Dantan I

Dantan I
দাঁতন I
Community development block
সমষ্টি উন্নয়ন ব্লক
Dantan I

Location in West Bengal, India

Coordinates: 21°54′40″N 87°16′12″E / 21.911°N 87.270°E / 21.911; 87.270Coordinates: 21°54′40″N 87°16′12″E / 21.911°N 87.270°E / 21.911; 87.270
Country  India
State West Bengal
District Paschim Medinipur
Area
 • Total 257.07 km2 (99.26 sq mi)
Elevation 19 m (62 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 172,107
 • Density 670/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Languages
 • Official Bengali, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 721426 (Dantan)
Telephone/STD code 03229
Vehicle registration WB-34
Literacy 73.53%
Lok Sabha constituency Medinipur
Vidhan Sabha constituency Dantan, Keshiary
Website paschimmedinipur.gov.in

Dantan I is a community development block that forms an administrative division in the Kharagpur subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

History

According to some, the name is derived from Dandabhukti, which was an ancient territorial unit of Gupta Empire.[1]

Dantan, was later a part of Hijli Kingdom. It was a thriving town on the route to the Jagannath Temple in Puri when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu reportedly passed through here in the 16th century.

Dantan is the location of at least three temples from the nineteenth century, the Jagannath Temple, the Shyamaleswar Temple, and the Chandaneswar Temple. All three temples are built in the curvilinear rekha style that is common to temples of Orissa.

Near the town, there are two major tanks, the Bidyadhar and the Sarasankha. The Bidyadhar tank was created by a minister named Bidyadhara of Pratap Rudra Deva, king of Gajapati Kingdom. The Sarasankha tank is attributed to the king Shashanka who ruled in the seventh century A.D.

Geography

Overview

Paschim Medinipur, located in the south-western part of West Bengal, was created with the partition of the erstwhile Midnapore district, then the largest district of India, on 1 January 2002. It ranks second in terms of geographical area (9,295.28  km2) amongst the districts of the state, next to South 24-Parganas (9,960  km2). It ranks third in terms of rural population (4.58 million) following South 24-Parganas (5.82 million) and Murshidabad (5.13 million). It ranked fourth in terms of percentage of tribal population (14.87) following Jalpaiguri (18.87), Purulia (18.27) and Dakshin Dinajpur (16.12) in 2011.[2]

Broadly speaking, there are two natural divisions of the district. NH 14 and NH 16 (old numbering NH 60) from Bankura to Balasore, cuts across the district and roughly is the dividing line between the two natural divisions. To the east of this road, the soil is fertile alluvial and the area is flat. To the west, the Chota Nagpur Plateau gradually slopes down creating an undulating area with infertile laterite rocks/ soil. The landscape changes from dense dry deciduous forests in the west to marshy wetlands in the east.[2]

The alluvial portion may be further subdivided into two divisions. First, it is a strip of purely deltaic country nearer to the Hooghly and the Rupnarayan, intersected by numerous rivers and water courses subject to tidal influences. Second, it is rest of the eastern half of the district. It is a monotonous rice plain with numerous waterways and tidal creeks intersecting it. The tidal creeks are lined with embankments to prevent flooding of the fields. Much of the area is water-logged.[2]

In Dantan I CD Block 100% of the cultivated area has alluvial soil.[2]

Rivers

The river system of Paschim Medinipur district consists of the Rupnarayan, the Silabati or Silai, the Kangsabati or Kansai, the Subarnarekha and the Dulongs. The Silai enters the district from Bankura district, flows through the northern parts of Medinipur Sadar subdivision and then enters Ghatal subdivision and joins the Rupnarayan at Bhandar, 4 miles below Ghatal. The Kasai enters the district from Bankura district. It flows past Medinipur town, bifurcates into two channels, one of which joins the Rupnarayan. Purandar, Gopa, Chandaur and Kubai are important tributaries in the system. The Subarnarekha enters the district from East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand, flows through the southern part of Medinipur Sadar subdivision, intersects Gopiballavpur police station area, flows past Dantan town and enters Balasore district of Odisha.[2]

Floods and drought

Paschim Medinipur district is subject to both floods and drought. Ghatal and parts of Kharagpur subdivision covering an area of 142,647 hectares (1,426.47 km2) are flood prone. Water logging during the rainy season affects Ghatal and the southern parts of Kharagpur subdivion and results in loss of crops in such areas as Sabang, Pingla and Narayangarh CD Blocks.335,248 hectares (3,352.48 km2) in Jhargram and Medinipur Sadar subdivisions are drought prone. The drought situation is particularly severe in Jhargram subdivision. Although the district is away from the sea, cyclones hit it frequently in October–November.[2]

Location

Dantan is located at 21°54′40″N 87°16′12″E / 21.911°N 87.270°E / 21.911; 87.270. The Subarnarekha River flows past the Dantan I block.

Dantan I CD Block is bounded by Keshiari and Narayangarh CD Blocks in the north, Dantan II and Mohanpur CD Blocks in the east, Jaleswar CD Block/tehsil, in Balasore district in Odisha, in the south and in the west.[3][4]

It is located 65 km from Midnapore, the district headquarters.[3]

Area and administration

Dantan I CD Block has an area of 257.07 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 9 gram panchayats, 124 gram sansads (village councils), 199 mouzas and 188 inhabited villages. Dantan police station serves this block.[5] Headquarters of this CD Block is at Dantan.[6]

Weather

The climate in Dantan follows a hot-tropical monsoon pattern with highs in the mid 40s°C in the summer (generally April to June), mid 30s°C during the monsoon season (June to August) and low 30s°C for most of the other times of the year. Winters (December to January) are usually mild with lows in the 10s°C and high in the low to mid 20s°C. Most of the precipitation is from the southeast monsoon which may bring in excess of 1500 mm of rainfall.

Tornadoes are relatively rare in West Bengal and Bangladesh, but one did occur on March 24, 1998 killing over 250 near Dantan.[7] Initially, this tornado was reported as a cyclone with wind speeds of close to 200 km/h that caused the destruction of an estimated 9,000 houses and injuries to 3,000 people.[8] Later the event was characterized as a tornado.[9]

Gram panchayats

Gram panchayats of Dantan I block/ panchayat samiti are: Alikosha, Angua, Anikola, Chakismailpur, Dantan I, Dantan II, Monoharpur, Salikotha and Tararui.[10]

Demographics

Population

As per the 2011 Census of India Dantan I CD Block had a total population of 172,107, of which 165,921 were rural and 6,186 were urban. There were 87,601 (51%) males and 84,506 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 20,209. Scheduled Castes numbered 29,235 (16.99%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 28,183 (16.38%).[11]

As per the 2001 census, Dantan I block had a total population of 151,343, out of which 77,291 were males and 74,052 were females. Dantan I block registered a population growth of 19.41 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for the combined Midnapore district was 14.87 per cent.[12] Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.45 per cent.[13]

Census Towns and Villages

Census Town in Dantan I CD Block are (2011 census figure in brackets): Chaulia (6,186).

Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Dantan I CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Kakrajit (4203), Shalikota (4,237) and Sarrang (4,925).[11]

Other villages in Dantan I CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Anikola (1,579), Chak Ismailpur (3,403), Angua (2,337) and Monoharpur (2,884).[11]

Literacy

As per the 2011 census the total number of literates in Dantan I CD Block was 111,691 (73.53% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 63,358 (82.02% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 48,333 (64.82% of the female population over 6 years). The gender gap in literacy rates was 17.20%.[11]

As per the 2011 census, literacy in Paschim Medinipur district was 78.00%.[14] Literacy in West Bengal was 77.08% in 2011.[15] Literacy in India in 2011 was 74.04%.[15]

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

Languages

Bengali is the local language in these areas.[3]

There is a tribal presence in many of the CD Blocks of the district. Santali is spoken by 55.93% of the tribal population of the district. The Bhumij, forming 11.16% of the tribal population, and the Mundas, forming 6.10% of the tribal population, speak Mundari. Other small groups include Koras and Mahalis. The Lodhas, forming 3.85% of the tribal population, the only primitive tribe in the district, speak Lodhi.[16]

Religion

Religion in Dantan I CD Block
Hindu
  
 93.11%
Muslim
  
 5.64%
Christian
  
 0.50%
Others
  
 0.75%

In the 2011 census Hindus numbered 160,254 and formed 93.11% of the population in Dantan I CD Block. Muslims numbered 9,716 and formed 5.64% of the population. Christians numbered 863 and formed 0.50% of the population. Others numbered 1274 and formed 0.75% of the population.[17] Others include Addi Bassi, Marang Boro, Santal, Saranath, Sari Dharma, Sarna, Alchchi, Bidin, Sant, Saevdharm, Seran, Saran, Sarin, Kheria,[18] and other religious communities.[17]

In 2011, Hindus numbered 5,056,953 and formed 85.52% of the population in Paschim Medinipur district. Muslims numbered 620,554 and formed 10.49% of the population. Others (including Christians) numbered 235,950 and formed 3.99% of the population. Christians numbered 23,287 and formed 0.39% of the population. In West Bengal, Hindus numbered 64,385,546 and formed 70.53% of the population. Muslims numbered 24,654,825 and formed 27.01% of the population.[17]

Human Development Report

According to the District Human Development Report of Paschim Medinipur: The district represents regional diversity in terms of physiographic, agro-climatic characteristics, economic development, social composition etc. Over 7,500 inhabited villages of the district reflect highly differential features and indicators of human development. There are pockets of prosperity in the eastern part and areas of distress in the western part. From 2009 Maoist violence rapidly spread across eleven western CD Blocks of the district: Binpur I, Binpur II, Salboni, Grahbeta II, Jamboni, Jhargram, Midnapore Sadar, Gopiballavpur I, Gopiballavpur II, Sankrail and Nayagram.[19]

The level of urbanisation in the district is low. In 2001 the percentage share of the urban population in the district was 11.90 against 27.96 in the state as a whole. Population density at 531 persons per  km2 was lower than the West Bengal average of 903 persons per  km2. The literacy rate has increased significantly from 39.80% in 1981 to 70.41% in 2001, but the gender gap in literacy rate (difference between female and male literacy rates) is substantial.[19]

There is high agricultural productivity differential across 29 blocks of the district. The differential being high across drought prone blocks of the western part of the district and substantially irrigated blocks of its eastern part. Low productivity of agriculture has considerable relevance for high level of poverty among households in the drought prone regions specially among the SCs and STs. The district is relatively backward in the development of infrastructure.[19]

Electrification was extended to 76.79% mouzas of the district by 2007. In Dantan I CD Block electricity was extended to 60.30% of the mouzas by 2007.[19]

The United Nations Development Programme considers the combined primary and secondary enrolment ratio as the simple indicator of educational achievement of the children in the school going age. The infrastructure available is important. In Dantan I CD Block out of the total 108 primary schools in 2008-2009, 52 had pucca buildings, 26 partially pucca, 10 kucha and 20 multiple type. In the district as a whole 43.6% of primary schools and 88.38% of upper primary schools had libraries, 30.99% primary schools (classes I – V) and 78.37% upper primary schools (classes VI to VIII) had play grounds, and 20.83% upper primary schools had computers. 62,697 sudents of primary schools and 242,728 students of upper primary schools were covered under the Midday Meal Scheme. Nayagram and Gopiballavpur I CD Blocks have been identified as educationally backward blocks and special efforts are being made through National Programme of Education for Girls at Elementary Level and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya hostels. These are the hostels for accommodating girl students from weaker sections of the society and all costs relating to their livelihood are borne by the government so that they are not to be deprived of availing elementary education for want of money or other social issues.[19]

As per the Rural Household Survey conducted in 2005 by the Department of Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal, 43.79% of rural houselds in the district were Below Poverty Line against 34.12% in West Bengal.[19]

The 29 CD Blocks of the district were classified into four categories based on the poverty ratio. Nayagram, Binpur II and Jamboni CD Blocks have very high poverty levels (above 60%). Kharagpur I, Kharagpur II, Sankrail, Garhbeta II, Pingla and Mohanpur CD Blocks have high levels of poverty (50-60%), Jhargram, Midnapore Sadar, Dantan I, Gopiballavpur II, Binpur I, Dantan II, Keshiari, Chandrakona I, Gopiballavpur I, Chandrakona II, Narayangarh, Keshpur, Ghatal, Sabang, Garhbeta I, Salboni, Debra and Garhbeta III CD Blocks have moderate levels of poverty (25-50%) and Daspur II and Daspur I have low levels of poverty (below 25%).[19]

The loco shops of South Eastern Railway employed 3,983 persons, the carriage shops of South Eastern Railway employed 2,189 persons, the wagon repair shops of South Eastern Railway employed 1,700 persons. There were 14 units employing between 250 and 1,000 persons. All other industrial establishments in Paschim Medinipur employed less than 250 persons. More than 80% of Paschim Medinipur’s population depend on agricultural activities for a living.[19]

The dominant SC gropus in the district are Bagdi Dule, Dom, Jalia Kaibarta, Mal, Rajbanshi, Rajoyar, Keora, Bhimali, Bauri, and Tiyar. Ghatal sub-division has highest concentration of 24.95% SC population. The western part of the district shows more dense ST population. The Jhargram sub division has the highest concentration, i.e. 30.02% of total ST population. The major tribal communities of the district are Santhal, Bhumij, Munda, Lodha, Kora and Mahali. Among them, Lodha only belong to the primitive tribal group. Most of the STs live on agricultural labour. Many ST families move to the neighbouring districts in search of work, particularly during the cultivation season.[19]

(Note: Certain topics, such as Geography, Literacy, Education, Healthcare etc., are not/not fully covered here and are covered elsewhere in this page.)

Economy

Infrastructure

In 2003-04, Dantan I CD Block had 235 hectares canal. 410 hectares were irrigated with tank water, 1,400 hecatres by deep tube wells and 6,200 hectares by shallow tube wells.[20] In 2006-07 in Dantan I CD Block 35.04% of the gross cropped area had facilities for irrigation.[21]

In 2003-04 Dantan I CD Block had 40 km of surfaced roads under PWD, 15 km surfaced roads and 10 km unsurfaced land under Zilla Parishad and 455 km surfaced roads and 392 km unsurfaced roads under Gram Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti.[20]

Agriculture

In 2003-04 the farmers of Dantan I CD Block could be classified as follows: Bargadars 6.43%, patta (document) holders 28.76%, small farmers 10.42%, marginal farmers 24.49% and agricultural labourers 29.90%.[20]

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. 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.[22] As of 2003-04, Dantan I CD Block had 2,396 hectares vested land, out of which 1,897 hectares were distributed amongst 20,141 persons.[20]

In 2003-04 net area sown in Dantan I CD Block was 19,681 hectares and the area in which more than one crop was grown was 8,750 hectares.[20]

In 2003-04 Dantan I CD Block produced 440 tonnes of Aus paddy from 230 hectares, 49,710 tonnes of Aman paddy from 19,550 hectares, 6,160 tonnes Boro paddy from 2,780 hectares and 380 tonnes wheat from 210 hectares.[20]

Pisciculture

In Dantan I CD Block 643 hectares was the nett area under effective pisiculture. 682 persons were engaged in the profession. Approximate annual production in 2003-04 was 8,879 qtl.[20]

Transport

Dantan I CD Block has 2 ferry services and 5 originating/ terminating bus routes.[20]

The Kharagpur-Puri line of South Eastern Railway passes through this CD Block and there are stations at Dantan and Angua.[23]

The Dankuni-Chennai NH 16 passes through this block.[24] Dantan is well connected with Nayagram via Manoharpur Bhasraghat Road.

Education

In 2003-04, Dantan I CD Block had 107 primary schools with 14,134 students, 5 middle schools with 1,335 students, 11 high schools with 6,113 students and 3 higher secondary schools with 2,289 students. Dantan I CD Block had 1 general college with 810 students and 200 institutions with 8,650 students for special and non-formal education. Dantan I CD Block had 110 mass literacy centres.[20]

Healthcare

Dantan I CD Block had 3 health centres, 24 clinics and 3 dispensaries with 15 beds and 8 doctors in 2003.[20]

References

  1. ↑ Ray, Nihar Ranjan, Bangalir Itihas Adi Parba, (in Bengali), 1980 edition, p. 388, Paschim Banga Niraksharata Durikaran Samiti
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "District Human Development Report: Paschim Medinipur" (PDF). Chapter I Introduction and Human Development Indices for Paschim Mednipur. Development and Planning Department, Government of West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Dantan I Block". onefivenine. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "District Map Paschim Medinipur". Maps. Paschim Medinipur district administration. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "District Statistical Handbook 2014 Paschim Medinipur". Tables 2.1, 2.2. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "District Census Handbook: Paschim Medinipur" (PDF). Map of Paschim Medinipur with CD Block HQs and Police Stations (on the fifth page). Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  7. ↑ Jonathan D. Finch & Ashraf M. Dewan. "Tornados in Bangladesh and East India". Retrieved 2011-07-16.
  8. ↑ "175 die in Bengal cyclone, thousands homeless". Rediff on the Net. Retrieved 2011-07-16.
  9. ↑ "Tornado toll claims 83 lives in Bengal". Rediff on the Net. Retrieved 2011-07-16.
  10. ↑ "Directory of District, Subdivision, Panchayat Samiti/ Block and Gram Panchayats in West Bengal". Purba Medinipur - Revised in March 2008. Panchayats and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "C.D. Block Wise Primary Census Abstract Data(PCA)". 2011 census: West Bengal – District-wise CD Blocks. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "Provisional population totals, West Bengal, Table 4, (erstwhile) Medinipur District". Census of India 2001. Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  13. ↑ "Provisional Population Totals, West Bengal. Table 4". Census of India 2001. Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  14. ↑ "Paschim Medinipur (West Midnapore) District: Census 2011 data". 2016 Digital Trends. Census Population 2015 Data. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  15. 1 2 "Provisional population tables and annexures" (PDF). Census 2011:Table 2(3) Literates and Literacy rates by sex. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  16. ↑ "District Human Development Report: Paschim Medinipur" (PDF). Page 217 Scheduled Tribe Community. Development and Planning Department, Government of West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 "C1 Population by Religious Community". West Bengal. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  18. ↑ "ST-14 A Details Of Religions Shown Under 'Other Religions And Persuasions' In Main Table". West Bengal. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "District Human Development Report: Paschim Medinipur" (PDF). May 2011. Pages: 4-16, 38, 60-75, 176-178, 251, 263,271. Development & Planning Department, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "District Statistical Handbook – 2004 – Paschim Medinipur" (PDF). 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.4, 4.6, 8.2, 17.2, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4, 20.1, 21.1, 21.2. Bureau of Applied Economics and Statistics, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  21. ↑ "District Human Development Report: Paschim Medinipur" (PDF). Page 146, Table 5.19, Percentage Share of Irrigated Area. Development and Planning Department, Government of West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  22. ↑ "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 7 August 2016.
  23. ↑ "58002 Puri-Santragachi Passenger". Time Table. indiarailinfo. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  24. ↑ "Rationalisation of Numbering Systems of National Highways" (PDF). New Delhi: Department of Road Transport and Highways. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
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