Dakshin Dinajpur district


Dakshin Dinajpur or South Dinajpur is a district in the Indian state of West Bengal, India. It was created on 1 April 1992 by the division of the erstwhile West Dinajpur District. The Headquarter of the district is at Balurghat. It comprises two subdivisions: Balurghat and Gangarampur at Buniadpur. According to the 2011 population, it is the third least populous District of West Bengal.

History

The erstwhile Dinajpur District, at the time of the partition of India, was split up into West Dinajpur district and East Dinajpur. The East Dinajpur district, now called Dinajpur, became part of East Pakistan. The West Dinajpur district was enlarged in 1956, when States Reorganisation Act recommendations were implemented, with the addition of some areas of Bihar. The district was bifurcated into Uttar Dinajpur and Dakshin Dinajpur on 1 April 1992.

Economy

Dakshin Dinajpur is predominantly an agricultural district with a large area of land under cultivation. The district is drained by north-south flowing rivers like Atreyee, Purnabhaba, Tangon and Jamuna River, to give rise to a sizeable, unorganised fishing community.
Dakshin Dinajpur is a "non-large scale industry" but there are a number of medium and small hand loom industries especially Gangarampur block. Internet access is available from most of the cities, even broadband connections are available. There is one State Highway with only 77 km of National Highway No. 512 in the district. A new railway line has been laid between Eklakhi and Balurghat, the district headquarters. Train services were started on 30 December 2004.
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Dakshin Dinajpur one of the country's 250 most backward districts. It is one of the eleven districts in West Bengal currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme.

Divisions

Administrative subdivisions

The district comprises two subdivisions: Balurghat and Gangarampurpur at Buniadpur. Balurghat subdivision consists of Balurghat municipality and four community development blocks: Hili, Balurghat, Kumarganj and Tapan. Gangarampur subdivision consists of Gangarampur, Buniadpur municipalities and four community development blocks: Gangarampur, Bansihari, Harirampur and Kushmandi. Balurghat is the district headquarters. There are eight police stations, eight development blocks, Three municipalities, 64 gram panchayats and 2317 villages in this district.
Other than municipality area, each subdivision contains community development blocs which are divided into rural areas and census towns.
Balurghat subdivision
Gangarampur subdivision at Buniadpur
The district is divided into six assembly constituencies:
  1. Kushmandi ,
  2. Gangarampur,
  3. Tapan ,
  4. Balurghat.
  5. Harirampur.
Tapan constituency is reserved for Scheduled Tribes candidates. Kushmandi constituency is reserved for Scheduled Castes candidates. Along with one assembly constituency from North Dinajpur district, the six assembly constituencies of this district form the Balurghat, which is reserved for SC candidates.

Impact of delimitation of constituencies

As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, the district was to be divided into six assembly constituencies:
  1. Kushmandi
  2. Kumarganj
  3. Balurghat
  4. Tapan
  5. Gangarampur
  6. Harirampur
Tapan constituency will be reserved for ST candidates. Kushmandi and Gangarampur constituencies will be reserved for SC candidates. Along with one assembly constituency from North Dinajpur district, the six assembly constituencies of this district will form the Balurghat.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Dakshin Dinajpur district has a population of 1,676,276. roughly equal to the nation of Guinea-Bissau. or the US state of Idaho. This gives it a ranking of 295th in India. The district has a population density of. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 11.16%. Dakshin Dinajpur has a sex ratio of 954 females for every 1000 males and a literacy rate of 73.86%.

Languages

is the principal language of the district. The principal communities are Hindus and Muslims, constituting the major portion of the population. Surjapuri one of the minor dialect is also spoken in this district.

Education

Dakshin Dinajpur University will start functioning from next year.It will be at Mahinagar,Balurghat.There is a Government nursing college at Balurghat.There is a Law college and a agriculture college at Balurghat.There are Two Central Government School In the District:1.Central School,Balurghat;2.Jawhar Navoday school,Balurghat.
There is one D.A.V group school and a Techno Group school at Balurghat.
There is one Polytecnic college at Gangarampur,one polytechnic at Teor,10 kms from Balurghat and one I.T.I. at Balurghat, but no engineering or medical college. There are a few good schools in Balurghat and Gangarampur. There are two CBSE affiliated and one CISCE affiliated school in Balurghat. Of late, The Green View English Academy is the only CISCE affiliated school in the entire district.The Atreyee D.A.V Public School has earned several accolades, giving the entire district an honorable position in the academic map of the country. VVM Junior Level National Champion, Saswata Bose, is a student of The ADAVPS. Many government schools exist throughout the district. Balurghat College, Gangarampur College is the most popular college. A government-funded girls' college is in Balurghat. Balurghat has a law college and Six B.Ed colleges as well as Gangarampur has four B.Ed colleges. A college of agriculture has been set up under Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya at Majhian, 10 km from Balurghat. An agricultural Regional Research Station for Old Alluvial Zone under Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya is operating at Majhian. A dental and B.sc nursing college will start functioning at Balurghat from next year..