Majuli declared India’s first island district
Q. BJP leader Sarbananda Sonowal has declared Majuli as an island district in which state?- Published on 29 Jun 16a. Assam
b. Manipur
c. Meghalaya
d. Mizoram
ANSWER: Assam
BJP leader and Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal declared Majuli, a Bramhaputra island as a district making it the first of its kind in India.
- Decision to upgrade Majuli- a subdivision within the Jorhat district- was taken in the first cabinet meeting of the new BJP led government which won over the Congress that had been in power for three consecutive terms
- Majuli which shrunk from 1250 sq km to 515 sq km as a result of massive river bank erosion caused by the Brahmaputra has been competing as a World Heritage Site of UNESCO
- With 22 stars or Vaishnavite monasteries, home to the Mising tribals, Majuli is a major tourist destination despite erosion and seasonal floods.
- Majuli has been a cultural capital of Assamese civilisation since the 16th century associated with written records describing the visit of Srimanta Sankardeva, a 16th century social reformer
- He was a pioneer of the medieval age Neo Vaishnavite movement preaching monotheism through Vaishnavism and established monasteries and hermitages known as satra on the islet
