Dadra and Nagar Haveli

8:30 PM / /

Dadra and Nagar Haveli

Area: 491 sq km
Capital: Silvassa
Languages: Bhili, Bhilodi, Gujarati and Hindi
District:1
Dadra and Nagar Haveli lie near the west coast surrounded by the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It consists of two pockets namely Dadra and Nagar Haveli and these two pockets are intercepted by the territory of Gujarat.


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History: The territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli was originally assigned to the Portuguese by the Maratha government in 1779 for an aggregated revenue of Rs.12,000/- in return for their friendship. The Portuguese ruled this territory tillits liberation, on Aug. 2, 1954. After liberation, the administration was carried on by an Administrator chosen by the people themselves. Probably this is the only part of the country which was ruled by the people themselves for about 8 years (1954 to 1961). On 11th August, 1961, the territory was integrated into the Indian Union.

Administration: The territory is under the control of an Administrator. The first group Panchayats at the village level were established in 1968 and thereafter elections are being held regularly every four years.

District
  • Dadar Nagar Haveli
Economy: Agriculture is the principal occupation of adivasis who represent 79 per cent of the total population as per 1991 census. Paddy, ragi, pulses and fruits are the major crops while wheat, vegetables and sugarcane are also cultivated.

Total cropped area is 27,715 ha. The Department of Agriculture has taken up several schemes to explore the production potential of this area. Area under high yielding varieties during 1989-90is about 7,300 ha. A number of new commercial crop varieties are introduced. 96 per cent of the area is under dry land farming. Hence, dry farming technology is used to get top yield by tapping rain water.

At present there are in all four industrial estates in the territory. The cooperative industrial estate is at Silvassa and the Govt. estates are one each at Masat, Khadoli and Silvassa (second phase). No. of industrial units with permanent registration increased to 535 in 1995. There were 173 medium scale units, in addition. These units produced goods to the tune of Rs. 1525 crore and employed 12,500 persons. Since 1988 about 60 small scale and medium scale units for texturising and twisting of polyester yarn have been set up.

The products manufactured include spectacle frames and flooring tiles, buckets,bread & biscuits, furniture, katha and tenin, spun pipes, plastic moulded articles, chemicals, detergent powder, art silk fabrics, electrical fixtures, watches, candles, tin containers, chappals, rexine cloth, foam, etc. About 8975 employees have been engaged in these industries.Total road length : 352.83 km. Electricity is supplied by Gujarat.

The nearest railway station Vapi is 18 km from Silvassa. The nearest airport is at Mumbai.

Tourist Centres: There are beautiful gardens on the banks of river at Silvassa and Khanvel. A tourist complex at Khanvel named 'Van Vihar' has been set up. Van Ganga and Vandhara Garden on the Damanganga river, Bai Udyan, Tadkeshwara temple on Sakartod river at Brindaban are other picnic points.

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