Ranchi district

Origin of name

The geographical area now comprising Ranchi district was formerly part of old Lohardaga district of the British India. In the year 1831-32, a part of old Lohardagga district was carved out and given the name of the Non-regulation South-West Frontier, and in 1899 the name of the district was changed to Ranchi district. Ranchi was the name of a type of bird (Ranchi chene-Mundari) seen in the local mountain temple.

History

Magadha Empire exercised indirect control over the territory, which lasted until the reign of the Ashoka. Kalinga rulers are believed to have ravaged the region during their expeditions to Rajgir and Pataliputra. Armies of Samudra Gupta passed through the region on their expedition to Deccan. After the decline of the Guptas, Phanimukut established the Kingdom of Chhotanagpur. The legendary Phanimukut, which literally means the crown of the cobra, was found by the side of a cobra (Nag in Hindi), and grew to be an industrious king, and founded the Nag Dynasty, which ruled Ranchi district and a larger part of Chota Nagpur Plateau as a sovereign king for almost next 1000 years.

With the expansion of the Mughal Empire, the sovereign status of the Nag Dynasty was technically affected, but they continued to rule and administer independently until the advent of the East India Company. During the period of the British Raj, adivasis and the local population of other ethnic backgrounds of Ranchi and other regions currently comprising the State of Jharkhand continued to oppose the subjugation by the British, and the region witnessed a number of uprisings and revolts.

Climate

Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar. Ranchi used to be a preferable hill station in the past. Temperature ranges from maximum 42 to 20 °C during summer, and from 25 to 0 °C during winter. December and January are the coolest months with temperature getting to freezing point in some places of the city. The annual rainfall is about 1430 mm (56.34 inches). From June to September the rainfall is about 1,100 mm. Ranchi is located at 23°21′N 85°20′E.[5] The total area covered by the Ranchi municipal area is 175.12 square kilometres and the average elevation of the city is 651 m above sea level.

Ranchi is located on the southern part of the Chota Nagpur plateau which forms the eastern edge of the Deccan plateau. Ranchi is referred to as the "City of Waterfalls", due to the presence of numerous large and small falls of around the close vicinity of the city. The most popular ones are Dassam Falls, Hundru Falls, Jonha Falls, Hirni Falls and Panchghagh Falls.

The Subarnarekha river and its tributaries constitute the local river system. Dams in Kanke, Rukka and Hatia have been built over these channels to cater to the water requirements of majority the population.

Ranchi has a hilly topography and its combination with dense tropical forests ensures that it enjoys a comparatively moderate climate compared to the rest of the state. Previously, it was accorded a 'hill station' status during the British rule. Rapid population growth and industrialization have caused considerable change in the weather pattern and rise in average temperatures. This has resulted in gradual loss of this "Hill Station" like status.

Economy

In 2006 the Indian government named Ranchi one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the 23 districts in Jharkhand currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

Divisions

Presently, Ranchi district is divided into 2 sub-divisions and 14 administrative blocks. On September 12, 2007, Khunti district was created by carving Khunti subdivision and its 6 blocks out of Ranchi district.

Ranchi sub-division is further divided into 11 blocks: Angara, Burmu, Bero, Chanho, Kanke, Lapung, Mandar, Namkum, Ormanjhi, Ratu and Silli. Bundu sub-division comprises 3 blocks: Bundu, Sonahatu and Tamar.

The district has 7 Vidhan Sabha constituencies, namely, Tamar, Silli, Khijri, Ranchi, Hatia, Kanke, and Mandar. Silli, Khijri, Ranchi, Hatia and Kanke are part of Ranchi Lok Sabha constituency.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Ranchi district has a population of 2,912,022, roughly equal to the nation of Jamaica or the US state of Arkansas. This gives it a ranking of 130th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 557 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,440/sq mi) . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 23.9%. Ranchi has a sex ratio of 950 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 77.13%.

Languages

Languages spoken here include Asuri, an Austroasiatic language spoken by approximately 17,000, partly in the north of Ranchi; and Bijori, a Munda language distantly related to Khmer and Vietnamese, spoken by about 25,000.

Education

Ranchi district boasts of many premier institutes in the field of higher education. This may be a reason that Ranchi has an average literacy rate of 77.13%(census 2011), higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 85.63%, and female literacy is 68.2%.

Blocks/Mandals

Ranchi district consists of 06 Blocks. The following are the list of the Blocks in Ranchi district:

1. Angara block
2. Bero Block
3. Bundu block
4. Burmu block
5. Chanho block
6. Kanke block
7. Ormanjhi block