Ghaghra block is a CD block that forms an administrative division in the Gumla subdivision of Gumla district, in the Indian state of Jharkhand.
History
Gumla became a subdivision of Ranchi district in 1902 and it became a separate district in 1983. Simdega district was carved out of Gumla district in 2011. Subsequently, Gumla district was divided into three subdivisions – Gumla Sadar subdivision (with Gumla, Ghaghra, Bharno, Bishunpur, Raidih and Sisia blocks), Basia subdivision (with Palkot, Basia and Kamdara blocks), and Chainpur subdivision (with Chainpur, Albert Ekka (Jari) and Dumri blocks).
Maoist activities
The Maoist insurgency started spreading around the mid-1990s and poses a big challenge to peace and development of the district. It “is involved in abduction, extortion, extortion killings.” The banned organisation is active largely in the eastern part of the district mainly in Kamadara, Basia, Palkot, Gumla, Raidih, Sisai and Bharno police stations. In order to counter the activities of the insurgents, arms, ammunition and security equipment have been provided in every police station. It includes bullet-proof and landmine-proof vehicles.
Geography
In the southern portion of Gumla district, there are flat topped hills called pat, with an elevation ranging from 2,500 feet to 3,000 feet. The pat region is spread across Bishunpur, Chainpur and Ghaghra CD blocks. The highest areas are Netarhat pat (3,356 ft), Lamiti pat (3,777 ft) and Galgat pat (3,823 ft). The rest of the district occupies a part of the Ranchi Plateau with an average elevation of 2,300 feet.
Three major rivers flowing through Gumla district are North Koel River, South Koel River and Sankh River.
Ghaghra CD block is bounded by Senha CD block in Lohardaga district on the north, Sisiai CD block on the east, Gumla and Chainpur block, Gumla CD blocks on the south, and Bishunpur CD block on the west.
Ghaghra CD block has an area of 544.67 km2.Ghaghra police station serves Ghaghra CD block. The headquarters of Ghaghra CD block is located at Ghaghra town.
Demographics
Population
According to the 2011 Census of India, Ghaghra CD block had a total population of 114,399, of which 105,819 were rural and 8,580 were urban. There were 57,147 (50%) males and 57,252 (50%) females. Population in the age range 0–6 years was 20,906. Scheduled Castes numbered 2,102 (1.84%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 88,805 (77.63%).
The only census town in Ghaghra CD block is (2011 population figure in brackets): Ghaghra (8,580).
Literacy
According to the 2011 census, the total number of literate persons in Ghaghra CD block was 53,815 (57.56% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 31,975 (68.76% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 21,840 (46.48% of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 22.29%.
census, literacy in Gumla district was 66.92%. Literacy in Jharkhand was 67.63% in 2011. Literacy in India in 2011 was 74.04%.
See also – List of Jharkhand districts ranked by literacy rate
Language and religion
According to the Population by Religious Communities 2011 data, in the Ghaghra subdistrict, ‘Other religious communities’ numbered 82,151 and formed 71.81% of the population, followed by (number of persons and percentage of population in brackets) Hindus (25,191/ 22.02%), Christians (4,400/ 3.85%), Muslims (2,346/ 2.05%), and persons who did not state their religion (311/ 0.09%) ).
Scheduled Tribes numbered 706,754 and formed 68.94% of the total population of Gumla district. Within the scheduled tribes the more populous tribes were (percentage of ST population in 2011 in brackets): Oraon, Dhangars (62.63%), Munda, Patars (11.70%), Kharia, Dhelki Kharia, Dudh Kharia, Hill Kharia (9.07%), Lohras (5.77%) and Chik Baraik (2.57%).
According to the Population by Mother Tongue 2011 data, in the Ghaghra subdistrict, Kurukh was the mother-tongue of 55,710 persons forming 48.69% of the population, followed by (number of persons and percentage of population in brackets) Hindi (54,711/ 47.82%), Mundari (1,175/ 1.03%), Kharia (431/ 0.38%), and persons with other languages as mother-tongue (2,385/ 2.08%). Persons with Hindi as mother-tongue included 15,328 persons having Sadri/ Sadan, 31,285 persons having Nagpuri as mother-tongue.