Harirampur (community development block)

As per 2011 Census of India, Harirampur CD Block had a total population of 136,853, of which 131,832 were rural and 5,021 were urban. There were 69,058 (50%) males and 67,795 (50%) females. Population below 6 years was 19,389. Scheduled Castes numbered 29,853 (21.81%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 25,053 (16.85%).[12]

As per 2001 census Harirampur block had a population of 124,927 of which 63,595 are males and 61,332 are females.[13]

The only census town in Harirampur CD Block was (2011 population in brackets): Harirampur (5,021).[12]

Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Harirampur CD Block were (2011 population in brackets): Mahindra (4,682) and Purba Saiyadpur (4,945).[12]

Other villages in Harirampur CD Block included (2011 population in brackets): Gokarna (931), Shirsi (1,868), Bagichapur (1,712), Bairhatta (2,639) and Pundari (1,863).[12]

Decadal growth of population in Harirampur CD Block for the period 2001-2011 was 9.56%.[14] Decadal growth of population in Dakhin Dinajpur district during the same period was 11.52% down from 22.15% in the previous decade.[8] Decadal growth of population in West Bengal for the corresponding periods was 13.93% and 17.77% respectively.[15]

The large scale migration of the East Bengali refugees (including tribals) started with the partition of Bengal in 1947. Up to around 1951, two-fifths of the refugees settled in South Bengal, the balance settled in the North Bengal districts of West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar. Erstwhile West Dinajpur alone received around 6.5% of the early entrants. The steady flow of people into Dakshin Dinajpur has continued over the years from erstwhile East Pakistan and subsequently from Bangladesh.[16]

As per the 2011 census, the total number of literates in Harirampur CD Block was 76,099 (64.67% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 42,335 (71.45% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 33,764 (58.00% of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 13.45%.[12]

See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate

In 2001, Bengali was the mother-tongue of 82.2% of the population of Dakshin Dinajpur district, followed by Santali (10.3%), Hindi (1.8%), Kurukh/ Oraon (1.7%), Munda (0.5%), Sadan/Sadri (0.5%), Kurmali Thar (0.4%), Telugu (0.3%), Mundari 0.3%), Bhojpuri (0.1%), Kortha/ Khotta (0.1%) and Koda/ Kora (0.1%). The proportion of Bengali speakers has increased from 72.2% in 1961 to 82.2% to 2001 and that of Santali has increased from 9.3% in 1961 to 10.3% in 2001, but the proportion of Hindi speakers has declined from 5.4% in 1961 to 1.8% in 2001.[17] Information about mother-tongue is available only at the district level and above.

As per 2014 District Statistical Handbook: Dakshin Dinajpur (quoting census figures), in the 2001 census, in Harirampur CD Block, Hindus numbered 61,987 and formed 49.62% of the population. Muslims numbered 59,935 and formed 47.98% of the population. Christians numbered 952 and formed 1.64% of the population. Others numbered 2,053 and formed 1.64% of the population.[18]

According to the 2011 District Census Handbook: Dakshin Dinajpur, during 2011 census, majority of the population of the district were Hindus constituting 73.5% of the population followed by Muslims with 24.6% of the population. The proportion of Hindu population of the district increased from 59.9% in 1961 to 74.0 %in 2001 and then dropped to 73.5% in 2011. The proportion of Muslim population in the district decreased from 39.4% in 1961 to 24.0% in 2001 and then increased to 24.6% in 2011.[19]

In Harirampur CD Block in 2011, amongst the class of total workers, cultivators numbered 15,811 and formed 28.63%, agricultural labourers numbered 27,561 and formed 49.88%, household industry workers numbered 2,523 and formed 4.57% and other workers numbered 9,345 and formed 16.92%.[22] Total workers numbered 55,230 and formed 40.36% of the total population, and non-workers numbered 81,623 and formed 59.64% of the population.[23]

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.[24]

There are 144 inhabited villages in Harirampur CD Block. All 144 villages (100%) have power supply. All 144 villages (100%) have drinking water supply. 12 villages (8.33%) have post offices. 125 villages (86.81%) have telephones (including landlines, public call offices and mobile phones). 60 villages (41.67%) have a pucca (paved) approach road and 24 villages (16.67%) have transport communication (includes bus service, rail facility and navigable waterways). 5 villages (3.47%) have agricultural credit societies. 5 villages (3.47%) have banks.[25]

The land is fertile for agricultural production, particularly in the southern part of the district. The rivers are flood-prone but droughts also occur occasionally. There are numerous tanks and some marshes and bils. Multiple cropping is widely practised. The Tebhaga movement by the share croppers, towards the end of British rule, is widely known. There are some forests, mostly in areas bordering Bangladesh.[26]

Harirampur CD Block had 124 fertiliser depots, 10 seed stores and 35 fair price shops in 2013-14.[27]

In 2013-14, Harirampur CD Block produced 3,082 tonnes of Aman paddy, the main winter crop from 1,221 hectares, 9,485 tonnes of Boro paddy (spring crop) from 3,059 hectares, 14,112 tonnes of wheat from 4,291 hectares, 9,856 tonnes of jute from 800 hectares and 2,561 tonnes of potatoes from 110 hectares. It also produced pulses and oilseeds.[27]

In 2013-14, the total area irrigated in Harirampur CD Block was 3,428 hectares, out of which 1,343 hectares were irrigated by tank irrigation, 18 hectares by river lift irrigation, 459 hectares by deep tube wells and 1,608 hectares by shallow tube wells.[27]

In 2013-14, Harirampur CD Block had offices of 4 commercial banks and 2 gramin banks.[27]

Dakshin Dinajpur 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.[28][29]