Dangs INDEX

1 Dangs: A Snapshot

2 Economy and Industry Profile

3 Support Infrastructure

4 Social Infrastructure

5 Tourism

6 Investment Opportunities

7 Annexure

2 1

Dangs: A Snapshot

3 Introduction: Dangs

Map1: District map of Dangs with major towns § Dangs is a tribal district located in southern

§ The district shares its border with the State of

and is covered with high hills and dense forests

§ The district headquarter is

§ Girmal, , , and Mahal are the major towns

of the district

§ The reserved forests in Dangs are amongst the richest

forests in the State

§ Dangs district is gradually emerging into an agro

Girmal processing and tourism hub Mahal

§ Saputara is an important tourist destination in the district Ahwa Waghai § Rich wildlife, gardens, ropeway, sunrise point and echo Saputara District point are some of the main tourist attractions in Dangs Headquarter Towns

4 Fact File

73.29ºto 73.51ºEast (Longitude) Geographical Location 20.39ºto 21.05ºNorth (Latitude) 37ºCentigrade (Maximum) Temperature 6ºCentigrade (Minimum) Average Rainfall 3,048 mm Rivers Purna, Gira, Khapri and Ambika Area 1,764 sq. km. District Headquarter Ahwa Population 1,86,712 (As per 2001 Census) Population Density 81 Persons per sq. km Sex Ratio 986 Females per 1000 Males Literacy Rate 59.06% Languages Gujarati, and English Seismic Zone Zone III

Source: Dangs District Profile & Socio-economic review 2006-07 5 2

Economy and Industry Profile

6 Economy and Industry Profile

§ In Dangs, 50% of population is working

§ Majority of population is dependent on agriculture for their

livelihood

§ Animal husbandry and bamboo cutting are the other

economic activities in the region

§ There are approximately 100 small scale industries in Dangs

§ Average landholding per household in the district is 1.58

hectares

§ Firewood accounts for fuel requirement of 91% of the

households, which is mostly collected from the forests

Source: Dangs District Collectorate 7 Agriculture

Fig. 1 Food Crop Production (MT) 2006-07 § Major food crops and fruits produced in the 31,300 district are rice, ragi, kharsani, tuver, groundnut,

mangoes, custard apple, and others 52,000 20,400 § 66% of the agricultural land in Dangs is situated on

slopes, with uneven terrain Rice Pulses Maize § Local traditional crops like ragi are best adapted for Fig. 2 Fruits, Spices, & Vegetable Crops Production cultivation in Dangs as it can grow in rain-fed areas (MT) 2006-07

on sloppy land 1,294

§ The agricultural production pattern is slowly 11,359

changing from traditional coarse grains like ragi, 13,165 kharsani, and tuver to rice

Fruits Vegetables Spices

Source: Department of Agriculture, , 2007 8 Forests

§ 59% of the area in Dangs is covered with forestland Map 2: Wildlife Sanctuaries (1,062 sq.km.)

§ The forestland predominantly falls under reserve

forests, and is the richest forest in Gujarat

Purna Sanctuary § The forests of Dangs are resources for medicinal

plants, such as Mardasingi (Helicteres ixora) and Dangs Baheda (Tecome stans microcarpa). Besides these, Vansada National Sag (Tectona grandis), Khakro (Butea monosperma), Park Umbero (Ficus racemora), and bamboo trees are

also present

§ The and the

National Park present in the district are home to

wildlife such as hyena, sambar, , barking deer,

and monkey Source: Dangs District Collectorate 9 Small Scale Industry Clusters

Map 3: Small Scale Industry Clusters

Girmal

Mahal

Ahwa

Waghai

Saputara

z Farm-based industries Bamboo furniture Plantation and nursery development Food-based industries

Source: Dangs District Collectorate 10 Economy Drivers

§ Forestland provides maximum opportunities to generate

sustainable livelihood and employment for the villagers

§ Animal husbandry and dairy production have increased

business opportunities for the local population

§ Agro-processing and tourism are the supporting pillars of the

economy

§ Plantation and nursery development activities have the potential

to generate maximum wage employment

§ The district also owns a few small and large waterfalls, rich

forests, beautiful landscapes, and a tribal culture which account

for huge influx of tourists in the district

11 4

Support Infrastructure

12 Road, Rail and Airport Connectivity

Map 4: Dangs Road & Rail Network Road and Rail Connectivity

§ Dangs is well connected with Maharashtra state by roads § A railway line connects Waghai with district

Table1: Distance of Dangs from Major Industrial Centers

Major Talukas Distance (km) * Major Indian Cities Distance (km)* Ahmedabad 349 100 Kolkata 1609 Rajkot 570 Chennai 1278 Mehsana 479 139 Hyderabad 732 Vadodara 266 Delhi 1111 Jamnagar 660 Ankleshwar 190 297

Airport

§ Nearest airport from Ahwa is at Surat situated at a distance of 139 km, which is well connected to Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur

* All distances are measured from Ahwa Source: Dangs District Profile Booklet, 2007 13 Water Supply

Water

§ Water supply for industrial purposes in the district can be obtained from two main sources, viz Gujarat

Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB) and irrigation Canals

§ Almost all water supply systems in the district are based on groundwater reserves

Table 2: Centralised Water Supply Infrastructure

FacilitiesAvailable No. of villages

Drinking water tanks 167 Stand Post 154 Pipeline 98 Cattle trough 168 Washing facilities 6

Source: Dangs District Collectorate 14 5

Social Infrastructure

15 Education

Education: Table 3: Educational Infrastructure

§ There are 412 primary schools and 32 secondary and higher Educational Total Institutes secondary schools in the district Primary Schools 412 § The Anganwadi is the primary service centre for integrated child Secondary development are present in 210 out of 311 villages Schools 32 § A Government Arts & Commerce College is located at the district Higher Secondary headquarter Ahwa Schools

§ The Industrial Training Institute in the district imparts training in Polytechnic 1 College diverse areas such as cutting and sewing, armature and motor ITI 1 rewinding, computer operating and programming assistance, * wireman, hair and skin care, electrician, fitting and stenography Other Colleges 1

Healthcare: *Other Colleges: Arts and Commerce College § The district has one community healthcare centers, seven primary healthcare centers, and forty seven sub-centers § There is one Central Government Hospital present at Ahwa § The district also has one Government Ayurvedic Hospital and nine Ayurvedic dispensaries

16 6

Tourism

17 Tourism

§ Saputara, also known as “Abode of Serpents”, is a hill resort on a

plateau of the Sahyadri range of mountains that offers rich wildlife for

tourists

§ Saputara Museum contains interesting information about the

topography and anthropology of Dangs

§ Hatgarh Fort situated 60 km from Saputara was built by Maratha Purna Wildlife Sanctuary

Leader Chhatrapati Shivaji and is a beautiful piece of architecture

§ Gira Falls (3 km from Waghai) is a 30 meter natural drop into Ambika

River and offers solace and relaxation

§ Purna Wildlife Sanctuary in the district has the thickest forest cover

in the State and is filled with canopies of teak and stands of bamboo

§ Girmal Falls is the most picturesque sight in the district

§ in Dangs, harbors large mammals including

the leopards, hyena, jungle cat, macaques and barking deer. It is also Gira Falls home to the endangered Great Indian Squirrel Source: Gujarat Guide 18 7

Investment Opportunities

19 Investment Opportunities

Agriculture § Farm based products § Forest based products § Cattle feed § Food processing industries

Animal Husbandry § Dairy production § Poultry § Tannery business

Tourism § Eco-tourism § Hotels § Campsites § Rural tourism

* Detailed Sector/ Project Profiles for investment opportunitiesavailable at www.indextb.com 20 Annexure I

Maps Figures Tables

Map 1: District Map of Dangs with Major Figure 1: Food Crop Production 2005 –06 Table1: Distance of Dangs from Major Towns Industrial Centers Figure 2: Fruits, Vegetables, and Spices Map 2: Wildlife Sanctuaries Table 2: Centralised Water Supply Production 2006-07 Infrastructure Map 3: Small Scale Industry Clusters

Map 4: Dangs Road & Rail Network Table 3: Educational Infrastructure

21 Annexure II : Abbreviations

SSI : Small Scale Industries

GWSSB: Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board

ITI : Industrial Training Institute

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