Raipur is the capital city of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Raipur city was formally established in the year 1861. Raipur has been in existence since the 9th century; the old site and ruins of the fort can be seen in the southern part of the city. Raipur district is important historically and as a point of interest archaeologically. This district was once part of the Dakshina Kosala Kingdom and later considered part of the Maurya Empire. Raipur has been the capital of the Haihaya Dynasty Kalchuri kings, controlling the forts of Chhattisgarh for a considerable period. Satawahana kings ruled this part until the 2nd–3rd century. Raipur is also the administrative headquarters of Raipur district and Raipur division, and the largest city of the state. It was a part of Madhya Pradesh before the state of Chhattisgarh was formed on 1 November 2000. It is a major commercial hub for trade and commerce in the region. It has exponential industrial growth and has become a major business hub in Central India. It has been ranked as India's 6th cleanest city as per the Swachh Survekshan for the year 2021. (In the Swachh Survekshan Awards-2023, Chhattisgarh secured the third rank in the ‘Best Performing States’ category). Raipur is ranked 7th in the Ease of Living Index 2022 and 7th in the Municipal Performance Index 2020, both by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It is among the biggest producers of steel and iron in the country. There are about 200 steel rolling mills, 195 sponge iron plants, at least 6 steel plants, 60 plywood factories, 35 ferro-alloy plants, and 500 agro-industries in the city. In addition, Raipur also has over 800 rice milling plants.