Dangs

INDEX
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Dangs: A Snapshot Economy and Industry Profile Support Infrastructure Social Infrastructure Tourism Investment Opportunities Annexure
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Dangs: A Snapshot
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Introduction: Dangs
Dangs is a tribal district located in southern Gujarat The district shares its border with the State of Maharashtra and is covered with high hills and dense forests The district headquarter is Ahwa Girmal, Waghai, Saputara, 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 Mahal Ahwa Waghai

Map1: District map of Dangs with major towns

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

Saputara

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

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

Economy and Industry Profile

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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

Agriculture
Major food crops and fruits produced in the district are rice, ragi, kharsani, tuver, groundnut, mangoes, custard apple, and others 66% of the agricultural land in Dangs is situated on slopes, with uneven terrain
Rice Pulses Maize 52,000 20,400

Fig. 1 Food Crop Production (MT) 2006-07

31,300

Local traditional crops like ragi are best adapted for cultivation in Dangs as it can grow in rain-fed areas on sloppy land
Fig. 2 Fruits, Spices, & Vegetable Crops Production (MT) 2006-07
1,294

The agricultural production pattern is slowly changing from traditional coarse grains like ragi, kharsani, and tuver to rice
Fruits Vegetables 13,165

11,359

Spices

Source: Department of Agriculture, Government of Gujarat, 2007

Forests
59% of the area in Dangs is covered with forestland (1,062 sq.km.) The forestland predominantly falls under reserve forests, and is the richest forest in Gujarat The forests of Dangs are resources for medicinal plants, such as Mardasingi (Helicteres ixora) and Baheda (Tecome stans microcarpa). Besides these, Sag (Tectona grandis), Khakro (Butea monosperma), Umbero (Ficus racemora), and bamboo trees are also present The Purna Wildlife Sanctuary and the Vansda National Park present in the district are home to wildlife such as hyena, sambar, chital, barking deer, and monkey
Source: Dangs District Collectorate Vansada National Park Purna Sanctuary

Map 2: Wildlife Sanctuaries

Dangs

Small Scale Industry Clusters

Map 3: Small Scale Industry Clusters
Girmal

Mahal

Ahwa Waghai

Saputara

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

Source: Dangs District Collectorate

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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

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Support Infrastructure
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Road, Rail and Airport Connectivity

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

Dangs is well connected with Maharashtra state by roads A railway line connects Waghai with Navsari district
Table1: Distance of Dangs from Major Industrial Centers
Major Talukas Ahmedabad Valsad Rajkot Mehsana Surat Vadodara Jamnagar Ankleshwar Distance (km) * 349 100 570 479 139 266 660 190 Major Indian Cities Kolkata Chennai Hyderabad Delhi Mumbai Distance (km)* 1609 1278 732 1111 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

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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 Facilities Available Drinking water tanks Stand Post No. of villages 167 154 98 168 6

Pipeline
Cattle trough Washing facilities

Source: Dangs District Collectorate

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Social Infrastructure
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Education
Education: There are 412 primary schools and 32 secondary and higher secondary schools in the district The Anganwadi is the primary service centre for integrated child development are present in 210 out of 311 villages A Government Arts & Commerce College is located at the district headquarter Ahwa The Industrial Training Institute in the district imparts training in diverse areas such as cutting and sewing, armature and motor rewinding, computer operating and programming assistance, wireman, hair and skin care, electrician, fitting and stenography Healthcare: 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
Table 3: Educational Infrastructure

Educational Institutes Primary Schools Secondary Schools Higher Secondary Schools Polytechnic College ITI Other Colleges*

Total 412

32

1 1 1

*Other Colleges: Arts and Commerce College

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Tourism
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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 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 Vansda National Park in Dangs, harbors large mammals including the leopards, hyena, jungle cat, macaques and barking deer. It is also home to the endangered Great Indian Squirrel
Gira Falls
Source: Gujarat India Guide

Purna Wildlife Sanctuary

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Investment Opportunities
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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 opportunities available at www.indextb.com

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Annexure I
Maps
Map 1: District Map of Dangs with Major Towns Map 2: Wildlife Sanctuaries Map 3: Small Scale Industry Clusters Map 4: Dangs Road & Rail Network

Figures
Figure 1: Food Crop Production 2005 06 Figure 2: Fruits, Vegetables, and Spices Production 2006-07

Tables Table1: Distance of Dangs from Major Industrial Centers Table 2: Centralised Water Supply Infrastructure Table 3: Educational Infrastructure

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Annexure II : Abbreviations
SSI : Small Scale Industries GWSSB: Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board ITI : Industrial Training Institute

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