community development block
In India, a Community development block (CD block) or simply Block is a sub-division of Tehsil, administratively earmarked for planning and development. The area is administered by a Block Development Officer (BDO), supported by several techni ...
that forms an administrative division in
Malda Sadar subdivision
Malda Sadar subdivision is an administrative subdivision of the Malda district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Geography
Malda Sadar subdivision covers both the Barind Tract and the Diara, two of the three physiographic subregions of the di ...
of
Malda district
Malda district, also spelt Maldah or Maldaha (, , often ), is a district in West Bengal, India. It lies 347 km (215 miles) north of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. Mango, jute and silk are the most notable products of this district ...
in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
n
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* '' Our ...
of
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the four ...
.
History
Gauda and Pandua
Gauda was once the “capital of the ancient bhukti or political division of Bengal known as
Pundravardhana
Pundravardhana or Pundra Kingdom ( sa, Puṇḍravardhana), was an ancient kingdom during the Iron Age period in India with a territory that included parts of present-day Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions of Bangladesh as well as the West Dinaj ...
which lay on the eastern extremity of the
Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed from the early 4th century CE to late 6th century CE. At its zenith, from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent. This period is considered as the Go ...
.” During the rule of the
Sena Dynasty
The Sena dynasty was a Hindu dynasty during the early medieval period on the Indian subcontinent, that ruled from Bengal through the 11th and 12th centuries. The empire at its peak covered much of the north-eastern region of the Indian subcon ...
, in the 11th-12th century, Gauda was rebuilt and extended as Lakshmanawati (later Lakhnauti), and it became the hub of the Sena empire. Gauda was conquered by
Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji
Ikhtiyār al-Dīn Muḥammad Bakhtiyār Khaljī, (Pashto :اختيار الدين محمد بختيار غلزۍ, fa, اختیارالدین محمد بختیار خلجی, bn, ইখতিয়ারউদ্দীন মুহম্মদ � ...
in 1205. During the Turko-Afghan period, “the city of Lakhnauti or Gauda continued to function initially as their capital but was abandoned in 1342 by the Ilyas Shahi sultans in favour of Pandua because of major disturbances along the river course of the
Ganga
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
.” “Pandua then lay on the banks of the Mahananda, which was the major waterway of the sultanate at the time. However, when the Mahananda too began to veer away from the site of Pandua in the mid-15th century, Gauda was rebuilt and restored to the status of capital city by the Hussain Shahi sultans”… With the ascent of
Akbar
Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, H ...
to the
Mughal
Mughal or Moghul may refer to:
Related to the Mughal Empire
* Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries
* Mughal dynasty
* Mughal emperors
* Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia
* Mughal architecture
* Mug ...
throne at Delhi… the Mughals annexed the ancient region of Gauda in 1576 and created the Diwani of Bengal. The centre of regional power shifted across the Ganga to
Rajmahal
Rajmahal is a subdivisional town and a notified area in Rajmahal subdivision of the Sahebganj district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It is situated at the banks of Ganges and was former capital of Bengal Subah under Mughal governor, Ma ...
,,, Following the demise of the independent sultanate, the regional importance of the Gauda or Malda region declined irreversibly and the city of Gauda was eventually abandoned.
Malda district
With the advent of the British, their trading and commercial interests focused on the new cities of Malda and English Bazar. Malda district was formed in 1813 with “some portion of outlying areas of Purnia, Dinajpur and Rajshahi districts”. A separate treasury was established in 1832 and a full-fledged Magistrate and Collector was posted in 1859. Malda district was part of Rajshahi Division till 1876, when it was transferred to Bhagalpur Division, and again transferred in 1905 to Rajshahi Division. With the partition of Bengal in 1947, the
Radcliffe Line
The Radcliffe Line was the boundary demarcated between the Indian and Pakistani portions of the Punjab Province and Bengal Presidency of British India. It was named after Cyril Radcliffe, who, as the joint chairman of the two boundary commiss ...
placed Malda district in India, except the Nawabganj subdivision, which was placed in East Pakistan.
Geography
Gazole is located at .
The ruins of the historic city Pandua are located in Gazole block and also naturally growing a forest which called Adina Forest (now it is a Deer Park namely
Adina Deer Park
Adina Deer Park is located in Malda district of West Bengal and lies 21 kilometres from the city of Malda. The park is an important breeding centre for cheetal or spotted deer in the state and sometimes they overflow in number. The park also has ...
).
Gazole CD Block is a part of the
Barind Tract Barind Tract (alternately called the Varendra Tract in English and Borendro Bhumi in Bengali) is the largest Pleistocene era physiographic unit in the Bengal Basin. It covers most of Dinajpur, Rangpur, Pabna, Rajshahi, Bogra, and Joypurha ...
, one of the three physiographic subregions of the district that goes beyond the boundaries of the district. “This region is made up of the ancient alluvial humps that are remnants of old riverine flood plains that remained unaffected subsequently by inundation and renewed silting.” It forms an upland slightly higher than the surrounding areas. Old Malda and Gazole CD Blocks form the Mahananda-Tangon
interfluve
An interfluve is a narrow, elongated and plateau-like or ridge-like landform between two valleys.Leser, Hartmut, ed. (2005). ''Wörterbuch Allgemeine Geographie'', 13th ed., dtv, Munich, p. 766, . More generally, an interfluve is defined as an are ...
s area. Barind soils permit little percolation and most of the monsoon runoff accumulates in the large natural bils (ponds) in the
ravine
A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.Tangon and Punarbhaba rivers, covering the lowlands.
Gazole CD Block is bounded by
Itahar
Itahar is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Raiganj subdivision of Uttar Dinajpur district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
History
Historically the western frontier of ancient Pundravardhana kingdom, bor ...
CD Block of Uttar Dinajpur district, Harirampur and
Bansihari
Bansihari is a village in Bansihari CD Block in Gangarampur subdivision of Dakshin Dinajpur district in the state of West Bengal, India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-lar ...
CD Blocks of Dakshin Dinajpur district on the north,
Bamangola
Bamangola is a village in Bamangola CD Block in Malda Sadar subdivision of Malda district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Geography Location
Bamanagola is located at .
As per the Map of Bamangola block in the District Census Handbook, Mald ...
CD Block on the east,
Habibpur
Habibpur is a census town in Bhagalpur district in the Indian state of Bihar.
Demographics
India census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. T ...
and
Old Malda
Old Malda is a census town in Malda district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the Malda Metropolitan Area ( Urban Agglomeration). It is located on the eastern bank of the river Mahananda.
Geography
Old Malda is located ...
CD Blocks on the south and
Ratua II
Ratua II is a Community Development Block that forms an administrative division in Chanchal subdivision of Malda district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
History Gauda and Pandua
Gauda was once the "capital of the ancient bhukti or political ...
CD Block on the west.
Gazole CD Block has an area of 513.73 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 15
gram panchayat
Gram Panchayat () is a basic village-governing institute in Indian villages. It is a democratic structure at the grass-roots level in India. It is a political institute, acting as cabinet of the village. The Gram Sabha work as the general bo ...
s, 220 gram sansads (village councils), 293
mouza
In Bangladesh, Pakistan and parts of India a mouza or mauza (also mouja) is a type of administrative district, corresponding to a specific land area within which there may be one or more settlements. Before the 20th century, the term referred to a ...
s and 286 inhabited villages. Gazole police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD Block is at Gazole.
Gazole is an intermediate
panchayat
The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical menti ...
in Malda district. The village panchayats under it are: Alal, Babupur, Bairagachi I & II, Chaknagar, Deotala, Gazole I & II, Karkach, Majhra, Pandua, Raniganj I & II, Sahajadpur and Salaidanga.
Demographics
Population
As per 2011 Census of India, Gazole CD Block had a total population of 343,830, of which 332,191 were rural and 11,639 were urban. There were 174,536 (51%) males and 169,294 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 44,134.
Scheduled Castes
The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...
numbered 128,464 (37.36%) and
Scheduled Tribes
The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...
numbered 68,548 (19.94%).
There are two census towns in Gazole CD Block was (2011 population in brackets):
Bandhail
Bandhail is a census town in the Gazole CD block in the Malda Sadar subdivision of Malda district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Geography
Location
Bandhail is located at .
Area overview
The area shown in the adjacent map covers two ...
(6,175) and
Rangabhita
Rangabhita is a census town in the Gazole CD block in the Malda Sadar subdivision of Malda district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Geography
Location
Rangabhita is located at .
Area overview
The area shown in the adjacent map cover ...
(5,464).
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Gazole CD Block were (2011 population in brackets): Rajaram Chak (5,379), Saharol (4,365), Arazi Deharul (5,934), Bahirgachhi (8,014), Alinagar (4,895), Kutub Sahar (6,807), Mishipur (5,105),
Adina
ADINA is a commercial engineering simulation software program that is developed and distributed worldwide by ADINA R & D, Inc. The company was founded in 1986 by Dr. Klaus-Jürgen Bathe, and is headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, United St ...
(6,581), Barijpur (4,652), Saidpur (4,561), Gajol (4,626), Garail (4,251), Bade Mayna (6,452), Deotala (4,916), Duba Khoksan (4,475), Raniganj (4,880) and Arazi Jalsa (4,085).
Other villages in Gazole CD Block included (2011 population in brackets): Alal (2,050), Kakrach (651), Babupur (2,709), Chak Nagar (1,998), Sahazadpur (1,275), Salaidanga (1,427), Majhra (797) and Pandua (1,911).
Decadal
Population Growth
Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...
Rate (%)
Note: The CD Block data for 1971-1981, 1981-1991 and 1991-2001 is for Gazole PS
The decadal growth of population in Gazole CD Block in 2001-2011 was 16.67%. The decadal growth of population in Gazole PS covering Gazole CD Block in 1991-2001 was 26.41%. The decadal growth of population in Gazole PS in 1981-91 was 29.30% and in 1971-81 was 25.72%. The decadal growth rate of population in Malda district was as follows: 30.33% in 1951-61, 31.98% in 1961-71, 26.00% in 1971-81, 29.78% in 1981-91, 24.78% in 1991-2001 and 21.22% in 2001-11. The decadal growth rate for West Bengal in 2001-11 was 13.93%. The decadal growth rate for West Bengal was 13.93 in 2001-2011, 17.77% in 1991-2001. 24.73% in 1981-1991 and 23.17% in 1971-1981.
Malda district has the second highest decadal population growth rate, for the decade 2001-2011, in West Bengal with a figure of 21.2% which is much higher than the state average (13.8%). Uttar Dinajpur district has the highest decadal growth rate in the state with 23.2%. Decadal growth rate of population is higher than that of neighbouring Murshidabad district, which has the next highest growth rate.
As per the Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Department of the Government of West Bengal and 1971 census, only 1.7% of around 6 million refugees who had come in from erstwhile East Pakistan, were resettled in Malda district. The Barind tract was opened for refugee resettlement in the aftermath of the partition.
Population density in the district has intensified from 162 persons per km2 in 1901 to 881 in 2001 (i.e., around five times), which is highest amongst the districts of North Bengal. However, unlike the densely populated southern regions of West Bengal, urbanisation remains low in Malda district. North Bengal in general, and Malda in particular, has been witness to large scale population movement from other states in India and other districts of West Bengal, as well as from outside the country. The District Human Development Report for Malda notes, “Malda district has been a principal recipient of the human migration waves of the 20th century.”
There are reports of Bangladeshi infiltrators coming through the international border. Only a small portion of the border with Bangladesh has been fenced and it is popularly referred to as a porous border.
Literacy
As per the 2011 census, the total number of literates in Gazole CD Block was 189,014 (63.07% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 106,217 (69.79% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 82,797 (56.13% of the female population over 6 years). The
gender disparity
Sex differences in humans have been studied in a variety of fields. Sex determination occurs by the presence or absence of a Y in the 23rd pair of chromosomes in the human genome. Phenotypic sex refers to an individual's sex as determined by the ...
(the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 13.66%.
See also –
List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
This is a list of districts in the Indian state of West Bengal ranked by literacy rate as per provisional data of 2011 census.
With a literacy rate of 96.26% (male 90.69% and female 96.54%), above the national average of 90.04%, as per the 2011 Ce ...
Language and religion
Hinduism is the majority religion, with 74.51% of the population. Islam is the second-largest religion.
As per 2014 District Statistical Handbook: Malda (quoting census figures), in the 2001 census, Hindus numbered 222,610 and formed 75.53% of the population in Gazole CD Block. Muslims numbered 65,650 and formed 22.28% of the population. Christians numbered 2,883 and formed 0.98% of the population. Others numbered 3,572 and formed 1.21% of the population.
At the time of the 2011 census, 80.11% of the population spoke
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the ...
Koda
KODA (99.1 FM, "Sunny 99.1") is an American commercial adult contemporary-formatted radio station in Houston, Texas. The station is owned by iHeartMedia. Its studios and offices are located along the West Loop Freeway in Uptown Houston.
KO ...
as their first language.
Rural poverty
As per the
Human Development Report
The Human Development Report (HDR) is an annual Human Development Index report published by the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The first HDR was launched in 1990 by the Pakistani economist ...
for Malda district, published in 2006, the percentage of rural families in BPL category in Gazole CD Block was 46.5%. Official surveys have found households living in absolute poverty in Malda district to be around 39%.
According to the report, “An overwhelmingly large segment of the rural workforce depends on agriculture as its main source of livelihood, the extent of landlessness in Malda has traditionally been high because of the high densities of human settlement in the district… Although land reforms were implemented in Malda district from the time they were launched in other parts of West Bengal, their progress has been uneven across the Malda blocks… because of the overall paucity of land, the extent of ceiling-surplus land available for redistribution has never been large… The high levels of
rural poverty
Rural poverty refers to poverty in rural areas, including factors of rural society, rural economy, and political systems that give rise to the poverty found there.Janvry, A. de, E. Sadoulet, and R. Murgai. 2002“Rural Development and Rural Po ...
that exist in nearly all blocks in Malda district closely reflect the livelihood crisis… “
Economy
Livelihood
In Gazole CD Block in 2011, amongst the class of total workers, cultivators numbered 51,433 and formed 35.20%, agricultural labourers numbered 57,954 and formed 39.67%, household industry workers numbered 2,748 and formed 1.88% and other workers numbered 18,179 and formed 23.25%. Total workers numbered 146,048 and formed 42.49% of the total population, and non-workers numbered 197,732 and formed 57.31% of the population.
Note: In the census records a person is considered a cultivator, if the person is engaged in cultivation/ supervision of land owned by self/government/institution. 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, entertainment artistes and so on.
Infrastructure
There are 286 inhabited villages in Gazole CD Block. All 286 villages (100%) have power supply. 285 villages (99.65%) have drinking water supply. 10 villages (3.5%) have post offices. 273 villages (95.45%) have telephones (including landlines, public call offices and mobile phones). 90 villages (31.47%) have a pucca approach road and 64 villages (22.38%) have transport communication (includes bus service, rail facility and navigable waterways). 10 villages (3.5%) have agricultural credit societies. 10 villages (3.5%) have banks.
Agriculture
The upland regions in the Barind area are mono-cropped because of limitations regarding the use of tube wells here.
Gazole CD Block had 194 fertiliser depots, 18 seed stores and 70 fair price shops in 2013-14.
In 2013-14, Gazole CD Block produced 97,935 tonnes of Aman paddy, the main winter crop from 29,577 hectares, 24,516 tonnes of Boro paddy (spring crop) from 5,995 hectares, 119 tonnes of Aus paddy (summer crop) from 61 hectares, 21,145 tonnes of wheat from 5,958 hectares, 65 tonnes of maize from 17 hectares, 5,948 tonnes of jute from 346 hectares, 10,517 tonnes of potatoes from 437 hectares and 102 tonnes of sugar cane from 1 hectare. It also produced pulses and oilseeds.
In 2013-14, the total area irrigated in Gazole CD Block was 13,911 hectares, out of which 450 hectares were irrigated by tank irrigation, 1,060 hectares by river lift irrigation, 793 hectares by deep tube wells, 8,049 hectares by shallow tube wells and 3,559 hectares by other means.
Backward Regions Grant Fund
Malda district is listed as a backward region and receives financial support from the
Backward Regions Grant Fund
Backward or Backwards is a relative direction.
Backwards or Sdrawkcab (the word "backwards" with its letters reversed) may also refer to:
* "Backwards" (''Red Dwarf''), episode of sci-fi TV sitcom ''Red Dwarf''
** ''Backwards'' (novel), a nov ...
. 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.
Transport
In 2013-14, Gazole CD Block had 8 ferry services and 9 originating/ terminating bus routes.
Eklakhi Junction railway station
Eklakhi Junction railway station (station code:- EKI) is a railway station on the Howrah–New Jalpaiguri line and it is located in Maldah district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The Eklakhi–Balurghat branch line connects Balurghat to t ...
is on the
Howrah–New Jalpaiguri line
The Howrah–New Jalpaiguri line is a railway line connecting with in North Bengal in the Indian state of West Bengal. The line continues through North Bengal and western part of Assam to connect with Guwahati. The – link allows trains fr ...
National Highway 12
Route 12 or Highway 12 can refer to:
For a list of roads named A12, see A12 roads.
International
* Asian Highway 12
* European route E12
* European route E012
Argentina
* National Route 12
Australia NSW
* Western Sydney Airport Motorwa ...
In 2013-14, Gazole CD Block had 219 primary schools with 24,283 students, 24 middle schools with 3,116 students, 17 high schools with 28,245 students and 17 higher secondary schools with 21,342 students. Gazole CD Block had 1 general degree college with 4,335 students, 3 technical/ professional institutions with 300 students and 936 institutions for special and non-formal education with 21,840 students.
As per the 2011 census, in Gazole CD Block, amongst the 286 inhabited villages, 62 villages did not have a school, 151 villages had more than 1 primary school, 73 villages had at least 1 primary and 1 middle school and 35 villages had at least 1 middle and 1 secondary school.
Colleges
*
Gazole Mahavidyalaya
Gazole Mahavidyalaya is a college in Gazole Town in the Malda district of West Bengal, India. The college is affiliated to the University of Gour Banga, offering undergraduate courses. It was established on 1 August 2006
Location
Gazole M ...
* Adarshabani Teacher's Training College
* Pandua Ideal Teacher's College
* North Malda Teachers' Education College
* David Hare Teacher's Training College
* Gazole College of Education
Shyam Sukhi Balika Siksha Niketan
Shyam Sukhi Balika Siksha Niketan is a girls' secondary school located in Gazole, Malda district, West Bengal
Gazole (also spelled as Gajol) is a town in Malda district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Gazole police station serves thi ...
* Moyna High School
* Dharani Bhuban Shashi Vidyapith (H.S.)
* Hatimari High School
* Ram Chandra Saha Balika Vidyalaya
* Swechand Parameswari Vidyamandir
* Chandrabati Saha Vidyapith
* Tarikullah Sarkar High School
* Badnagra High School
* Raniganj Krishnachndra High School
* Mashaldighi Sibabrati Vidyapith
* Ahora Vivekananda Shikhaniketan
* Dubakhoksan Bairdangi K.R. High School
* Alal High School
* Madnahar Jr High School
* Babupur High School (H.S)
* Rajaramchak High Madrasha
Healthcare
In 2014, Gazole CD Block had 2 rural hospitals and 3 primary health centres, with total 70 beds and 13 doctors (excluding private bodies). It had 60 family welfare subcentres. 3,955 patients were treated indoor and 252,694 patients were treated outdoor in the hospitals, health centres and subcentres of the CD Block.
Gazole Rural Hospital at Gazole (with 30 beds) is the main medical facility in Gazole CD Block. Hatimari Rural Hospital at
Hatimari
Hatimari is a village in the Gazole CD block in the Malda Sadar subdivision of Malda district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Geography
Location
Hatimari is located at .
Area overview
The area shown in the ...
(with 30 beds) is another major rural facility. There are primary health centres at Babupur (with 4 beds), Kutubshahar (Pandua PHC) (with 10 beds) and Purba Ranipur (Ranipur PHC) (with 10 beds).