Jharkhand is a state of immense natural beauty and resources. It is endowed with abundant mineral wealth, making it a hub for various industries. The state’s lush landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich biodiversity offer a unique charm. Additionally, Jharkhand is home to the revered “Shri Baidyanath Dham”, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, attracting pilgrims and tourists alike.
Despite its wealth of natural and cultural assets, Jharkhand in recent months, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. While in the Santhal Pargana area, there is a dangerous demographic distortion that has been facilitated by the Congress-JMM’s soft corner towards illegal Bangladeshi migrants, the state government is also infamous for perpetrating some of the biggest scams in the state’s history. The crime rate in the state has been high with the extortion mafia making it difficult for businessmen to operate peacefully. This has adversely affected the state’s vast potential for tourism and industry.
The state’s cultural heritage has often gone unnoticed, Jharkhand’s landscapes are dotted with picturesque waterfalls, dense forests, and diverse wildlife, offering opportunities for ecotourism and adventure sports. Moreover, its rich tribal heritage and festivals add to the cultural landscape of India. The vast tourism potential of the state remains untapped.
The challenge lies in harnessing these resources and promoting the state to a broader audience, showcasing its unique attributes and potential for growth and development.
As India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership aspires to become a developed country by 2047, marking 100 years of Independence from British rule, achieving this goal requires significant changes from the current status quo. This is the opportune moment for smaller states, which have hitherto not been major contributors to India’s GDP, to step up. Jharkhand, with its vast reserves of natural resources, has the potential to take the lead in this effort.
Jharkhand currently ranks 19th in GDP contribution among Indian states, with an estimated Rs 4.23 lakh crore in the financial year 2023-24. However, the state has the potential to contribute significantly more. To unlock and maximise this potential, the new state government will need to work on a resurgent mode and break new ground.
Birsa Munda-Sido Kanhu Industrial Corridor
While India has performed exceptionally well in the expansion of highways post 2014, with the stretch of National Highways going up by 60 per cent and the states of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra added to this with 732 km of highway and 600 km Samruddhi highway (total length is 701 km but rest is under development) respectively, Jharkhand needs to catch up in this sector. Considering this, can a 430-km expressway from Chibasa to Sahebgunj, connecting south and north Jharkhand, be a potential game changer for the state? This route could pass through the villages of Birsa Munda (in Khunti) and Sido Kanhu (in Sahibganj), and could be named the Birsa Munda-Sido Kanhu Expressway. An industrial corridor called Sido Kanhu-Birsa Munda Industrial Corridor could be built alongside the expressway for development of smaller industrial clusters all along the highway. This will bring uniformity in economic development across the state where both inter-state and intra-state migration of tribal workers is high. It will boost investment into the state and drive local business, besides bringing recognition to the relatively unknown birthplaces of Birsa Munda and Sido Kanhu and also other places involving the lives of our tribal revolutionaries from Jharkhand.
Birsa Tourism Corridor
Another important area where much of Jharkhand’s potential remains untapped is tourism. While Deoghar’s new airport has led to a significant rise in religious tourism, south Jharkhand replete his jungles and waterfalls carries its own tourism potential. Since the country will be celebrating Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh from 15 November to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, this could be right time to package the natural beauty of south Jharkhand with Adivasi pride, giving birth to a Birsa Tourism Corridor. This could cover all important places connected with the life of Birsa Munda, along with nearby waterfalls and hills and also include Adivasi paintings, arts and handicrafts.
The Birsa Tourism Corridor could result in leveraging the potential of tribal and village tourism to generate employment opportunities in some of the most backward and isolated villages, besides providing a culturally immersive experience for tourists. A key highlight of this corridor could be a war memorial at Dombari Buru, where Birsa Munda fought his last battle in January 1900. This memorial would serve as a central attraction, educating visitors about the rich history and contributions of tribal communities to India’s freedom struggle.
The Birsa Tourism Corridor could include four key components. The first one could be promoting the natural beauty of Jharkhand by developing eco-friendly resorts and nature trails. This would attract nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers, providing opportunities for trekking, bird watching, and wildlife safaris. The second one could be establishing cultural centres along the corridor where local artists can perform traditional music, dance, and theatre. These centres could also offer workshops on tribal arts and crafts, providing tourists with hands-on experiences. The third one could include guided tours that take visitors to significant historical sites related to tribal freedom fighters. These tours would provide in-depth knowledge about the struggles and achievements of these heroes, fostering a deeper appreciation for their legacy.
The fourth initiative could involve developing food hubs that serve traditional tribal cuisine, offering tourists a taste of the region’s unique flavours. These hubs could also provide cooking classes, teaching visitors how to prepare tribal dishes. By mainstreaming Jharkhand’s culinary culture, this initiative has the potential to elevate Jharkhandi cuisine to a global level, similar to the success other Indian state cuisines have achieved. This would not only enhance the tourism experience but also promote the rich cultural heritage of Jharkhand through its diverse and flavorful food.
Dalbhumgarh Airport and Naya Jamshedpur
East Singhbhum is the gateway to Bengal and Odisha and also houses minerals like gold and uranium. Expediting the creation of Dhalbhumgarh Airport can play a major role in the overall development of not just East and West Singhbhum (which includes Chaibasa) but also the adjoining districts of Bengal and Odisha. Jamshedpur is in the core of the economy of Jharkhand, but the city has seen population boom and needs a planned expansion of its area. Therefore the creation of a new planned city of Naya Jamshedpur, around the Dalbumgarh airport, could bring huge economic boon on all sides in a radius of 50 km, including the areas of Bengal and Odisha.
The journey to achieving good governance in Jharkhand has proved to be challenging. Formed in 2000 by separating from Bihar to improve administration, the state has struggled compared to other newly created states. For example, the per capita Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Telangana stands at Rs 2.33 lakh, Rs 1.33 lakh, Rs 0.91 lakh, and Rs 3.08 lakh, respectively. Jharkhand’s GSDP is notably lower than the others, indicating economic lag.
Moreover, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data from 2022, Jharkhand has the highest murder rate in the country, with nearly four murders per one lakh people. This alarming statistic, along with recent incidents such as the rape case involving a Brazilian vlogger, raises serious concerns about the law and order situation in the state. Despite its potential, Jharkhand has lagged in development compared to states like Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand.
The time has come for Jharkhand to quickly embark on the Viksit Bharat yatra and be an important contributor. This, of course, requires a Viksit Jharkhand plan to be in place first. The current state government has let down the people of Jharkhand. Hopefully, the Viksit Jharkhand plan would take off later this year, after the formation of a new government in the state.
Tuhin A. Sinha is a national spokesperson of BJP, besides being an acclaimed author. Nishant Kumar Hota is a policy consultant with a deep interest in politics, history and international relations. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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