Northern states: A kaleidoscope of diverse cultures, economic zones
The Northern Region comprises some of the most vibrant and diverse states in India, both culturally and economically.
Delhi
The national capital is one of the fastest growing regions of India, consistently recording a growth rate of more than 12 per cent in 2018-19 (Gross State Domestic Product at current prices).
Due to its rich cultural and historical heritage, apart from thriving shopping arcades and ethnic cuisine, it is a major tourist attraction too, holding a number of mega trade fairs and exhibitions dedicated to different industries throughout the year.
Delhi, the jewel of India’s National Capital Region (NCR), offers unlimited potential for the real estate and hospitality sector owing to A-class civic infrastructure, affluence and power availability.
The metropolis sits in the vicinity of other major Northern states viz. Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand. As such, it is the most lucrative centre for industrial and commercial entities to set up enterprises and business headquarters.
The major industries in Delhi include Information Technology (IT), telecommunications, consumer goods, hotels, media, banking, insurance, tourism, retail etc.
Himachal Pradesh
Known for its scenic beauty and natural resources, Himachal Pradesh attracted about 19.6 million tourists in 2017, which is almost three times its population.
Of late, the Baddi-barotiwala-nalagarh industrial belt has emerged as a key manufacturing hub for different sectors and the region is reckoned as Asia’s largest bulk drug manufacturing cluster. The state ranked 3rd in Export Preparedness Index 2020 under Himalayan states category.
The main industries of the state include food processing, medicines, agro, automobiles, tourism etc with the tourism sector alone contributing roughly 7 per cent to the GSDP of Himachal Pradesh.
The state continues to ramp up infrastructure for tourism development viz. provision of public utility services, roads, communication network, airports, transport facilities, water supply, civic amenities etc.
Uttarakhand
The hill state of Uttarakhand is the most visited tourist destination amongst all hill stations in India. It attracted 35 million domestic and foreign tourists in 2017.
Apart from the peer Indian states, Uttarakhand also shares international borders with China in the north and Nepal in the east, which makes the state geopolitically important for the country.
Carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000, the state has nonetheless emerged as one of the fastest growing regions with marked progress in the fields of manufacturing, automobiles, medicines, food processing, tourism, minerals etc.
The state has well developed industrial infra comprising integrated industrial estates, sector parks and similar infra under the private or joint sectors as well.
Due to its green hills and forests, Uttarakhand has abundance of natural resources, while its agro-climatic conditions support horticulture-based industries. Its rich water resources provide huge potential for hydropower, which has helped it to become one of the top ‘energy’ states.
It offers tremendous scope in tourism, owing to pristine natural beauty and presence of spiritual and religious tourism hotspots.
Further, the state is rich in mineral deposits like limestone, marble, rock phosphate, dolomite, copper, gypsum etc.
Jammu & Kashmir
The union territory of Jammu & Kashmir is the largest producer of apples, walnuts and cherry in India. It is famous for its rich horticulture and vibrant floriculture sectors.
The major industries in the region include silk textile, woollen textile, carpet making, forest based industries (wood and resin), agro based industries, cement etc. It comprises more than 50 small and big industries estates.
Historically, the silk industry of Kashmir goes far back in time and is also mentioned in written records as early as the 7th century AD in Xuang Zang travel accounts even as the opening of the Silk Road in 2nd century BC along with its route through Kashmir.
Besides, the region is also known for its colourful handloom and handicrafts products. It is the place of origin for the world’s finest Bivoltine silk and Pashmina wool. The handloom sector employs a large number of artisans and craftsmen in Jammu & Kashmir.
The primary handicrafts artefacts of the region include carpets, paper mâché, shawls, pottery, silverware etc. The handlooms sector contributes handsomely to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Jammu and Kashmir through domestic sales and exports.
The region is well-connected with an international airport in Srinagar and a domestic airport in Jammu. It attracts a large number of tourists, especially during nowfall.
Punjab
Punjab has the largest agricultural area under institutional irrigation. Affably referred to as the ‘Granary of India’, Punjab has one of the highest road densities in the country and is well connected to all major markets with surface and air transport infrastructure.
The major industries in Punjab include food processing, tractors, auto components, agro-based parts, bicycle, sports goods, engineering goods, metal, alloys, chemical products, textiles etc.
Of late, the state has emerged as a key hub for textile based industries, including yarn, readymade garments and hosiery. The clusters around food and dairy products are the other major sectors of Punjab.