According to Buddhist traditions, the city was called Savatthi because the sage Savattha lived there. Not just this, but there are various other historical references found related to the city. It is state that the ancient text of Ramayana, mentions Shrawasti as the capital city of Kingdom ruled by Lava, the son of Ram of Ikshvaku dynasty. This district was carved out from the Bahraich and Gonda districts in May 1997. The district is abode to many renowned Buddhist temples. Shravasti is a district in the Devipatan division of Uttar Pradesh and Bhinga town is district headquarter. The district with a population of 1,117,361 constituting to only around 0.56% of the total population of the state making The GSDP of the district is INR 2871.54 Crores .

Situated on the banks of river Rapti, the origin of Shravasti can be traced back to the 5th century but it became a district in the beginning of 21st century. The journey for this district has just begun & a lots need to be done This town is closely associated with the life of Lord Buddha. It is said that the mythological king Sravast founded this town. Shravasti was the capital of Kosala Kingdom during 6th century BC to 6th century AD. This prosperous trading center was well known for its religious associations. The 'Sobhanath' temple is believed to be the birthplace of Jain Tirthankar 'Sambhavanath' making Shravasti an important center for the Jainas.

Shravasti is a newly created district carved out from districts of Gonda and Bahraich. Besides these two districts, Shravasti shares its border with district Balrampur in the east and Nepal in the north. Shrawasti district is a part of Devipatan division of Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh. The district lies between 27.04° to 28.24° North latitude and 81.6° to 82.9° East longitude and covers an area of 1,948.20 Sq. Km. . The district is a part of Devipatan Division. Bhinga, the District Headquarter of Shrawasti, is approximately 175 Km away from the State capital, Lucknow.

Road: Shravasti has National Highways NH927 which connects the district to capital of state, NH330 which connect the district with the division headquarter. Railways: The District has no railway line. Airport: Currently the city airport is in construction. The nearest airport is Lucknow which is around (about 175 km away), Gorakhpur Airport which about 183 km away and Nearest International airport which is Indira Gandhi International airport which is approximately 695 km from the district.

Shravasti has a relatively subtropical climate with high variation between summer and winter temperatures. The average temperature is 30°C-43°C in the summer and 6°C18°C in the winter. The weather is pleasant in rainy season from July to October. The land surface of the district is covered by moderately deep soil cover. These are well drained clayey soils on very gently sloping land with moderate erosion associated with very shallow somewhat excessively drained loamy soils with severe erosion. The soil cover is very thin to subsequent at places along riverbeds where sands are predominated. The holy rivers Saryu and Ghaghra pass through the district. The soils of the district are composed of the fluvial deposits of these two rivers. The entire district falling in sai sub basin of Ganga basin represents flat topography. The weather of district hot and moist, area getting sufficient rainwater in season, agricultures farming depends on rainwater. The most of land are fertile, main crop Rice, Maize, Wheat, wheat, rice, Sugarcanes, Pulses like Lentil, Pigeon pea, Pea, Black gram, Gram etc.

The district has 1,055 industries that employ around 4,253 individuals . The key industries of the district include Agro based, Wood/wooden based furniture, engineering works, etc. The Agro based mills and units comprises of around 754 units of production in Shravasti. The total turnover of these units is Rs. 1,514 lakhs through domestic sales but does not directly export. The following table depicts the MSME units with their turnover and employment:

The MSME units in the district mainly represent industries like agro based (Food products), Agro based (Food products) industries contribute most in terms of employments employment and revenue, which is approximately 69.83% and 70% respectively. Repairing & servicing contributes~4.8% and revenue ~1.66%, Metal based (Steel Fab) ~6.51%% and revenue ~2.31%, Ready-made garments & embroidery (Zari-zardozi))ik8~4.23%% and revenue ~0.92%, Engineering units, Wood/wooden based furniture, Paper and Paper product, Rubber plastic and petro based and Others products contributes ~14.60% employment and 25.10% revenue Out of total population of 1,117,361 (2011 census), 4,03,755 are working population . Out of total working population, 83% are cultivators and agricultural labourers, 13 working in other industries, 4% are household industry workers. This indicates that agriculture is the main source of income in the district.

The following table depicts the value of export of major products from Shravasti:

The economy of the cluster is heavily dependent on agriculture products- Rice.

The economy of the cluster is heavily dependent on agriculture products- Rice. In Shravasti, Rice production is Approximate 2 lakh ton from 75000 ha cultivated land in major area of Block Ikauna, Sirsiya, Jamunaha and Gilaula and productivity – 26.6 Q/ha There are ~30 operational units in the cluster out of 5 are doing large scale business and employing around 3000 individuals and with a turnover of about INR 50 crore. Agro based units are mostly located in Jamunaha and Gilaula.

Rice edible starchy cereal grain and the grass plant by which it is produced. Roughly one-half of the world population, including virtually all of East and Southeast Asia, is wholly dependent upon rice as a staple food; 95 percent of the world’s rice crop is eaten by humans. Rice is cooked by boiling, or it can be ground into a flour. It is eaten alone and in a great variety of soups, side dishes, and main dishes in Asian, Middle Eastern, and many other cuisines. Other products in which rice is used are breakfast cereals, noodles, and such alcoholic beverages as Japanese sake.
The cultivated rice plant is an annual grass and grows to about 1.2 metres (4 feet) in height. The leaves are long and flattened and are borne on hollow stems. The fibrous root system is often broad and spreading. The panicle, or inflorescence (flower cluster), is made up of spikelets bearing flowers that produce the fruit, or grain. Varieties differ greatly in the length, shape, and weight of the panicle and the overall productivity of a given plant. Many cultures have evidence of early rice cultivation, including China, India, and the civilizations of Southeast Asia. However, the earliest archaeological evidence comes from central and eastern China and dates to 7000–5000 BCE. More than 90 percent of the world’s rice is grown in Asia, principally in China, India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, with smaller amounts grown in Japan, Pakistan, and various Southeast Asian nations. Rice is also cultivated in parts of Europe, in North and South America, and in Australia. In the 1960s the so-called Green Revolution, an international scientific effort to diminish the threat of world hunger, produced improved strains of numerous food crops, including that known as miracle rice. Bred for disease resistance and increased productivity, this variety is characterized by a short sturdy stalk that minimizes loss from drooping. Poor soil conditions and other factors, however, inhibited its anticipated widespread success. In the India it has been reported that there are over 6,000 varieties of rice.

Multiple varieties of rice exist including short-grain, medium-grain, and long-grain varieties. The following are the key varieties of Rice which are produce, processing and sale domestic and indirect export in the cluster:
► Hybrid rice: Sudha (D3100), PHB-71, Arize-6444, Arize-6444 Gold,
► Basmati Rice: Pusa Basmati 1121, Pusa Basmati-1509 (IET 21960), Pusa Basmati- 1718, Sugandha-5, Sugandha-6, Sharbati , Pusa Basmati 1,
► Non-Basmati Rice: NDR 359, Samba Mansuri ;

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The following table lists the HS codes under which the products are indirect exported from the district: ;

The export scenario of India and Uttar Pradesh has been analysed basis the export statistics of HS codes mentioned above. Alongside are the key facts pertaining to the analysed product codes. Based on our analysis, we have identified key synergies that should be developed to expand our current reach and potential; These synergies are divided into immediate and long term. The immediate synergies include countries with Signed FTA’s, high growth potential, and one is catered by India and not UP. Whereas the long-term synergies include countries with untapped market potential which can only be fulfilled if UP’s exporters comply and raise the quality of the product to the highest standards, freight rates are more subsidized and major efforts is required in marketing which will require time to accommodate the same. ;

As various products are manufactured and sold under the Agri food related to Rice products like Basmati rice, non-basmati rice of Shravasti , in order to gauge our understanding of where India stands relative to the world on the trade of these products, each product has been delved into as a separate unit defined by its exports and imports in comparison to its competition and potential markets to target in the future.
The consolidated list of countries that India can target, respective to the analysis carried out in each chapter are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, UAE, Benin, Yemen, Togo, USA, Nepal, Guinea, Kuwait, Malaysia, UK as mapped below. Product 1: 100630; _ Semi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not polished or glazed India's exports represent 36.3% of world exports for this product, ranking it number 1. The value of India’s exports over the last 5 years have increased by CAGR 8% with a sharp increase in 2018 and then a subsequent dip post that and again increase in 2020. As per data FY 2018-19 to 2020-21 for exports from the state of UP, it is observed that there has been increased by CAGR 40.75%, with a similarly sharp increase from 2018-19. The following synergies/ markets are identified for UP and India based on the signed FTAs, untapped potential, high growth potential, the ones is catered by India and not UP etc.Countries to which UP exports this product under in HSN code -100630 are Nepal, Somalia, Iran, UK, Djibouti, UAE, Australia, Qatar, Yemen, Benin, USA, Canada, Saudi Arab, South Africa, and Oman.

Product Diversification is one of the most crucial product uplifting strategies which in turn is an important part of a product’s export. Currently, only the grains of rice are being sold directly in the market. Knowing the health benefits of the product an initiative can be made for product diversification to manufacture value added products such as chiwda, poha, brown rice, rice noodles, idli & dosa batter.
The broken rice can be used to create flour. Rice flour is gluten-free; therefore, it is an alternative for producing gluten-free products. Rice flour is also hypoallergenic. Thus, it can be utilized for producing baby food, puddings, and other food products. Due to the decreased risk for people with sensitivities, food companies prefer rice flour to other varieties of flour. Thus, it is economically justifiable to grind broken rice to produce flour for such applications. With adequate upgradation of technology in the cluster the farmers/ millers can sell by-products and generate additional income by manufacturing by-products from Rice Husks, Brans and Straws; the following are their uses:

India possesses a rich and diverse range of unique tangible and intangible cultural, natural, and manmade tourism resources, many of which are world class in quality and most of which are in rural areas. India is a large market for travel and tourism. It offers a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products - cruises, adventure, medical, wellness, sports, MICE, eco-tourism, film, rural and religious tourism. India has been recognized as a destination for spiritual tourism for domestic and international tourists. The Tourism Industry plays a major role in the economic development of the country.

India possesses a rich and diverse range of unique tangible and intangible cultural, natural, and manmade tourism resources, many of which are world class in quality and most of which are in rural areas. India is a large market for travel and tourism. It offers a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products - cruises, adventure, medical, wellness, sports, MICE, eco-tourism, film, rural and religious tourism. India has been recognized as a destination for spiritual tourism for domestic and international tourists. The Tourism Industry plays a major role in the economic development of the country. During 2019, the contribution of travel & tourism to GDP was 6.8% of the total economy, ~ Rs. 13, 68,100 crores (US$ 194.30 billion). The segmentation of Domestic Tourism and International tourist is as under; -

Uttar Pradesh is the fourth largest state in India, with an approximate area of 2,40,928 Sq. Km. It is also the most populous state in the country, with a population of 199.5 Million. Uttar Pradesh is one of the most favoured states for tourists in India, with a consistent ranking amongst the top states in terms of tourist arrivals.;
Uttar Pradesh is a land of cultural and geographical diversity. It is blessed by tranquil expanses of meadows, perennial rivers, dense forests, and fertile soil. It is the heartland of India and plays a crucial role in the culture, politics, agriculture, education, industry, and tourism of India. Uttar Pradesh is the largest tourist destination in India and abounds with beautiful spots and pilgrimage centres. Situated in the northern part of India, it shares boundary with Uttaranchal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and an international border with Nepal Uttar Pradesh has a glorious history. It is the land of Lord Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Mahavir. The epics Ramayana and the Mahabharata were written in Uttar Pradesh. It was here that the Buddha lived and preached to his disciples. The Mughals established their empire here. It is also home to India's most visited site, the Taj Mahal, the oldest living, and holiest city Varanasi. The First War of Indian Independence against British rule in 1857 had its roots in this state. Agra, Varanasi, Fatehpur Sikri, Ayodhya, Prayagaj, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Shravasti, Kaushambi, Mathura and Lucknow etc. are prominent center of tourism in this state. In, 2019, Uttar Pradesh was ranked the 1st state in in terms of the domestic tourist arrivals and 3rd in terms of foreign tourist arrivals. The Tourism industry in Uttar Pradesh has a significant contribution to the states’ economic growth. The contribution of tourism to the employment generation, both direct and indirect, is of immense importance to the state. The detail of foreign tourists and domestic tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh is mentioned below - To establish Uttar Pradesh a preferred tourism destination in India and achieve countries highest tourist arrival and earn tourist receipts, driving employment generation, the Uttar Pradesh Govt has announced its tourism policy, 2018 with following objectives- To become the most preferred tourist destination in the country by 2023. To achieve an annual increase of 15% domestic tourist arrival and 10% foreign tourist over the next five years. To attract employment of approximately 500000 per year. To attract investments with a target of INR 5000 per year. To impart training to 10000 tourism service providers over the next five years. To convert 10 heritage buildings (Buildings with heritage value) to heritage hotels per year. To improve regional connectivity of all religious and cultural attractions within the state through road, rail, and air To promote the state as leading MCE destination in the country To elevate the standards of Public service facilities across the state and provide high quality visitor experience

Shravasti has been identified with the remains at Saheth-Maheth, situated on the banks of the river Rapti. It was the capital of ancient Kosala kingdom and is sacred to the Buddhists because it is here that Lord Buddha performed the greatest of his miracles to confound the Tirthika heretics. These miracles include Buddha creating multiple images of himself, which has been a favourite theme of Buddhist art. It is well-connected with good roads constructed under Buddhist-Circuit. • About 15km from Bahraich lies this sprawling complex of Buddhist stupas and ruins, believed to be founded by the mythological king Sravast, the town played host to Buddha for 27 years and was his annual rainy season retreat. • It was the capital of the ancient Koshal empire and here the Buddha showed his divine prowess to impress upon the non-believers. • The excellently-preserved ruins have a meditative air around them and amid them stands an ancient Bodhi Vriksh (tree). • The huge World Peace Bell in Shravasti established with Japanese help, is said to convey the message of humanity through its toll.
Shravasti is the city of ancient and one of the six largest cities in India during Gautam Buddha lifetime. Shravasti rose to fame due to its association with Buddha and Mahavira and become one of the eight holy places of Buddhist pilgrimage. A sacred land that holds importance to the Hindus, Jains and Buddhists alike, Sravasti is a cultural paradise, that lies in the heart of Uttar Pradesh. Monasteries from Thailand, Tibet and Korea bring to life every architect's dream. A city that holds the ancient Bodhi Vriksh (tree) is not unfamiliar with the legends and myths of Ramayana. Shravasti is also the birthplace of Tirthankar - the founder of Jainism. Thus, this region holds great importance for the devotees of three religions, who annually visit in huge numbers. Shravasti which comes from the words, "Sabbam atthi", stands for peace and prosperity, which is reinforced by each ring of the Japanese World Peace Bell. Shravasti has seen a diverse history, ranging from the Gupta period to Mohammad Ghaznavi, which now truly reflects in the architectures that stand proudly around the city. The place's history is based on various folklores that drive the culture of the city. The Hindu literature alone sees numerous mentions of Shravasti. The epic Ramayana, states that it is a city that was created by Lord Ram, when he divided the kingdom of Kosala, into Shravasti and Kushavati. While Shravasti was to be ruled by Lav, Lord Ram's son, Kusha, the other son was made the ruler of Kushavati. Another epic, Mahabharata, traces the history of this city back to King Shravasta. Shravasti also holds great spiritual significance in Buddhism and Jainism. It is believed that the region houses many relics and architectures from the era of Gautam Buddha and Mahaveer. Shravasti is ranked 9th in Foreign Tourist Visit (FTV) and 65st rank in Domestic Tourist Visit in year 2020. The five years trends of foreign and domestic tourist arrival in Shravasti are mentioned in below figure.

• Angulimala Stupa / Pakki Kuti • Anathapindika Stupa / Kachchi Kuti • Shobnath Jain Temple • Jetavana Monastery • Daen Mahamongkol Temple • Orajhar Buddhist Site • Vibhuti Nath Temple • Suhelwa / Suhaildev Wildlife Sanctuary