Tamralipta, the port in ancient India, is believed by scholars to have been around modern-day Tamluk. It is mentioned in the writings of Ptolemy (150 AD), the Greco-Egyptian writer, Faxian (earlier referred to as Fa Hien) (405-11 AD), the Chinese Buddhist monk, who travelled to India on foot, and Xuanzang (earlier referred to as Hiuen Tsiang) (seventh century AD), the Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller and translator. It was the main port used by Ashoka, the Mauryan emperor. With too much siltation the port lost its importance around the 8th century A.D.[1]
Geography
Purba Medinipur district is part of the lower Indo-Gangetic Plain and Eastern coastal plains. Topographically, the district can be divided into two parts – (a) almost entirely flat plains on the west, east and north, (b) the coastal plains on the south. The vast expanse of land is formed of alluvium and is composed of younger and coastal alluvial. The elevation of the district is within 10 metres above mean sea level. The district has a long coastline of 65.5 km along its southern and south eastern boundary. Five coastal CD Blocks, namely, Khejuri II, Contai II (Deshapran), Contai I, Ramnagar I and II, are occasionally affected by cyclones and tornadoes. Tidal floods are quite regular in these five CD Blocks. Normally floods occur in 21 of the 25 CD Blocks in the district. The major rivers are Haldi, Rupnarayan, Rasulpur, Bagui and Keleghai, flowing in north to south or south-east direction. River water is an important source of irrigation. The district has a low 899 hectare forest cover, which is 0.02% of its geographical area.[1][2][3]
It is located to the west of Tamluk, the district headquarters.
Tamluk CD Block has an area of 123.50 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 12 gram panchayats, 161 gram sansads (village councils), 107 mouzas and 99 inhabited villages. Tamluk police station serves this block.[4] Headquarters of this CD Block is at Tamluk.[5]
Gram panchayats of Tamluk block/ panchayat samiti are: Anantapur I, Anantapur II, Bishnubar I, Bishnubar II, Nilkuntha, Padumpur I, Padumpur II, Pipulberia I, Pipulberia II, Srirampur I and Srirampur II.[6]
Demographics
Population
As per 2011 Census of India Tamluk CD Block had a total population of 217,776, of which 207,064 were rural and 10,712 were urban. There were 112,458 (52%) males and 105,398 (48%) females. Population below 6 years was 25,516. Scheduled Castes numbered 21,145 (9.71%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 67 (0.03%).[7]
As per 2001 census, Tamluk block had a total population of 204,406, out of which 104,982 were males and 91,424 were females. Tamluk block registered a population growth of 12.06 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for the combined Midnapore district was 14.87 per cent.[8] Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.[9]
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Tamluk CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets): Harashankar (4,379), Nilkanthia (5,236), Bishnubar (4,957), Babarya (4,692), Putputya (5,300), Srirampur (10,906), Purbba Nukha (4,766), Simulia (6,384), Mirikpur (4,865) and Uttar Sonamul (4,711).[7]
Literacy
As per 2011 census the total number of literates in Tamluk CD Block was 167,388 (87.06% of the population over 6 years) out of which 92,018 (55%) were males and 75,370 (45%) were females.[7] As per 2011 census, literacy in Purba Medinipur district was 87.02%.[10] Purba Medinipur had the highest literacy amongst all the districts of West Bengal in 2011.[11]
In 2011 census Hindus numbered 176,478 and formed 81.04% of the population in Tamluk CD Block. Muslims numbered 40,977 and formed 18.81% of the population. Others numbered 321 and formed 0.15% of the population.[12] In 2001, Hindus made up 83.80% and Muslims 16.17% of the population respectively.[13]
Bengali is the predominant language, spoken by 99.10% of the population.[14]
Rural poverty
The District Human Development Report for Purba Medinipur has provided a CD Block-wise data table for Modified Human Poverty Index of the district. Tamluk CD Block registered 24.38 on the MHPI scale. The CD Block-wise mean MHPI was estimated at 24.9. Eleven out of twentyfive CD Blocks were found to be severely deprived in respect of grand CD Block average value of MHPI (CD Blocks with lower amount of poverty are better): All the CD Blocks of Haldia and Contai subdivisions appeared backward, except Ramnagar I & II, of all the blocks of Egra subdivision only Bhagabanpur I appeared backward and in Tamluk subdivision none appeared backward.[15]
Economy
Livelihood
In Tamluk CD Block in 2011, total workers formed 40.43% of the total population and amongst the class of total workers, cultivators formed 17.91%, agricultural labourers 35.66%, household industry workers 9.31% and other workers 37.11%.[16]
Infrastructure
There are 99 inhabited villages in Tamluk CD block. All 99 villages (100%) have power supply. 98 villages (98.99%) have drinking water supply. 20 villages (20.2%) have post offices. 96 villages (96.97%) have telephones (including landlines, public call offices and mobile phones). 24 villages (24.24%) have a pucca (paved) approach road and 40 villages (40.40%) have transport communication (includes bus service, rail facility and navigable waterways). 31 villages (31.31%) have agricultural credit societies. 9 villages (9.09%) have banks.[17]
In 2007-08, around 40% of rural households in the district had electricity.[18]
In 2013-14, there were 32 fertiliser depots, 24 seed stores and 33 fair price shops in the CD Block.[16]
Agriculture
Persons engaged in agriculture in Tamluk CD Block
Bargadars (5.22%)
Patta holders (2.69%)
Small farmers (1.04%)
Marginal farmers (34.57%)
Agricultural labourers (56.49%)
According to the District Human Development Report of Purba Medinipur: The agricultural sector is the lifeline of a predominantly rural economy. It is largely dependent on the Low Capacity Deep Tubewells (around 50%) or High Capacity Deep Tubewells (around 27%) for irrigation, as the district does not have a good network of canals, compared to some of the neighbouring districts. In many cases the canals are drainage canals which get the backflow of river water at times of high tide or the rainy season. The average size of land holding in Purba Medinipur, in 2005-06, was 0.73 hectares against 1.01 hectares in West Bengal.[18]
In 2013-14, the total area irrigated in Tamluk CD Block was 7,516 hectares, out 500 hectares were irrigated by tank water, 700 hectares by deep tube wells, 16 hectares by shallow tube wells, 100 hectares by river lift irrigation and 6,200 hectares by other means.[16]
Although the Bargadari Act of 1950 recognised the rights of bargadars to a higher share of crops from the land that they tilled, it was not implemented fully. Large tracts, beyond the prescribed limit of land ceiling, remained with the rich landlords. From 1977 onwards major land reforms took place in West Bengal. Land in excess of land ceiling was acquired and distributed amongst the peasants.[19] Following land reforms land ownership pattern has undergone transformation. In 2013-14, persons engaged in agriculture in Tamluk CD Block could be classified as follows: bargadars 5.22%, patta (document) holders 2.69%, small farmers (possessing land between 1 and 2 hectares) 1.04%, marginal farmers (possessing land up to 1 hectare) 34.57% and agricultural labourers 56.49%.[16]
In 2013-14, Tamluk CD Block produced 895 tonnes of Aman paddy, the main winter crop, from 1,432 hectares, 17,889 tonnes of Boro paddy, the spring crop, from 4,885 hectares, 3 tonnes of Aus paddy, the summer crop, from 4 hectares, 1,322 tonnes of wheat from 504 hectares, 785 tonne of jute from 58 hectares and 15 tonnes of potatoes from 1 hectare. It also produced pulses and oil seeds.[16]
Betelvine is a major source of livelihood in Purba Medinipur district, particularly in Tamluk and Contai subdivisions. Betelvine production in 2008-09 was the highest amongst all the districts and was around a third of the total state production. In 2008-09, Purba Mednipur produced 2,789 tonnes of cashew nuts from 3,340 hectares of land.[18]
Concentration of Handicraft Activities in CD Blocks
Horn Craft - Kolaghat
Pata Chitra - Chandipur, Nandakumar
Sea Shell – Ramnagar I & II
Mat & Mat Diversified Products – Ramnagar I, Egra I & II, Patashpur I
Brass & Bell Metal – Ramnagar I, Mahisadal, Patashpur II, Egra I
Diversified Jute Products – Ramnagar II, Nandakumar, Kolaghat, Shahid Matangini
Zari work - Sutahta, Mahisadal, Haldia, Nandakumar
Source: District Human Development Report, Purba Medinipur, Page 97
Pisciculture
Purba Medinipur's net district domestic product derives one fifth of its earnings from fisheries, the highest amongst all the districts of West Bengal.[18] The nett area available for effective pisciculture in Tamluk CD Block in 2013-14 was 876.00 hectares. 4,126 persons were engaged in the profession and approximate annual production was 33,376 quintals.[16]
Banking
In 2013-14, Tamluk CD Block had offices of 7 commercial banks and 2 gramin banks.[16]
Backward Regions Grant Fund
Medinipur East 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 11 districts of West Bengal.[20][21]
NH 116, from Kolaghat to Haldia, passes through this block.[29]
Education
In 2013-14, Tamluk CD Block had 145 primary schools with 10,597 students, 6 middle schools with 552 students, 10 high schools with 6,923 students and 20 higher secondary schools with 22,595 students. Tamluk CD Block had 5 technical/ professional institutions with 208 students and 368 institutions for special and non-formal education with 17,317 students.[16]
As per the 2011 census, in Tamluk CD block, amongst the 91 inhabited villages, 2 villages did not have a school, 46 villages had two or more primary schools, 32 villages had at least 1 primary and 1 middle school and 21 villages had at least 1 middle and 1 secondary school.[30]
Tamralipta Institute of Management & Technology was established at Tamluk (outside the block) in 2007. It is affiliated to Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad University of Technology.[32][33]
In 2014, Tamluk CD Block had 1 block primary health centre, 2 primary health centres, and 3 private nursing homes with total 65 beds and 4 doctors (excluding private bodies). It had 34 family welfare sub centres. 1,562 patients were treated indoor and 112,955 patients were treated outdoor in the hospitals, health centres and subcentres of the CD Block.[16]
Anantapur Rural Hospital at Anantapur, PO Chanserpur (with 30 beds) is the main medical facility in Tamluk CD block. There is a primary health centre at Kelomal Purbanakha, PO Putputia (with 10 beds).[35]
^"District Census Handbook: Purba Medinipur"(PDF). Map of Purba Medinipur with CD Block HQs and Police Stations. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
^ abcdefghij"District Statistical Handbook 2014 Purba Medinipur". Tables 2.7, 2.1, 8.2, 16.1, 17.2, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 20.1, 21.2, 4.4, 3.1, 3.3 – arranged as per use. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
^"District Human Development Report: South 24 Parganas". (1) Chapter 1.2, South 24 Parganas in Historical Perspective, pages 7-9 (2) Chapter 3.4, Land reforms, pages 32-33. Development & Planning Department, Government of West Bengal, 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
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