Economy

Transport

The development of tribal areas in the state, is another step taken by the government for its economic development. The two border districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti and the Pangi and Brahmour tehsils of chamber districts are the main tribal areas of the state.

Kinnaur opened up in early nineteen sixties with the completion of the Hindustan-Tibet National highway and the construction of link roads to it. Land tenure system has improved, and tenants have become land owners. They are using improved seeds, fertilizers and pesticides and most of the households have fruit trees, mostly apple. they are engaged in cottage industries, the most important being the spinning and weaving of wool.

Lahaul was opened up in the late sixties with the construction of motorable road over Rohtang pass. High passes like Rohtang (130,50ft), Kunzum (14,913ft) and Baralarcha (14,000ft) provide the only contact to Lahaul. Lahaul has fertile valleys.

Spiti is almost a hill desert and has seen much less development. A hill desert development plan under which, it is proposed to link irrigation channel to major glaciers and streams which can provide adequate amount of water to large number of fields. Lift irrigation schemes are being undertaken, in the areas of Spiti, Chandra and Bhaga rivers.

Building up of an efficient transport system was the top priority in the 1st Five year plan. The state has 2 airports at Bhintar in Kulu district, and at Jubbarhatti near Shimla. Another airport at Gaggal in Kangra district and sites at Mandi, Hamerpur and Chamba have been identified. It was only by Jan 1991 Himachal was linked with the broad gauge system in UNA by extending the Delhi-Nangal rail line. But railways and airways in Himachal can serve very limited transport needs of the people of the state. Road transport constitutes the very plasma of economic and social infra structure in Himachal.