Country India District Purulia Assembly constituency Para Elevation 192 m Population 200,621 (2011) | State West Bengal Parliamentary constituency Purulia Time zone IST (UTC+5.30) Area 312.6 km² Area code 03251 | |
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Para is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Raghunathpur subdivision of Purulia district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Contents
Background
The Jaina Bhagavati-Sutra of the 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.
Geography
Para is located at 23°31′N 86°31′E.
Para CD Block is located in the north-western part of the district. The area becomes undulating with hillocks of hard rocks, which are extended from the high Chota Nagpur Plateau. There are some hills ranging from 150 to 750 meters approximately in altitude.
Para CD Block is bounded by Raghunathpur II CD Block on the north, Raghunathpur I and Kashipur CD Blocks on the east, Hura and Purulia II CD Blocks on the south and Jhalda II CD Block and Chandankiyari CD Block, in Bokaro district of Jharkhand, on the west.
It is located 29 km from Purulia, the district headquarters.
Para CD Block has an area of 312.59 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 10 gram panchayats, 136 gram sansads (village councils), 135 mouzas, 118 inhabited villages and 5 census towns. Para and Santaldih (partly) police stations serve this block. Headquarters of this CD Block is at Para.
Gram panchayats of Para block/panchayat samiti are: Anara, Bahara, Deoli, Dubra, Jabarra Jhapra I, Jabara Jhapra II, Nadiha Surulia, Para and Udaipur-Joinagar.
Population
As per the 2011 Census of India Para CD Block had a total population of 200,621, of which 167,997 were rural and 32,624 were urban. There were 103,306 (51%) males and 97,315 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 29,376. Scheduled Castes numbered 66,751 (33.27%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 10,335 (5.15%).
As per 2001 census, Para block had a total population of 174,596, out of which 90,259 were males and 84,337 were females. Para block registered a population growth of 15.45 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.
Census Towns in Para CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Santaldih Power Project Town (2,507), Kanki (6,884), Dubra (5,506), Chapari (6,556) and Shankara (11,171).
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Para CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Para (9,697), Anara (5,517) and Phusrabai 4,207).
Other villages in Para CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Deuli (2,044), Jabarra (3,244), Nadiha (2,029), Baharra (2,241), Suruliya (3,405) and Jhapra alias Udaipur (2,944).
Literacy
As per the 2011 census the total number of literates in Para CD Block was 112,377 (65.62% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 70,311 (79.61% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 42,066 (50.73%) of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 28.88%.
See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
Languages and religion
Bengali is the local language in these areas.
There is a tribal presence in many of the CD Blocks of the district. Santali was spoken by around 14% of the population of the earlier Manbhum district. Some people also speak Mundari or Kolarian languages such as Kurmali, Mundari and the languages of Bhumij and Mahli.
In the 2011 census Hindus numbered 159,554 and formed 79.53% of the population in Para CD Block. Muslims numbered 36,853 and formed 18.37% of the population. Christians numbered 195 and formed 0.10% of the population. Others numbered 4,019 and formed 2.00% 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
119 mouzas in Para CD Block were electrified by 31 March 2014. The total consumption of electricity in Purulia district in 2013-14 was 228,350 KWH, out of which 130,376 KWH was domestic consumption and 925 KWH was for agricultural irrigation and dewatering.
Thermal Power Station
Santaldih Thermal Power Station of West Bengal Power Development Corporation has a total capacity of 980 MW (4x120, 2x250).
Agriculture
In 2013-14, persons engaged in agriculture in Para CD Block could be classified as follows: bargadars 1.90%, patta (document) holders 11.35%, small farmers (possessing land between 1 and 2 hectares) 3.88%, marginal farmers (possessing land up to 1 hectare) 28.42% and agricultural labourers 54.44%.
In 2013-14, the total area irrigated in Para CD Block was 9,794.63 hectares, out of which 2,792.00 hectares were by canals, 6,162.63 hectares by tank water, 235.0 hectares by open dug wells and 635.00 hectares by other means.
In 2013-14, Para CD Block produced 33,070 tonnes of Aman paddy, the main winter crop from 14,499 hectares. It also produced wheat, mustard and potatoes.
Banking
In 2013-14, Para CD Block had offices of 8 commercial banks and 2 gramin banks.
Transport
In 2013-14, Para CD Block had 7 originating/ terminating bus routes.
Adra-Gomoh branch line of South-Eastern Railway passes through this CD Block. There is a station at Santaldih.
The Adra-Chandil section of the Asansol-Tatanagar-Kharagpur line of South Eastern Railway passes through this CD Block and there is a station at Anara.
State Highway 8 (West Bengal) running from Santaldih (in Purulia district) to Majhdia (in Nadia district) originates in this CD Block.
Education
In 2013-14, Para CD Block had 166 primary schools with 18,432 students, 26 middle schools with 2,143 students, 3 high schools with 2,250 students and 16 higher secondary schools with 17,204 students. Para CD Block had 2 professional/ technical institutions with 179 students and 289 institutions with 10,029 students for special and non-formal education.
Healthcare
In 2014, Para CD Block had 1 block primary health centre, 3 primary health centres, 1 medical centre of PSU/ other department and 1 private nursing home with total 156 beds and 29 doctors. 15,895 patients were treated indoor and 331,506 patients were treated outdoor in the hospitals, health centres and subcentres of the CD Block.