New Delhi: 15th November is celebrated as the Foundation Day of Jharkhand. It was on this day that the Chhotanagpur area was segregated from the southern half of Bihar to carve out the state of Jharkhand. The state is celebrating the 21st Foundation Day this year.
History of Jharkhand
The state of Jharkhand is located in the northeastern part of India and is also known as the 'The land of forest' or 'Bushland'. On November 15, 2000, the Chhotanagpur area was segregated from the southern half of Bihar to give rise to Jharkhand, that became the 28th Indian state.
Owing to meagre socio-economic advantages, the tribals of this area had been demanding a separate state for themselves. They formed Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, which continued to stage protests and appealed to the government soon after India attained independence in 1947.
As a result, the government launched the Jharkhand Area Autonomous Council in 1995 and yielded to the demand of a separate state in 2000. Babulal Marandi was the first chief minister of Jharkhand. In 2006, he left Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and established Jharkhand Vikas Morcha.
The 15th largest state in the country
The tribal state has 24 districts and the total area is approximately 79,716 sq. km, which makes Jharkhand the 15th largest state in the country, based on its area. The waterfalls, hills, wildlife sanctuary, Panchet Dam on Damodar river and Baidyanath Dham, Parasnath, Rajrappa, form the major tourist attractions in Jharkhand. The state is also rich in mineral resources such as coal, iron ore, copper ore, uranium, mica, bauxite, granite, limestone, silver and dolomite.
PM Modi wishes on Twitter
On the occasion of the Foundation Day of Jharkhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his Twitter handle to congratulate the people of the state. PM Modi tweeted, "Best wishes to all the residents of Jharkhand on Foundation Day. This land of Lord Birsa Munda, who has a historical identity with its distinctive culture, will make developmental progress. That is my wish."