Chanditala I

Overview

Hooghly district forms a part of the flat alluvial plains of the lower Gangetic delta. It lies on the western bank of the Hooghly, a distributary of the Ganges. The river bank of the Hooghly is heavily industrialised. The Dwarakeswar, in the western part of the district, forms the dividing line between the uplands and the plains. It is subsequently joined by the Shilabati to form the Rupnarayan, flowing along the western boundary of the district. The Damodar intersects the district. Human intervention in the form of construction of roads and railways and flood control measures have affected the topography. Urbanisation and industrialisation has altered land use pattern of the district. With a very high density of population (1,601 per km²), about 66% of the population live in the rural areas. In 2001, Hindus formed 83.63% of the population followed by Muslims, who formed 15.14% of the population. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes together constituted 43% of the population.

Location

Bhagabatipur, a constituent gram panchayat of Chanditala I block, is located at 22°42′00″N 88°10′50″E.

Chanditala I CD Block is bounded by Haripal and Singur CD Blocks in the north, Chanditala II CD Block in the east, Domjur and Jagatballavpur CD Blocks, in Howrah district, in the south and Jangipara CD Block in the west.

It is located 34 km from Chinsurah, the district headquarters.

Area and administration

Chanditala I CD Block has an area of 92.92  km².Chanditala police station serves this CD Block. Chanditala I panchayat samity has 9 gram panchayats. The block has 56 inhabited villages. Headquarters of this block is at Masat.

Gram panchayats

Gram panchayats of Chanditala I block/ panchayat samiti are: Aniya, Bhagabatipur, Gangadharpur, Haripur, Krishnarampur, Kumirmora, Masat, Nababpur and Sehakhala.

Population

As per 2011 Census of India, Chanditala I CD Block had a total population of 179,825, of which 104,677 were rural and 75,148 were urban. There were 90,032 (50%) males and 89,793 (50%) females. Population below 6 years was 19,350. Scheduled Castes numbered 35,243 and Scheduled Tribes numbered 281.

As of 2001 census, Chanditala I block had a total population of 165,837, out of which 81,689 were males and 84,148 were females. Chanditala I block registered a population growth of 11.38% during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for Hooghly district was 15.72%. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84%.

Census Towns, large villages and other villages

Census Towns in Chanditala I CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets): Masat (8,007), Jangalpara (7,478), Gangadharpur (7,862), Manirampur (7,428), Dudhkalmi (5,558), Nababpur (12,728), Kumirmora (12,208), Ramanathpur (6,811) and Bhagabatipur (7,068).

Large villages (4,000+ population) in Chanditala I CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets): Patul (4,083), Sehakhala (6,434), Kanaidanga (4,517), Bhadua (4,704) and Krishnarampur (10,044).

Other villages in Chanditala I CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets): Akuni (3,759), Alipur (3,091), Anantarampur (1,582), Aniya (3,281), Aushbati (2,246), Azabnagar (1,021), Bade Sola (2,094), Baghati (1,263), Ban Panchbere (465), Banamalipur (3,443), Bandpur (3,594), Banipur (840), Bankrishnapur (1,610), Bara Choughara (788), Chak Bangla (340), Chak Tajpur (2,692), Chota Choughara (1196), Dudhkanra (391), Dudhkomra (1,692), Ganeshpur (474), Gopalpur (901), Haripur (2,757), Ichhapasar (1,442), Jagmohanpur (1,193), Jalamadul (2,293), Jiara (1,150), Kalyanbati (1,217), Krishnanagar (1,712), Madhupur (1,846), Malipukur (945), Mamudpur (1,522), Metekhal (3,006), Mukundapur (1,579), Pakur, (3,997), Paschim Tajpur (1,873), Radhaballabhpur (1,655), Raghunathpur (645), Sadpur (888), Sandhipur (2,186), Shyamsundarpur (2,028), Singjor (1,589) and Suchiya(Chhunche) (2,569).

Literacy

As of 2011 census, the total number of literates in Chanditala I CD Block was 134,421 (87.33% of the population over 6 years) out of which 70,740 (53%) were males and 56,419 (47%) were females.

As of 2011 census, literacy in Hooghly district was 81.80%. Literacy in West Bengal was 77.08% in 2011. Literacy in India in 2011 was 74.04%.

As of 2001 census, Chanditala I block had a total literacy of 52.75%. While male literacy was 73.52%, female literacy was 55.09%.

See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate

Language

Bengali is the local language in these areas.

Religion

In 2011 census Hindus numbered 117,300 and formed 65.23% of the population in Chanditala I CD Block. Muslims numbered 62,225 and formed 34.60% of the population. Others numbered 300 and formed 0.17% of the population.

In 2011, Hindus numbered 4,574,569 and formed 82.89% of the population in Hooghly district. Muslims numbered 870,204 and formed 15.77% of the population. In West Bengal Hindus numbered 64,385,546 and formed 70.53% of the population. Muslims numbered 24,654,825 and formed 27.01% of the population.

Human Development Report

The first wave of industrialisation (in Hooghly district, as well as the region) came with the establishment of jute mills along the banks of the Hooghly River long back in the British era. The district has moved from an overwhelmingly rural society with a mere 14.92% of the population living in urban areas in 1901 to a more urban society with 33.47% of the population living in urban areas in 2001. Increasing urbanisation has opened up a broader range of livelihood opportunities. However, in 12 out of the 18 community development blocks in the district the entire population continued to live in the rural areas in 2001. The district presents a unique picture of 12 municipalities surrounded by rural areas.

In the rural areas of the district while 14.95% of the total workers were cultivators, agricultural labourers were 24.31%, thereby indicating the huge pressure on land that outstrips its ownership. In Chanditala I CD Block, while cultivators were 12.98% of the total workers, agricultural labourers formed 19.93%. Household workers formed 9.32% and other workers 57.77%. Up to 30.11.2006 a total of 5,260 hectares of vested agricultural land was distributed amongst 71,643 persons in Hooghly district. Amongst different categories of workers engaged in agriculture in Chanditala I CD Block 25.96% were bargadars, 7.46% patta (ownership document) holders, 4.26% small farmers, 9.48% marginal farmers and 52.83% agricultural workers in 2001. Around 49% of workers in Hooghly district are agricultural labourers and another 21.77% are marginal farmers. Both the groups are much vulnerable. The largest percentage of such vulnerable workers are found in Chanditala II CD Block and the lowest in Chanditala I. Distribution of patta holders is an indicator of the success of land reforms.

Agricultural activities or cultivation is divided into two categories: crop cultivation and plantation (orchards). There is a general belief that plantations are more remunerative. In Chanditala I CD Block 79.84% of the land is used for crop cultivation and 2.14% for orchards. In Chanditala I CD Block 81.86% of the land is sown more than once. Chanditala I CD Block produced 15,920 tonnes of Aman paddy from 6,240 hectares, 8,740 tonnes of Boro paddy from 4,544 hectares, 11,510 tonnes of Jute from 739 hectares and 29,540 tonnes of potatoes from 1,179 hectares in 2005-06. In Chanditala CD Block out of the total cultivated area of 7,328 hectares 1,250 hectares is drought prone and 2,000 hectares is flood prone. The irrigation system in Hooghly district is based on five rivers: Hooghly, Damodar, Mundeswari, Darakeswar and Sankari. Erosion of the river banks of these rivers pose a problem in many areas, particularly the Khanakul area.

Hooghly district has the distinction of all mouzas (villages) being electrified by 2005. In Chanditala I CD Block all 56 mouzas were electrified even earlier. However, in Chanditala I CD Block 58.53% of households owned houses with electricity and 49.14% households owned houses with toilets in 2001.

In the rural areas of Hooghly district there are wide variations amongst the CD Blocks regarding families living below poverty line (BPL). The data provided in the table given below is based on a household survey for BPL list carried out by the state government in 2005.

Infrastructure

Chanditala I CD Block had 2,060 hectares of canals. In 2003-04 Chanditala I had 41.02 km of surfaced roads under PWD, 43.30 km surfaced roads under Zilla Parishad and 176.25 km unsurfaced roads under Zilla Parishad.

Agriculture

Though rice is the prime crop of the district, the agricultural economy largely depends on potato, jute, vegetables and orchard products. Vegetable is a prize crop in the blocks of Haripal, Singur, Chanditala, Polba and Dhaniakhali being grown in a relay system throughout the year. Though potato is cultivated in all the blocks of this district Dhaniakhali, Arambagh, Goghat, Pursurah, Haripal, Polba-Dadpur, Tarakeswar, Pandua and Singur contributed much of its production of this district.

Some of the primary and other hats or markets in the Chanditala I CD Block area are: Jangalpara hat, Mesat hat, Sheakhala hat, Bhagakalipur hat, Gopalpur hat and Gangadharpur hat.

Pisciculture

In Chanditala I CD Block 433.04 hectares was the nett area under effective pisiculture and 5,308 persons were engaged in the profession. Approximate annual production in 2003-04 was 12,993.8 qtl.

Transport

Chanditala I CD Block has 8 originating/ terminating bus routes.

Education

In 2003-04, Chanditala I CD Block had 42 primary schools with 16,529 students, 6 middle schools with 892 students, 10 high schools with 9,007 students and 4 higher secondary schools with 6,255 students. Chanditala I CD Block had 1 general college with 347 students, and 169 institutions with 7,254 students for special and non-formal education.

Healthcare

Chanditala I CD Block had 4 health centres, 36 clinics and 2 dispensaries with 29 beds and 13 doctors in 2003.