Law and Order

The Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for matters relating to the internal security of the country and enacts laws for the functioning of the criminal justice system. This section provides useful information regarding the Police and Judiciary system in India. You can also check the State police department websites and scan through an exhaustive databases of Court Judgements, Daily Orders/Case Status, or Causelists of Indian Courts.

The Police force in the country is entrusted with the responsibility of maintenance of public order and prevention and detection of crimes. Each state and union territory of India has its own separate police force. Article 246 of the Constitution of India designates the police as a state subject, which means that the state governments frame the rules and regulations that govern each police force. These rules and regulations are contained in the police manuals of each state force.

The Police force in the state is headed by the Director General of Police/Inspector General of Police. Each State is divided into convenient territorial divisions called ranges and each police range is under the administrative control of a Deputy Inspector General of Police. A number of districts constitute the range. District police is further sub-divided into police divisions, circles and police-stations.

Besides the civil police, states also maintain their own armed police and have separate intelligence branches, crime branches, etc. Police set-up in big cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Pune, etc. is directly under a Commissioner of Police who enjoys magisterial powers. All senior police posts in various states are manned by the Indian Police Services (IPS) cadres, recruitment to which is made on all-India basis.

The Central Government maintains Central Police forces, Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), institutions for training of police officers and forensic science institutions to assist the state in gathering intelligence, in maintaining law and order, in investigating special crime cases and in providing training to the senior police officers of the state governments.

Judiciary

India has one of the oldest legal systems in the world. The Preamble defines India as a 'Sovereign Democratic Republic', containing a federal system with Parliamentary form of Government in the Union and the States, an independent judiciary, guaranteed Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy containing objectives which though not enforceable in law, are fundamental to the governance of the nation.

The fountain source of law in India is the Constitution which, in turn, gives due recognition to statutes, case law and customary law consistent with its dispensations. One of the unique features of the Indian Constitution is that, notwithstanding the adoption of a federal system and existence of Central Acts and State Acts in their respective spheres, it has generally provided for a single integrated system of Courts to administer both Union and State laws. At the apex of the entire judicial system, exists the Supreme Court of India below which are the High Courts in each State or group of States. Below the High Courts lies a hierarchy of Subordinate Courts. Panchayat Courts also function in some States under various names like Nyaya Panchayat, Panchayat Adalat, Gram Kachheri, etc. to decide civil and criminal disputes of petty and local nature.

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Indian Freedom Struggle (1857-1947)

In ancient times, people from all over the world were keen to come to India. The Aryans came from Central Europe and settled down in India.The Persians followed by the Iranians and Parsis immigrated to India. Then came the Moghuls and they too settled down permanently in India. Chengis Khan, the Mongolian, invaded and looted India many times. Alexander the Great too, came to conquer India but went back after a battle with Porus. He-en Tsang from China came in pursuit of knowledge and to visit the ancient Indian universities of Nalanda and Takshila. Columbus wanted to come to India, but instead landed on the shores of America. Vasco da Gama from Portugal came to trade his country's goods in return for Indian species. The French came and established their colonies in India.

Lastly, the Britishers came and ruled over India for nearly 200 years. After the battle of Plassey in 1757, the British achieved political power in India. And their paramountcy was established during the tenure of Lord Dalhousie, who became the Governor- General in 1848. He annexed Punjab, Peshawar and the Pathan tribes in the north-west of India. And by 1856, the British conquest and its authority were firmly established. And while the British power gained its heights during the middle of the 19th century, the discontent of the local rulers, the peasantry, the intellectuals, common masses as also of the soldiers who became unemployed due to the disbanding of the armies of various states that were annexed by the British, became widespread. This soon broke out into a revolt which assumed the dimensions of the 1857 Mutiny.

The Indian Mutiny of 1857

The conquest of India, which could be said to have begun with the Battle of Plassey (1757), was practically completed by the end of Dalhousie's tenure in 1856. It had been by no means a smooth affair as the simmering discontent of the people manifested itself in many localized revolt during this period. However, the Mutiny of 1857, which began with a revolt of the military soldiers at Meerut, soon became widespread and posed a grave challenge to the British rule. Even though the British succeeded in crushing it within a year, it was certainly a popular revolt in which the Indian rulers, the masses and the militia participated so enthusiastically that it came to be regarded as the First War of Indian Independence.

Introduction of zamindari system by the British, where the peasants were ruined through exorbitant charges made from them by the new class of landlords. The craftsmen were destroyed by the influx of the British manufactured goods. The religion and the caste system which formed the firm foundation of the traditional Indian society was endangered by the British administration. The Indian soldiers as well as people in administration could not rise in hierarchy as the senior jobs were reserved for the Europeans. Thus, there was all-round discontent and disgust against the British rule, which burst out in a revolt by the 'sepoys' at Meerut whose religious sentiments were offended when they were given new cartridges greased with cow and pig fat, whose covering had to be stripped out by biting with the mouth before using them in rifles. The Hindu as well as the Muslim soldiers, who refused to use such cartridges, were arrested which resulted in a revolt by their fellow soldiers on May 9, 1857.

The rebel forces soon captured Delhi and the revolt spread to a wider area and there was uprising in almost all parts of the country. The most ferocious battles were fought in Delhi, Awadh, Rohilkhand, Bundelkhand, Allahabad, Agra, Meerut and western Bihar. The rebellious forces under the commands of Kanwar Singh in Bihar and Bakht Khan in Delhi gave a stunning blow to the British. In Kanpur, Nana Sahib was proclaimed as the Peshwa and the brave leader Tantya Tope led his troops. Rani Lakshmibai was proclaimed the ruler of Jhansi who led her troops in the heroic battles with the British. The Hindus, the Muslims, the Sikhs and all the other brave sons of India fought shoulder to shoulder to throw out the British. The revolt was controlled by the British within one year, it began from Meerut on 10 May 1857 and ended in Gwalior on 20 June 1858.

Medieval History of India

For a period that has come to be so strongly associated with the Islamic influence and rule in India, Medieval Indian history went for almost three whole centuries under the so-called indigenous rulers, that included the Chalukyas, the Pallavas, the Pandyas, the Rashtrakutas, the Muslims rulers and finally the Mughal Empire. The most important dynasty to emerge in the middle of the 9th century was that of the Cholas.

The Palas

Between 8th and 10th centuries A.D., a number of powerful empires dominated the eastern and northern parts of India. The Pala king Dharmpala, son of Gopala reigned from the late 8th century A.D. to early 9th century A.D. Nalanda University and Vikramashila University were founded by Dharmpala.

The Senas

After the decline of the Palas, the Sena dynasty established its rule in Bengal. The founder of the dynasty was Samantasena. The greatest ruler of the dynasty was Vijaysena. He conquered the whole of Bengal and was succeeded by his son Ballalasena. He reigned peacefully but kept his dominions intact. He was a great scholar and wrote four works including one on astronomy. The last ruler of this dynasty was Lakshamanasena under whose reign the Muslims invaded Bengal, and the empire fell.

The Pratihara

The greatest ruler of the Pratihara dynasty was Mihir Bhoja. He recovered Kanauj (Kanyakubja) by 836, and it remained the capital of the Pratiharas for almost a century. He built the city Bhojpal (Bhopal). Raja Bhoja and other valiant Gujara kings faced and defeated many attacks of the Arabs from west.

Between 915-918 A.D, Kanauj was attacked by a Rashtrakuta king, who devastated the city leading to the weakening of the Pratihara Empire. In 1018, Kannauj then ruled by Rajyapala Pratihara was sacked by Mahmud of Ghazni. The empire broke into independent Rajput states.

The Rashtrakutas

This dynasty, which ruled from Karnataka, is illustrious for several reasons. They ruled the territory vaster than that of any other dynasty. They were great patrons of art and literature. The encouragement that several Rashtrakuta kings provided to education and literature is unique, and the religious tolerance exercised by them was exemplary.

The Chola Empire of the South

It emerged in the middle of the 9th century A.D., covered a large part of Indian peninsula, as well as parts of Sri Lanka and the Maldives Islands.

The first important ruler to emerge from the dynasty was Rajaraja Chola I and his son and successor Rajendra Chola. Rajaraja carried forward the annexation policy of his father. He led armed expedition to distant lands of Bengal, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.

The successors of Rajendra I, Rajadhiraj and Rajendra II were brave rulers who fought fiercely against the later Chalukya kings, but could not check the decline of Chola Empire. The later Chola kings were weak and incompetent rulers. The Chola Empire thus lingered on for another century and a half, and finally came to an end with the invasion of Malik Kafur in the early 14th century A.D.

Vedic civilization

The Vedic civilization is the earliest civilization in the history of ancient India associated with the coming of Aryans. It is named after the Vedas, the early literature of the Hindu people. The Vedic Civilization flourished along the river Saraswati, in a region that now consists of the modern Indian states of Haryana and Punjab. Vedic is synonymous with Aryans and Hinduism, which is another name for religious and spiritual thought that has evolved from the Vedas. The largely accepted view is that a section of Aryans reached the frontiers of the Indian subcontinent around 200 BC and first settled in Punjab and it is here, in this land, where the hymns of Rigveda were composed.

The Aryans lived in tribes and spoke Sanskrit, which belonged to the Indo-European group of languages. Gradually, the Aryans intermingled with the local people and a historic synthesis was worked out between the Aryan tribes and the original inhabitants. This synthesis broadly came to be known as Hinduism. The Ramayana and Mahabharata were the two great epics of this period.

The Buddhist Era

During the life time of Lord Gautam Buddha, sixteen great powers (Mahajanpadas) existed in the 7th and early 6th centuries BC. Among the more important republics were the Sakyas of Kapilavastu and the Licchavis of Vaishali. Besides the republics, there were monarchical states, among which the important ones were Kaushambi (Vatsa), Magadha, Kosala and Avanti. These states were ruled by vigorous personalities who had embarked upon the policies of aggrandisement and absorption of neighbouring states. However, there were distinct signs of the republican states while those under the monarchs were expanding.

Buddha was born in BC 560 and died at the age of eighty in BC 480. The place of his birth was a grove known as Lumbini, near the city of Kapilavastu, at the foot of Mount Palpa in the Himalayan ranges within Nepal. Buddha, whose original name was Siddhartha Gautama, was the founder of Buddhism, the religion and the philosophical system that evolved into a great culture throughout much of southern and eastern Asia.

Culture and Heritage

The long span of Indian history covering more than 3000 years and enumerating several civilizations has been a constant reminder of the country's rich multicultural extravaganza and world-renowned heritage. The people and their lifestyles, their dance forms and musical styles, art & handicrafts, and such other elements go on to reflect the varied hues of Indian culture and heritage, which truly epitomises the nationality of the country. This section attempts at showcasing all those elements, which act as a window to the culture and heritage of India.

Ancient History

India's history and culture is dynamic, spanning back to the beginning of human civilization. It begins with a mysterious culture along the Indus River and in farming communities in the southern lands of India. The history of India is punctuated by constant integration of migrating people with the diverse cultures that surround India. Available evidence suggests that the use of iron, copper and other metals was widely prevalent in the Indian sub-continent at a fairly early period, which is indicative of the progress that this part of the world had made. By the end of the fourth millennium BC, India had emerged as a region of highly developed civilization.

The Indus Valley Civilization

The History of India begins with the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization, more precisely known as Harappan Civilization. It flourished around 2,500 BC, in the western part of South Asia, what today is Pakistan and Western India. The Indus Valley was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China. Nothing was known about this civilization till 1920s when the Archaeological Department of India carried out excavations in the Indus valley wherein the ruins of the two old cities, viz. Mohenjodaro and Harappa were unearthed. The ruins of buildings and other things like household articles, weapons of war, gold and silver ornaments, seals, toys, pottery wares, etc., show that some four to five thousand years ago a highly developed Civilization flourished in this region.

The Indus valley civilization was basically an urban civilization and the people lived in well-planned and well-built towns, which were also the centers for trade. The ruins of Mohenjodaro and Harappa show that these were magnificent merchant cities-well planned, scientifically laid, and well looked after. They had wide roads and a well-developed drainage system. The houses were made of baked bricks and had two or more storeys.

The highly civilized Harappans knew the art of growing cereals, and wheat and barley constituted their staple food. They consumed vegetables and fruits and ate mutton, pork and eggs as well. Evidences also show that they wore cotton as well as woollen garments. By 1500 BC, the Harappan culture came to an end. Among various causes ascribed to the decay of Indus Valley Civilization are the invasion by the Aryans, the recurrent floods and other natural causes like earthquake, etc.

West Bengal

Last Updated: November 2009


West Bengal has a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of US$ 75.5 billion and as of August 2009, the state had an installed electricity generating capacity of 7,942 MW. It is the second largest tea-growing state in India and accounts for 24 per cent of the total tea production in India. The state’s total annual production of tea is 226.8 million kg (mkg). Industrial performance in the state, is driven by medium and small scale units. As of September 2007, there were 10,795 small scale industrial units registered with the Directorate of Cottage and Small Scale Industries.

West Bengal is the leading exporter of finished leather goods; around 25 per cent of the country's leather goods are exported from the state. West Bengal accounts for almost 4 per cent of India’s production of petroleum products and 13 per cent of the country’s polymer production.

West Bengal has more than US$ 22.2 billion-worth of investments in the pipeline, West Bengal has emerged as a favourite destination for the steel industry.

As of December 2008, West Bengal has outstanding investments of around US$ 142 billion in the manufacturing sector. The tertiary sector contributes the most to the state’s GDP and accounts for 59.8 per cent of the GSDP (2006-07) with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2 per cent.

West Bengal is amongst the fastest growing states with regard to the IT sector and the IT and ITeS sector is projected to contribute 15-20 per cent to the state’s economy by 2010. Total export earnings of IT companies located in the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) was US$ 754.5 million in 2007.

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Uttarakhand

Last Updated: November 2009


The state of Uttarakhand, formed out of 13 hilly districts from the state of Uttar Pradesh on November 9, 2000, is strategically located and forms part of the northern boundary of the country. The state occupies an area of 53,483 sq km and has a population of 8.5 million. Uttarakhand has diverse geographical features ranging from snow-capped mountain peaks in the north to tropical forests in the south; its climate and vegetation is equally diverse. It is one of the five states in India to be declared a world heritage biodiversity site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The state’s administrative and legislative capital is Dehradun.

The gross state domestic product (GSDP) at current prices in 2006–07 was US$ 6567 million, while the net state domestic product (NSDP) in 2006–07, at current prices was US$ 5,717 million. The primary sector which includes agriculture, cultivation, mining activities contributes 21 percent to the GSDP.

The state has transformed from an essentially agrarian state into a hub of industrial activity. During 2005–2006, the state successfully developed three Integrated Industrial Estates (IIEs) at Haridwar, Pantnagarand Sitarganj, PharmaCity at Salequi, Information Technology Park at Sahastradhararoad (Dehradun) and Growth Centre at Siggadi (Kotdwar). In 2007–2008, Uttarakhand also saw the development of 20 private/joint/co-operative sector industrial sectors in public private partnership (PPP) mode. The state is being developed as an “energy state” to tap its huge hydro electric power potential of 20,000 MW and the state intends to increase its capacity to 5,000 MW hydro electric power by 2011-12.

The state is essentially driven by the tertiary sector and tourism, which is one of the key sectors, contributes majorly to the state’s economy. The tourism policy of the state aims at placing Uttarakhand on the tourism map of the world as one of the leading tourist destinations, and to make the name synonymous with tourism.

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Tamil Nadu

Last Updated: November 2009


Tamil Nadu ranks next only to Maharashtra in terms of contribution of the manufacturing sector to the net state domestic product (NSDP). The state is a leading cement manufacturer in the country, ranking fourth in cement production. The chemicals industry is a prominent industry in the state of Tamil Nadu and is mainly situated in Manali, Cuddalore, Panangudi (Nagapattinam) and Tuticorin. Chennai is fast emerging as a major export hub for cars to south-east Asia. The share of Tamil Nadu in the Indian automotive industry is 30 per cent. Exports of engineering products from Tamil Nadu were worth around US$ 320 million in 2007.

The state's gross domestic product (GDP) grew an impressive 10.69 per cent between 1999-2000 and 2006-07 to reach US$ 58.63 billion. The per capita income of Tamil Nadu was US$ 664.9 in 2004-05, which is higher than the all-India average of US$ 514.2. The state’s GDP grew by an impressive 12.2 per cent between 1999-2000 and 2007-08 to reach US$ 72.2 billion. The per capita income of Tamil Nadu was US$ 1,271.1 in 2008–09. Within the primary sector, agriculture and allied activities registered the highest growth. Tamil Nadu is known as the “yarn bowl” of the country and accounts for 47 per cent of the country‘s spinning capacity and nearly 60 per cent of yarn exports. Chennai is known for the export of woven garments with about 2,400 registered exporters.

The share of the tertiary sector in the gross state domestic product (GSDP) was 55.3 per cent in 2007-08. Trade and hotels and restaurants, the largest sub-group of the sector, registered a growth of 11.9 per cent over the previous year. Tamil Nadu is an important information technology (IT) hub and Chennai is the second-leading software exporter in India, after Bangalore. Chennai is the financial hub of south India and major Indian financial institutions and foreign banks have a strong presence there. Outstanding investments in the state during the December 2008 quarter were US$ 121.1 billion.

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Rajasthan

Last Updated: November 2009


Rajasthan is the second largest mineral producing state in India. The state's gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.1 per cent between 2002-03 and 2008-09 to reach US$ 41.74 billion. Important minerals of the state are silver, phosphate fluoride, phosphorite, rock, phosphate, copper ore, zinc, gypsum, clay, granite, marble, sandstone, dolomite, calcite, emeralds and garnets. The tertiary sector accounts for the largest share of the state’s GDP, contributing 42.2 per cent, driven by sub-sectors such as trade, hospitality and real estate.

Industrial performance has been driven by small scale units which generate seven times the employment generated by the medium and large industry. Rajasthan has witnessed a strong inflow of investments in the manufacturing sector. As of December 2008, total outstanding investment in Rajasthan stood at US$ 88.79 billion, an increase from US$ 49.81 billion outstanding in December 2007. The construction industry has the highest outstanding investments at US$ 27.05 billion, followed by the electricity sector at US$ 25.88 billion.

About 15 per cent of the total investment that the state receives goes to the chemical industry. Major chemicals produced in Rajasthan include fertilisers, caustic soda and pesticides. The principal industrial complexes for chemicals are at Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur and Bhilwara. Rajasthan also has huge reserves of cement grade limestone and steel melting shop (SMS) grade limestone. SMS grade limestone of Jaisalmer district is supplied to various steel plants in the country. The state has a 16 per cent share in cement production in the country.

Rajasthan is one of the most important tourist destinations in India and south-east Asia.

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Punjab

Punjab is the second-largest producer of cotton and blended yarn, and the third-largest producer of mill-made fabrics in India. The secondary sector has been the fastest-growing sector, driven by growth in sub-sectors such as construction (with a 55 per cent share in the secondary sector) and manufacturing (with a 16 per cent share). Punjab's gross state domestic product (GSDP) was US$ 34.2 billion in 2008–09, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4 percent between 1999–2000 and 2007–08. Distribution of households by socio-economic classification (SEC) shows that the share of households with entrepreneurs is high, and that this segment has a higher consumption potential as compared to the all-India figure.

The industrial output of agro-based industries in the state is roughly US$ 2.44 billion, contributing nearly 20 per cent to the manufacturing output and about 14 per cent to employment. The textile sector in the state is strong on all aspects of the value chain and the district of Ludhiana is often referred to as the ‘Manchester of India‘.

Outstanding investments in the state up to December 2008 stood at nearly US$ 28.9 billion, with manufacturing, power and services accounting for more than 90 per cent of the total outstanding investments.

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Orissa

Last Updated: November 2009


Orissa’s economy is primarily agriculture-based. The state's main agriculture products are rice, pulse, oil seeds, vegetables, groundnut, cotton, jute, coconut, spices, potato and fruits. Forest-based products provide livelihood to a large section of the population of the state. Orissa is one of the country's richest states with respect to mineral resources. The chief minerals found in the state include iron, coal, bauxite, manganese, nickel, chromite, limestone dolomite, graphite, decorative stones, beach sand, china clay and tin ore.

The state’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.4 per cent between 2000-01 and 2008-09 to reach US$ 23.8 billion and growth has been driven by the secondary and tertiary sectors. Industries are based mainly on the natural resources available in the state. The state is rich in iron ore, bauxite, nickel and coal and hence, attracts many mineral-based industries. Orissa is one of the largest producers of iron and steel in the country.

The state also has substantial reserves of other minerals that go into steel making such as coal, dolomite and limestone. Orissa has over 50 per cent of the bauxite reserves of India, making it an ideal location for setting up aluminium and aluminium-based companies. The state currently hosts 43 projects with a capacity of over 58.1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of steel, representing more than US$ 29 billion in investment. The major investors in the metal sector include Pohang Iron and Steel Company, Arcelor-Mittal, Tata Steel, the Bhushan Group, the Jindal Group, Essar Steel, Hindalco, Aditya Aluminium, L&T-Dubal, Sterlite Iron and Steel, Welspun Power & Steel and Uttam Galva Steels. In 2007-08 alone, over 4,710 medium and small scale units were established in the state. In the services sector, telecom and information technology (IT) have attracted maximum investments.

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North East States

Last Updated: November 2009


The North-east region (NER) refers collectively to the eight states located in the midst of the East Himalayan region, and comprises of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The region is well-endowed with natural resources and offers ideal climatic conditions for agriculture, plantations and sericulture.

The contribution of the agriculture sector to the gross state domestic product (GSDP) is higher than the national average. The primary sector activities mainly consist of cultivation, on which approximately 75 per cent of the region‘s population depends for employment; agriculture accounts for approximately 26 per cent of the net state domestic product (NSDP). The region is the largest producer of tea in India and other agricultural produce including rice, maize and jute.

The region’s bamboo production is above one million tones per annum and the state is also known for bamboo craft.

The secondary sector comprises of infrastructure, construction and mining and accounts for close to 16 per cent of the NSDP. Industrial products primarily include crude petroleum, natural gas, tea, minerals and steel fabrication. Assam accounts for about 15 per cent of India's crude output and about 50 per cent of India's total onshore production of natural gas.

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Maharashtra

Last Updated: November 2009


Maharashtra, the third largest state of India is also one of the one of the largest and fastest-growing states in India and contributes 13 per cent to the national income. The state accounts for 24.6 per cent of the country’s foreign direct investment (FDI), 20 per cent of the country‘s industrial output and 27 per cent of India‘s exports. Of the total foreign direct investment (FDI) India attracted, Maharashtra continued to be at the top position in 2009.

Maharashtra has the largest installed electricity generation capacity in the country. Total electricity generation increased from 37,311 million kWh to 79,721 million kWh between 1990–91 and 2007–08. The state has one of the strongest telecom markets in India and Maharashtra is the second-largest global system for mobile communication (GSM) market with 11.2 million subscribers in 2006–07. The state has the largest road network in the country with a total road length of over 235,595 km.

Maharashtra has key industrial centres with presence of several industries. The state has a strong presence in financial services, textiles, autoancillaries, chemical and allied products, electrical and non-electrical machinery, petroleum and allied products, wine, jewellery, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods and media and entertainment. Pune, the second-largest city in Maharashtra, has 12 industrial areas focussing on automobiles, chemicals, consumer durables, engineering and information technology.

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Madhya Pradesh

Last Updated: November 2009


Located in central India, Madhya Pradesh (MP) covers an area 308,000 sq km and has a population of over 60.3 million. MP has the largest area covered by forest among all the states in India, with a share of nearly 13 per cent of the total forest area of the country. Forest-based industries are key contributors to the economy of the state and also provide employment to a large part of the population. The state is the largest producer of pulses and oilseeds in the country. Minor Forest Produce (MFP), such as tendu leaves, salwood, teak wood and lakare major contributors to the rural economy of the state.

The state has rich and vast mineral deposits of diamonds, slate, pyrophyllite, diaspore, coal, limestone, copper ore and manganese among others. Active mining of these minerals is generating revenue of more than US$ 200 million per annum. The state also has favourable geological and geotectonic settings. It has 69 per cent of the total national reserves of copper ore. MP is the sole producer of diamonds in India.

The state leads in the production of spices and is the largest producer of garlic, accounting for 37 per cent of the total national production. Several AEZs (AgriExport Zones) have been set up for facilitating export of specific products. MP is the largest producer of soya bean and produced 5.48 million tones in 2007–08, which accounted for 49.95 per cent of the national production. The state is also the largest producer of oilseeds and produced 6.35 million tones in 2007–08, accounting for 21.34 per cent of the national production. India’s first operational Greenfield special economic zone (SEZ) is located at Indore. The Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) at current prices for 2007–2008 stood at US$ 30.6 billion and the state’s per capita income is US$ 448.

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Kerala

Last Updated: November 2009


Kerala is one of the country’s prime tourism economies and its traditional industries include handloom, cashew, coir and handicrafts. The state‘s economic performance is driven by the secondary and tertiary sectors. The state‘s gross domestic product (GDP) grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5 per cent between 1999-00 and 2007-08 to reach US$ 40.4 billion. Driven by manufacturing, construction, electricity, gas and water, the secondary sector has been the fastest growing sector, at a CAGR of 14.5 per cent. The per capita income of Kerala was US$ 1,040 in 2007-08, as compared to all-India average of US$ 850.

Manufacturing plays a vital role in Kerala‘s economy. The small scale sector contributes 40 per cent to industrial production and 35 per cent to exports. The state accounts for 95 per cent of the total coir and coir products produced in India.

The tertiary sector, the largest contributor to Kerala‘s economy, grew at a rate of 12.5 per cent in 2007-08, over the previous year. The sector was driven by trade, hotels, real estate, transport and communications. The state is known as the ‘information gateway‘ of the country. Kochi, which is connected by two submarine cables and satellite gateways that directly support cities including Bangalore, has emerged as a unique information technology (IT) destination.

As of December, 2008, the outstanding investments in the state amounted to US$ 29 billion, with the services sector accounting for a major amount of the investments.

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Karnataka

Last Updated: November 2009


Located in the southern region of India, Karnataka is among the top five industrialised states in the country and is considered the Silicon State and Bengaluru, the information technology (IT) Capital of India. Karnataka is among the top five industrialised states in the country and is the science capital of India with more than 100 R&D centres. Karnataka leads in the IT industry with IT and ITeS exports of over US$ 12.6 billion in 2006–07.

Karnataka recorded the highest growth rates in terms of GDP and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in the last decade compared to other states. The total gross state domestic product (GSDP) of Karnataka at current prices was about US$ 58.23 billion in 2008-09. Karnataka recorded the highest growth rates in terms of GDP and per capita GDP in the last decade compared to other states.

The state is producer of 70 per cent of India‘s silk and is a major apparel sourcing destination for the global market. Several leading multinational food companies like Unilever, Britannia, ITC, Nestle, Nissin, Pepsi, Coco-Cola, Heinz, among others, have manufacturing facilities in the state. The state accounts for 70 per cent of the country‘s total coffee production (which stood at 206 million tones in 2006-07). Karnataka ranked fourth in terms of the number of foreign technology collaborations approved, which amounted to 525 (6.51 per cent of the total collaborations approved). The state has among the highest foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, overall investments and conversion ratios. The Government of Karnataka is promoting the development of several special economic zones (SEZs) across Karnataka such as pharma and biotech SEZ, food processing and agro-based industries and textiles SEZ at Hassan and IT and Coastal SEZs at Mangalore.

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Jharkhand

Last Updated: November 2009


Jharkhand is known for its mineral wealth and forest products. It ranks high in the list of states having vast mineral resources, accounting for about 40 per cent of the country's mineral deposits. The state of Jharkhand has a mix of industries – mining and metals, agrobased, automotive and engineering goods - which have been instrumental in driving in the state's economy.

The state's gross state domestic product (GSDP) grew at 14.6 per cent between 2000–01 and 2007–08 to reach US$ 17.3 billion. Secondary sector is the fastest growing sector, growing at a CAGR of 21.7 per cent. Construction and manufacturing are the main contributors to this sector.

Principal export destinations of Jharkhand minerals are Bangladesh, Nepal, South Africa and Saudi Arabia. The state also has a large sericulture base and accounts for 40 per cent of the production of Tussar, a non-mulberry silk.

State Presentation (September 2009)
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Jammu & Kashmir

Last Updated: November 2009


Jammu & Kashmir, popularly described as ‘paradise on earth‘, is a well-known tourism destination. Horticulture is the mainstay of Jammu & Kashmir‘s rural economy, generating revenues of over US$ 11 million annually, and providing job facilities to thousands of people, directly and indirectly. The floriculture industry of the state caters to both the domestic and international markets. The state is a leader in the production of apples, walnuts, pears, almonds and apricots, and has a huge potential for the exports of processed food and allied services.

Handicrafts are another traditional industry of the state—Kashmiri silk carpets are famous the world over and earn substantial foreign exchange for the country. Kashmir is well-known for its quality silk and its traditional silk weaving industry. The state houses two large silk factories in Srinagar and Jammu. Handicrafts is a predominant cottage industry and provides direct and gainful employment to 0.3 million people in the state.

Jammu & Kashmir had outstanding investments of US$ 8 billion as of the quarter ended December 2008. The maximum amount of investments, amounting to US$ 3.9 billion, have taken place in power-related projects, followed by the services sector at US$ 3.3 billion.

Tourist arrivals crossed the one million mark in 2008–09. Around 1,050,000 tourists visited the state during 2008, a significant increase over the 2007 figure of 656,000.

State Presentation (September 2009)
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Himachal Pradesh

Last Updated: January 2009


The state of Himachal Pradesh, located in the northwest of India, is at the forefront in attracting investments - especially in the construction and manufacturing sectors. The state government is creating an attractive investment climate by announcing various investment-friendly policies and initiatives. Investment in the manufacturing sector of the state shot up by 95.5 per cent, while that in the construction sector rose from US$ 48.2 million as of March 2006 to US$ 492.6 million as of March 2007.

The state’s GDP grew an impressive 12.93 per cent between 1999-2000 and 2006-07 to reach US$ 7 billion. Medium and large scale industries account for 80 per cent of investments and 45 per cent of the employment in the state. Sectors in this state that are ideally suited for investments include hydroelectric power, cement and tourism among others.

Himachal Pradesh has also emerged as one of the fastest growing region for the pharmaceutical industry in India. More than 300 pharmaceutical firms have set up base in Himachal Pradesh, including leading pharmaceutical companies such as Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Cipla and Ranbaxy among others.

State Presentation (FY 2008-09)
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