Jamtara district in the south-eastern part of Santhal Parganas is a rolling upland tract. The Barakar separates it from the Chota Nagpur plateau and the Ajay, flows in from Deoghar district in the west, drains the district, forms the border between Jharkhand and West Bengal for some distance and flows into West Bengal in the east.[2]
Kundhit CD block is bounded by Masalia CD block in Dumka district on the north, Khoyrasol and Rajnagar CD blocks in Birbhum district, West Bengal, on the east, Khoyrasol CD block on the south and Nala and Fatehpur CD blocks on the west.[3][4][5]
Kundhit CD block has an area of 295.63 km2.[6]Kundahit and Bagdahari police stations serve this block.[7] Headquarters of this CD block is at Kundahit village.[8]
Kundhit CD block has 15 panchayats and 172 villages.[9]
Panchayats of Kundhit CD block are: Amba, Amladehi, Babupur, Bagdehri, Bankatti, Bhailua, Bikrampur, Gaipathar, Garjori, Khajuri, Kundhit, Muraberia, Nagri, Palajori and Sudrakshipur.[9]
Demographics
Population
As per the 2011 Census of India Kundhit CD block had a total population of 84,907, all of which were rural. There were 43,437 (51%) males and 41,470 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 11,581. Scheduled Castes numbered 13,002 (15.31%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 25,309 (29.81%).[6]
Literacy
As of 2011[update] census, the total number of literates in Kundhit CD Block was 50,627 (64.64% of the population over 6 years) out of which 29,483 (59%) were males and 20,784 (41%) were females. The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 18%.[6]
Source: 2011 Census: CD Block Wise Primary Census Abstract Data
Language and religion
In 2001, the present-day Jamtara district was a part of Dumka district. In 2001, Santali was the mother-tongue of 660,233 persons in Dumka district, forming 41.17% of the population, followed by Hindi with 615,667 persons (38.39%) and Bengali with 327,714 persons (20.44%). (percentages have been re-calculated on the basis of data provided in the Census Handbook).[10]
Hindi is the official language in Jharkhand and Urdu has been declared as an additional official language.[11]
In 2011, Hindus numbered 550,560, forming 69.60% of the population of Jamtara district followed by Muslims with 164,406 persons (20.78%) and Christians with 4,419 persons (0.96%).[10]
Rural poverty
60-70% of the population of Jamtara district were in the BPL category in 2004–2005, being in the same category as Ranchi and Dumka districts.[12]Rural poverty in Jharkhand declined from 66% in 1993–94 to 46% in 2004–05. In 2011, it has come down to 39.1%.[13]
Economy
Livelihood
Livelihood in Kundhit CD block
Cultivators (32.72%)
Agricultural labourers (49.93%)
Household industries (4.12%)
Other Workers (13.22%)
In Kundhit CD block in 2011, amongst the class of total workers, cultivators numbered 12,769 and formed 32.72%, agricultural labourers numbered 19,484 and formed 49.43%, household industry workers numbered 1,609 and formed 4.12% and other workers numbered 5,159 and formed 13.22%. Total workers numbered 39,021 and formed 45.96% of the total population. Non-workers numbered 45,886 and formed 54.04% of total population.[14]
Note: In the census records a person is considered a cultivator, if the person is engaged in cultivation/ supervision of land owned. When a person who works on another person's land for wages in cash or kind or share, is regarded as an agricultural labourer. Household industry is defined as an industry conducted by one or more members of the family within the household or village, and one that does not qualify for registration as a factory under the Factories Act. Other workers are persons engaged in some economic activity other than cultivators, agricultural labourers and household workers. It includes factory, mining, plantation, transport and office workers, those engaged in business and commerce, teachers and entertainment artistes.[15]
Infrastructure
There are 156 inhabited villages in Kundhit CD block. In 2011, 108 villages had power supply. 1 village had tap water (treated/ untreated), 154 villages had well water (covered/ uncovered), 153 villages had hand pumps, and all villages had drinking water facility. 11 villages had post offices, 2 villages had sub post offices, 2 villages had telephones (land lines), 14 villages had public call offices and 109 villages had mobile phone coverage. 154 villages had pucca (paved) village roads, 28 villages had bus service (public/ private), 1 village had railway station, 2 villages had autos/ modified autos, and 26 villages had tractors. 6 villages had bank branches, 1 village had agricultural credit society, 2 villages had public library and public reading rooms. 43 villages had public distribution system, 4 villages had weekly haat (market) and 68 villages had assembly polling stations.[16]
Backward Regions Grant Fund
Jamtara district is listed as a backward region and receives financial support from the Backward Regions Grant Fund. The fund created by the Government of India is designed to redress regional imbalances in development. As of 2012, 272 districts across the country were listed under this scheme. The list includes 21 districts of Jharkhand.[17][18]
Education
Kundhit CD block had 13 villages with pre-primary schools, 135 villages with primary schools, 53 villages with middle schools, 6 villages with secondary schools, 2 villages with senior secondary schools, 1 village with general degree college, 21 villages with no educational facility.[16] .*Senior secondary schools are also known as Inter colleges in Jharkhand
Kundhit CD block had 4 villages with primary health centres, 6 villages with primary health subcentres, 2 villages with maternity and child welfare centres, 1 village with veterinary hospital, 16 villages with medicine shops.[16] .*Private medical practitioners, alternative medicine etc. not included
^"Rural Poverty in Jharkhad, India"(PDF). Table I: Spatial Distribution of Poverty in Jharkhand. Munich Personal RePEc Archive. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
^"District Census Handbook, Jamtara"(PDF). Tables 34, 30 Series 21, Part XII A, 2011 census. Directorate of Census Operations, Jharkhand. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
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