitted, 10 days allowed.

ADDITIONAL TREKKING ROUTES OPENED-UP FOR FOREIGN TOURISTS

Pasighat-Jengging-Yingkiong Bhalukpong-Bomdilla-Tawang Roing-Mayodia-Anini Tezu-Hayuling

TREKKING

Arunchal has an international border with Bhutan, China and Burma The state is thinly populated small and it retains much of the original forest cover. The southern flank of the Arunachal Himalaya is visible from the plains. This part of the range includes peaks as secluded as Kangto, among the highest unclimbed faces in the world. A puzzling approach and thick jungle has kept these summits virtually off-limits to mountaineers. In an area as pristine and as delicate as Arunachal, numerous trekking routes are on the way for the adventure seekers. Five of the tributaries of Brahmaputra flow through these ranges.

Itanagar trek - The first of the trek routes originates at Itanagar and links up with Ziro in the centre of the state 150 km away, at an altitude of 1754 metres in the resplendent Apatani plateau. The trail pushes farther east and north, crossing the Subansiri river at Daporijo to reach Along. Here, the trekkers can meet that peripatetic harbinger of Manasarovar, the Siang. The final section of this circuit goes downstream to Pasighat and re-enters north Assam before returning to Itanagar.

Margherita Railhead - The second tourism circuit covers the well-known Namdapha National Park in Tirap district near the east end of the state, close to the Burmese border. The designated entry and exit point on this circuit is the railhead at Margherita, also reached by National Highway 38 from Tinsukia. Coaches continue up to Miao for entry into the park.

Forest

Using Pasighat as the base, where the Brahmaputra enters the plains, a reasonably good road meanders up-river through thick forest. Neat settlements at Yembung, Pangin and Boleng lead to the Siamang bridge, 110 km from the base. Here also lie promising tracts for catch and-release mahaseer angling. Again for Pasighat, aside from the Dibrugarh ferry, there is another access via the 415 km drive from Tezpur roughly parallel to the north bank of the Brahmaputra.