History and Geography
Ancient Punjab formed part of the vast Indo-Iranian region. In later years, it saw the rise and fall of the Mauryans, Bactrians, Greeks, Sakas, Kushans and Guptas. Medieval Punjab witnessed the supremacy of the Muslims. Ghaznavi was followed by the Ghoris, the slaves, the Khiljis, the Tughlaqs, the Lodhis and the Mughals. Fifteenth and sixteenth centuries marked a period of watershed in the history of Punjab. Through teachings of Guru Nanak, Bhakti movement received a great impetus. Sikhism began as a socio-religious movement, which was more interested in fighting evils in religion and society.
It was Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, who transformed the Sikhs into the Khalsa. They rose to challenge tyranny and after centuries of servitude, established a humane Punjabi Raj based on secularism and patriotism. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in the words of a Persian writer, changed Punjab from Madam Kada to Bagh-Bahisht (from the abode of sorrow to the garden of paradise). But soon after his death, the entire edifice collapsed due to internal intrigues and British machinations. After two abortive Anglo-Sikh wars, Punjab was finally annexed to the British Empire in 1849.
The fight against the British rule had begun long before Mahatma Gandhi's arrival on the scene. The revolt found expression through the movement of a revivalist or reformist character. First, it was the Namdhari sect, which believed in self-discipline and self-rule. Later, it was Lala Lajpat Rai who played a leading role in the Freedom Movement. Punjab was in the vanguard of India's freedom struggle on all fronts in India and abroad. Punjab's hardships did not end with Independence, as it had to face the misery of Partition with large-scale bloodshed and migration. Besides their rehabilitation, there was the task of reorganisation of the State.
Eight princely states of East Punjab were grouped together to form a single state called PEPSU - Patiala and the East Punjab States Union - with Patiala as its capital. PEPSU state was merged with Punjab in 1956. Later in 1966, Haryana was carved out of Punjab.
Situated in the north-western corner of the country, Punjab is bound on the west by Pakistan, on the north by Jammu and Kashmir, on the north-east by Himachal Pradesh, and on the south by Haryana and Rajasthan.
Agriculture
Punjab State with only 1.5 per cent geographical area of country produces 22 per cent of Wheat 12 per cent of Rice and 12 per cent of Cotton in the country. The cropping intensity of Punjab State is more than 186 per cent which has earned a name of "Food basket of the country and granary of India". It has been pooling 40-50 per cent of rice and 50-70 per cent of wheat for the last two decades. In Punjab per hectare consumption of fertilizer is 177 kg as compared to 90 kg at national level. Also Punjab State has been awarded National Productivity Award for agriculture extension services for consecutively ten years from 1991-92 to 1998-99 and 2001 to 2003-04.
Industry
Punjab being an agrarian state, a very high priority is being given to agricultural Development. The water available in Punjab is much less as compared to the land potential. Therefore, to maximise production per unit of water resources, it is emphasised to utilise every drop of water available judiciously and carefully. Even Government of Punjab is taking up a number of projects for the diversification of crop. Due to better irrigation management, an additional 0.97 lakh hectare of area has been brought under cotton crop in various cotton growing districts of Punjab. The Geographical area of the State is 50.36 lakh hectares having a cultural area of 42.90 lakh hectares out of which 33.88 lakh hectares is commanded by a vast network of canal infrastructure having a length of 14,500 km of main and branch canals distributaries and minors.
Ranjit Sagar Dam is a multipurpose river valley project which has been constructed 8 km upstream of Madhopur Head Works. It comprises of 160 metre high earth core-cum gravel shell dam on river Ravi with a gross potential to the tune of 3.48 lakh hectares of land. Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Project Phase II with credit assistance from World Bank has been completed. Irrigation potential of the existing irrigation system has been improved by completing the lining of 1,092 km length of channels, lining of 33,000 km of water courses and modernisation of 295 canal regulation structures have been completed under the World Bank Project. Rehabilitation of 1,260 km length of Channels and 53 km new Channels have also been completed with state funds. The number of projects for raising the capacity of 6 canal systems and raising the capacity of 3 canals of Bathinda Canal System amounting to Rs 18.83 crore have been completed.
Project for remodeling of UBDC System to utilise additional supplies available on completion of Ranjit Sagar Dam has been taken up under AIBP Scheme. A total length of 298 km of main/branch canals out of 364.10 km and 1507 km length of lined/unlined distributaries/minors out of 1,557.25 km length provided in the project has since been completed at a cost of Rs 140 crore. For early completion of on-going UBDC Project, the balance work was taken up on war footing which the funds of Rs 20 crore were released by the State government. The bottleneck of feeding required discharges in Kasur Branch Lower and Sabraon Branch Canal Systems has removed by undertaking the remodeling of their parent channel, i.e., Kasur Branch Upper, thereby restoring adequate canal water supplies to the vast agricultural area of UBDC System.
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