Introduction

About Uttarakhand

• Uttarakhand – the land of the gods, home of the Himalayas and a paradise on earth, attracted everyone from everywhere. The origin of the Ganges, fresh air, pure water, snow paralysing adversing mountains, fertile tarai land, scenic beauty, small villages, simple people and a more difficult way of life is what distinguishes Uttarakhand rest of the world. Also known as Dev Bhumi, Uttarakhand is a boon for the pilgrim tourists. The Maha Kumba Mela, the Char Dham Yatra and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra give Uttarakhand an international recognizance. The major pilgrim places include Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Devprayag, Nandadevi and Purnagiri.
• Uttarakhand was born on 9th November 2000 as the 27th State of India, when it was carved out of northern Uttar Pradesh. Situated at the foothills of the Himalayan mountain ranges, it is largely a hilly State, having international boundaries with China (Tibet) in the north and Nepal in the east. On its north-west lies Himachal Pradesh, while on the south is Uttar Pradesh. It is rich in natural resources especially water and forests with many glaciers, rivers, dense forests and snow-clad mountain peaks. Dehradun, the Capital of Uttarakhand is one of the most beautiful resorts in the sub mountain tracts of India, known for its scenic surroundings. The town lies in the Dun Valley, on the watershed of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
• Uttarakhand blessed with rich biodiversity and fragile eco-systems, harbors rich flora and fauna, including a large number of rare medicinal and aromatic plants and a plethora of land races and agri-climatic zones. The diversification of agriculture and the immense wealth of medicinal and aromatic plants are very important. Commercial cultivation of these rare plants on one hand will uplift the socio-economic status of the farmers and serve as the source of raw material to pharmaceutical/ nutraceutical industries, on the other hand it will give importance to conservation of rare biodiversity of Uttarakhand. At the same time efficient and sustainable exploitation of enormous bioresources will contribute a lot for the overall development of the state.