Pursurah (community development block)

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

Pursurah is located at 22°51′01″N 87°57′46″E. It is about 7 kilometers away from Tarakeswar.

Pursurah CD Block is bounded by Raina II CD Block, in Bardhaman district, in the north, Dhaniakhali, Tarakeshwar and Jangipara CD Blocks in the east, and Udaynarayanpur CD Block, in Howrah district, and Khanakul I and Khanakul II CD Blocks in the south and Arambagh CD Block in the west.

It is located 72 km from Chinsurah, the district headquarters.

Area and administration

Pursurah CD Block has an area of 96.92  km². Pursurah police station serves this CD Block. Pursurah panchayat samity has 8 gram panchayats. The block has 50 inhabited villages. Headquarters of this block is at Pursurah.

Gram panchayats

Gram panchayats of Pursurah block/ panchayat samiti are: Bhangamorah, Chilladangi, Dehibatpur, Kelepara, Pursurah I, Pursurah II, Shyampur and Shrirampur.

Population

As per 2011 Census of India Pursura CD Block had a total population of 173,437, all of which were rural. There were 88,908 (51%) males and 84,529 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 17,804. Scheduled Castes numbered 37,025 and Scheduled Tribes numbered 839.

At the 2001 census, Pursurah block had a total population of 156,212, out of which 79,943 were males and 76,269 were females. Pursurah block registered a population growth of 10.08 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for Hooghly district was 15.72 per cent. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.

Large villages

Large villages in Pursurah CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets) : Soaluk (9,196), Baikunthapur (8,794), Kulbatpur (4,039), Paschimpara (4,829), Nimdangi (4,739), Jangalpara (9,239), Pursurah (7,225), Shrirampur (7,490), Rautara (4,626), Saidpur (4,629), Akri Fatepur (4,776), Chilladangi (7,492), Bara Digrui (4,739), Ghol Digrui (6,699) and Shyampur (6,719).

Literacy

As per 2011 census the total number of literates in Pursura CD Block was 127,809 (82.12% of the population over 6 years) out of which 70,698 (55%) were males and 57,111 (45%) were females.

As per 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%.

At the 2001 census, Pursurah block had a total literacy of 54.93 per cent. While male literacy was 64.93 per cent, female literacy was 43.34 per cent.

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 144,830 and formed 83.51% of the population in Pursurah CD Block. Muslims numbered 28,242 and formed 16.28% of the population. Others numbered 365 and formed 0.21% 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 Pursurah CD Block, the situation was a little different. In Pursurah, while cultivators were 32.29% of the total workers, agricultural labourers formed 27.62%. Household workers formed 3.53% and other workers 36.56%. 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 Pursurah CD Block 17.54% were bargadars, 4.95% patta holders, 5.34% small farmers, 11.47% marginal farmers and 60.70% agricultural workers in 2001.

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 Pursurah CD Block 69.71% of the land is used for crop cultivation and 3.39% for orchards. In Pursurah CD Block 92.87% of the land is sown more than once. Pursurah CD Block produced 21,170 tonnes of Aman paddy from 6,640 hectares, 44,850 tonnes of jute from 2,061 hectares and 195,000 tonnes of potatoes from 6,842 hectares in 2005-06. In Pursurah CD Block out of the total cultivated area of 7,665 hectares 200 hectares is drought prone and 3,500 hectares is flood prone. The irrigation system in Hooghly district is based on five rivers: Bhagirathi, 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 Pursurah CD Block all 50 mouzas were electrified. However, in Pursurah CD Block 44.27% of households owned houses with electricity and 34.53% 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

This is a rich agricultural area with several cold storages.

In Pursurah CD Block 445.39 hectares was the nett area under effective pisiculture and 3,264 persons were engaged in the profession. Approximate annual production in 2003-04 was 13,361.7 qtl. In 2003-04 Pursurah had 51.48 km of surfaced roads under PWD, 73.06 km surfaced roads under Zilla Parishad and 111.85 km unsurfaced roads under Zilla Parishad.

Transport

Pursurah CD Block has 10 ferry services and 10 originating/ terminating bus routes.

Education

In 2003-04, Pursurah CD Block had 108 primary schools with 14,649 students, 1 middle school with 446 students, 10 high schools with 8,874 students and 6 higher secondary schools with 9,762 students. Pursurah CD Block had 161 institutions with 6,478 students for special and non-formal education.

Healthcare

Pursurah CD Block had 3 health centres, 25 clinics and 4 dispensaries with 23 beds and 7 doctors in 2003.