Country India District Purulia Assembly constituency Baghmundi Elevation 249 m Population 137,143 (2011) | State West Bengal Parliamentary constituency Purulia Time zone IST (UTC+5.30) Area 315.1 km² Area code 03254 | |
 | ||
Jhalda I is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Purulia Sadar West subdivision of Purulia district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Contents
Background
The Jaina Bhagavati-Sutra of 5th century AD mentions that Purulia was one of the sixteen mahajanapadas and was a part of the kingdom known as Vajra-bhumi in ancient times. In 1833, Manbhum district was carved out of Jungle Mahals district, with headquarters at Manbazar. In 1838, the headquarters was transferred to Purulia. In 1956, Manbhum district was partitioned between Bihar and West Bengal under the States Reorganization Act and the Bihar and West Bengal (Transfer of Territories) Act 1956.
Red corridor
106 districts spanning 10 states across India, described as being part of the Left Wing Extremism activities, constitutes the Red corridor. In West Bengal the districts of Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia and Birbhum are part of the Red corridor. However, as of July 2016, there had been no reported incidents of Maoist related activities from these districts for the previous 4 years.
The CPI (Maoist) extremism affected CD Blocks in Purulia district were: Jhalda I, Jhalda II, Arsha, Baghmundi, Balarampur, Barabazar, Manbazar II and Bandwan. Certain reports also included Manbazar I and Joypur CD Blocks and some times indicted the whole of Purulia district.
The Lalgarh movement, which started attracting attention after the failed assassination attempt on Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, then chief minister of West Bengal, in the Salboni area of Paschim Medinipur district, on 2 November 2008 and the police action that followed, had also spread over to these areas. The movement was not just a political struggle but an armed struggle that concurrently took the look of a social struggle. A large number of CPI (M) activists were killed. Although the epi-centre of the movement was Lalgarh, it was spread across 19 police stations in three adjoining districts – Paschim Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia, all thickly forested and near the border with Jharkhand. The deployment of CRPF and other forces started on 11 June 2009. The movement came to an end after the 2011 state assembly elections and change of government in West Bengal. The death of Kishenji, the Maoist commander, on 24 November 2011 was the last major landmark.
Geography
Pusti, a constituent panchayat of Jhalda I block, is located at 23°15′20″N 85°53′11″E.
Jhalda I CD Block is located in the south-western part of the district. The Subarnarekha forms the inter-state boundary between West Bengal and Jharkhand in Jhalda I CD Block and a small portion of Bahgmundi CD Block.
Jhalda I CD Block is bounded by Kasmar and Jaridih CD Blocks, in Bokaro district of Jharkhand, on the north, Jhalda II on the east, Baghmundi CD Block and Kukru CD Block, in Seraikela Kharsawan district of Jharkhand on the south, and Sonahatu and Silli CD Blocks, in Ranchi district of Jharkhand, and Gola CD Block, in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand, on the west.
It is located 46 km from Purulia, the district headquarters.
Jhalda I CD Block has an area of 315.09 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 10 gram panchayats, 97 gram sansads (village councils), 143 mouzas, 131 inhabited villages and 1 census town. Jhalda police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD Block is at Masina.
Gram panchayats of Jhalda I block/panchayat samiti are: Hensahatu, Ichag, Iloo-Jargo, Jhalda-Darda, Kalma, Maru-Mosina, Mathari-Khamar, Nayadih, Pusti and Tulin.
Population
As per the 2011 Census of India Jhalda I CD Block had a total population of 137,143, of which 127,759 were rural and 9,384 were urban. There were 70,095 (51%) males and 67,048 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 20,832. Scheduled Castes numbered 16,988 (12.39%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 15,608 (11.38%).
As per 2001 census, Jhalda I block had a total population of 115,493, out of which 58,611 were males and 56,882 were females. Jhalda I block registered a population growth of 16.75 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for Purulia district was 13.96 per cent. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Jhalda I CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Tulin (9,844), Ichag (4,951) and Jargo (4,083).
Other villages in Jhalda I CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Pusti (2,374), Kalma (2,536), Ilu (3,131), Khamar (1,799), Masina (2,724), Danrda (1,675), Uhatu (660) and Nayadi (1,246).
Jhalda, a municipal town, is included as a census town in the 2011 census figures. It is not included here as a census town.
Literacy
As per the 2011 census the total number of literates in Jhalda I CD Block was 76,973 (66.18% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 47,591 (80.15% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 29,382 (51.61%) of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 28.54%.
See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
Language and religion
Bengali is the local language in these areas.
In the 2011 census Hindus numbered 114,769 and formed 83.69% of the population in Jhalda I CD Block. Muslims numbered 11,627 and formed 8.48% of the population. Christians numbered 326 and formed 0.24% of the population. Others numbered 10,421 and formed 7.60% of the population. Others include Addi Bassi, Marang Boro, Santal, Saranath, Sari Dharma, Sarna, Alchchi, Bidin, Sant, Saevdharm, Seran, Saran, Sarin, Kheria, and other religious communities.
Infrastructure
131 mouzas in Jhalda I CD Block were electrified by 31 March 2014.
Agriculture
In 2013-14, persons engaged in agriculture in Jhalda I CD Block could be classified as follows: bargadars 0.78%, patta (document) holders 17.98%, small farmers (possessing land between 1 and 2 hectares) 8.82%, marginal farmers (possessing land up to 1 hectare) 29.94% and agricultural labourers 42.48%.
In 2013-14, the total area irrigated in Jhalda I CD Block was 11,232.60 hectares, out of which 2,585.00 hectares was by canal irrigation, 7,491.95 hectares by tank water, 59.55 hectares by river lift irrigation, 126.00 hectares by open dug wells and 970.00 hectares by other means.
In 2013-14, Jhalda I CD Block produced 42,521 tonnes of Aman paddy, the main winter crop, from 19,041 hectares and 5,555 tonnes of Boro paddy, the spring crop, from 256 hectares. It also produced khesari, gram and mustard.
Banking
In 2013-14, Jhalda I CD Block had offices of 7 commercial bank and 2 gramin banks.
Transport
In 2013-14, Jhalda I CD Block had 5 originating/ terminating bus routes.
Both SH 4 running from Jhalda (in Purulia district) to Junput (in Purba Medinipur district) and SH 4A running from Tulin to Chas Morh (both in Purulia district) originate in this block.
The NSC Bose Gomoh-Hatia line of South Eastern Railway passes through this CD Block and there is a station at Tulin.
Education
In 2013-14, Jhalda I CD Block had 144 primary schools with 10,514 students, 10 middle schools with 694 students and 13 higher secondary schools with 14,746 students. Jhalda I CD Block had 2 general colleges with 1,549 students, 1 professional/ technical institute with 48 students and 249 institutions with 8,841 students for special and non-formal education.
Healthcare
In 2014, Jhalda I CD Block had 1 block primary health centre and 2 primary health centres, with total 46 beds and 6 doctors. 8,572 patients were treated indoor and 198,949 patients were treated outdoor in the health centres and subcentres of the CD Block.