Culture and Economy of Nanded

Nanded with an agro based economy is one of the largest districts in the region of Marathwada. The city has strong potential to become a major religious destination. It has a high literacy rate and good income statistics with its impetus on education sector. The city boasts of the growing services sector industry with banks, IT, ITES and telecom companies. The population is a mix of Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. The city population is becoming more aware of the lack of infrastructure and there is a concerted effort to bring it up with government-private partnership. The plans are already afoot to develop the New Nanded, a mini township with all the modern amenities. Ocupational Structure. The city population is predominantly engaged in tertiary activities of trade and commerce. The city is the hub for trading the variety of crop produce from fertile villages of the district. The Mandi of Nanded is the largest in the region transporting produce to all parts of India. The choice trade of Sikhs, truck driving employs more than ten percent of city population. Festivals. The people of Nanded celebrate most of the Indian festivals. The population predominantly Sikh, all festivals associated with Sikh Gurus are celebrated with pomp and splendor. The festival season starts in January with Maghi, Lohri, Basant Panchmi and continues through the year with the birth day celebrations of the ten gurus, ending with the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh in December. The year 2008 is already earmarked for a grand tercentenary Gurta-Gaddi celebrations commemorating the three hundred years of the Khalsa Panth. Natural Wealth. Nanded is rich in forest wealth with thick jungles in Hadgaon, Bhokar and Kinwat areas of the district. The teak, bamboo and Tendu trees are the driving force for agro industries. Tendu leaves are used in Bidi making and teak, bamboo for furniture industry. The hardworking Sikh carpenters are producing the best teak furniture in the Marathwada region. Crops. Nanded has a vast irrigation network developed on River Godavari and other rivers. Most of the cash crops like rice, wheat, cotton, lentils are grown in the area. The good irrigation network allows sugarcane and banana in most of the low lying areas. The alphonso mangoes add to the exports from the area. There are a number of fruit orchards producing oranges, guavas, sweet lime and lemons. The Nanded district is a haven for the faming community. Medical Facilities. The city, with all the natural wealth, lacks in health sector. The private doctors and nursing homes are exploiting the people with exorbitant fees. The Sikhs have a fascination for the male child. The ultrasound clinics and quacks have mushroomed in the city conducting unsafe abortions of the female fetus. The city area has the lowest girl child ratio in the region. The government is planning to setup large hospitals keeping in view the 2008 celebrations. The development in the city has left South Nanded untouched. The area has now been demarcated and approved for development. But the progress is relatively slow because of poor infrastructure and poor connectivity between North and South Nanded. Various Gurudwaras with the help of rich NRI Sikhs have commenced large projects. Hopefully a couple of years hence Nanded will a major metropolis of the Marathwada region.