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]
Narayanpur CD block is bounded by Margomunda CD block in Deoghar district on the north, Karmatanr and Jamtara CD blocks on the east, Tundi and Purbi Tundi CD blocks in Dhanbad district on the south, and Gandey CD block on the west.[3][4][5][6]
Narayanpur CD block has an area of 282.80 km2.[7]Naryanpur police station serves this block.[8] Headquarters of this CD block is at Narayanpur.[9]
Narayanpur CD block has 25 panchayats and 262 villages.[10]
As per the 2011 Census of India Narayanpur CD block had a total population of 163,966, all of which were rural. There were 83,977 (51%) males and 79,989 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 33,482. Scheduled Castes numbered 9,501 (5.79%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 38,485 (23.47%).[7]
Literacy
As of 2011[update] census, the total number of literates in Narayanpur CD block was 72,725 (55.72% of the population over 6 years) out of which 45,694 (63%) were males and 27,031 (37%) were females. The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 26%.[7]
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).[11]
Hindi is the official language in Jharkhand and Urdu has been declared as an additional official language.[12]
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%).[11]
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.[13]Rural poverty in Jharkhand declined from 66% in 1993–94 to 46% in 2004–05. In 2011, it has come down to 39.1%.[14]
Economy
Livelihood
Livelihood in Narayanpur CD block
Cultivators (30.12%)
Agricultural labourers (53.05%)
Household industries (3.75%)
Other Workers (13.08%)
In Narayanpur CD block in 2011, amongst the class of total workers, cultivators numbered 19,390 and formed 30.12%, agricultural labourers numbered 34,154 and formed 53.05%, household industry workers numbered 2,316 and formed 3.75% and other workers numbered 8,418 and formed 13.08%. Total workers numbered 64,378 and formed 39.26% of the total population. Non-workers numbered 99,588 and formed 60.74% of total population.[15]
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.[16]
Infrastructure
There are 247 inhabited villages in Narayanpur CD block. In 2011, 97 villages had power supply. 10 villages had tap water (treated/ untreated), 243 villages had well water (covered/ uncovered), 243 villages had hand pumps, and all villages had drinking water facility. 15 villages had post offices, 5 villages had sub post offices, 5 villages had telephones (land lines), 7 villages had public call offices and 43 villages had mobile phone coverage. 244 villages had pucca (paved) village roads, 65 villages had bus service (public/ private), 2 villages had railway stations, 4 villages had autos/ modified autos, and 17 villages had tractors. 8 villages had bank branches, 73 villages had agricultural credit societies, 2 villages had cinema/ video halls, 5 villages had public library and public reading rooms. 100 villages had public distribution system, 20 villages had weekly haat (market) and 138 villages had assembly polling stations.[17]
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.[18][19]
Education
Narayanpur CD block had 8 villages with pre-primary schools, 219 villages with primary schools, 81 villages with middle schools, 1 village with secondary school, 1 village with senior secondary school, 28 villages with no educational facility.[17] .*Senior secondary schools are also known as Inter colleges in Jharkhand
Healthcare
Narayanpur CD block had 1 village with community health centre, 5 villages with primary health centres, 38 villages with primary health subcentre, 33 villages with maternity and child welfare centres, 11 villages with TB clinics, 3 villages with allopathic hospitals, 34 villages with dispensaries, 5 villages with veterinary hospitals, 26 villages with family welfare centres, 91 villages with medicine shops.[17] .*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.