Sutahata is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Haldia subdivision of Purba Medinipur district in the Indian state of West Bengal. In earlier days this block was referred to as Sutahata I block, and Haldia block was referred to as Sutahata II block.
History
Sutahata was initially a market place for the sale of handloom products.
Geography
Purba Medinipur district is part of the lower Indo-Gangetic Plain and Eastern coastal plains. Topographically, the district can be divided into two parts – (a) almost entirely flat plains on the west, east and north, (b) the coastal plains on the south. The vast expanse of land is formed of alluvium and is composed of younger and coastal alluvial. The elevation of the district is within 10 metres above mean sea level. The district has a long coastline of 65.5 km along its southern and south eastern boundary. Five coastal CD Blocks, namely, Khejuri II, Contai II (Deshapran), Contai I, Ramnagar I and II, are occasionally affected by cyclones and tornadoes. Tidal floods are quite regular in these five CD Blocks. Normally floods occur in 21 of the 25 CD Blocks in the district. The major rivers are Haldi, Rupnarayan, Rasulpur, Bagui and Keleghai, flowing in north to south or south-east direction. River water is an important source of irrigation. The district has a low 899 hectare forest cover, which is 0.02% of its geographical area.
Sutahata is located at .
Sutahata CD Block is bounded by Diamond Harbour II CD Block, in South 24 Parganas district across the Hooghly, in the north, Diamond Harbour I CD Block, in South 24 Parganas district across the Hooghly, in the east, Haldia CD Block in the south and Mahishadal CD Block in the west.
Sutahata CD Block has an area of 79.54 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 6 gram panchayats, 89 gram sansads (village councils), 81 mouzas and 78 inhabited villages. Sutahata police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD Block is at Sutahata.
Gram panchayats of Sutahata block/ panchayat samiti are: Ashadtalia, Chaitanyapur, Deulpota, Guaberia, Horekhali, Joynagar and Kukrahati.
Demographics
Population
As per 2011 Census of India Sutahata CD Block had a total population of 123,784, of which 118,629 were rural and 5,155 were urban. There were 63,509 (51%) males and 60,275 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 15,227. Scheduled Castes numbered 37,826 (30.56%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 47 (0.04%).
As per 2001 census, Sutahata block had a total population of 106,301, out of which 54,548 were males and 51,753 were females. Sutahata block registered a population growth of 7.30 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for the combined Midnapore district was 14.87 per cent. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.
Census Town in Sutahata CD Block (2011 census figure in brackets): Barda (5,155).
Large village (with 4,000+ population) in Sutahata CD Block (2011 census figure in brackets): Hariballabhpur (4,153).
Other villages in Sutahata CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets): Chaitanyapur (3,169), Guaberia (3,896), Ashadtalia (1,656), Jaynagar (3,610).
Literacy
As per 2011 census the total number of literates in Sutahata CD Block was 92,725 (85.42% of the population over 6 years) out of which 50,465 (54%) were males and 42,260 (46%) were females.
As per 2011 census, literacy in Purba Medinipur district was 87.02%. Purba Medinipur had the highest literacy amongst all the districts of West Bengal in 2011.
See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
Language and religion
In 2011 census Hindus numbered 89,193 and formed 72.05% of the population in Sutahata CD Block. Muslims numbered 34,386 and formed 27.78% of the population. Others numbered 205 and formed 0.17% of the population. In 2001, Hindus made up 74.10% and Muslims 25.83% of the population respectively.
Bengali is the predominant language, spoken by 99.94% of the population.
Rural poverty
The District Human Development Report for Purba Medinipur has provided a CD Block-wise data table for Modified Human Poverty Index of the district. Sutahata CD Block registered 29.72 on the MHPI scale. The CD Block-wise mean MHPI was estimated at 24.78. Eleven out of twentyfive CD Blocks were found to be severely deprived in respect of grand CD Block average value of MHPI (CD Blocks with lower amount of poverty are better): All the CD Blocks of Haldia and Contai subdivisions appeared backward, except Ramnagar I & II, of all the blocks of Egra subdivision only Bhagabanpur I appeared backward and in Tamluk subdivision none appeared backward.