Mathurapur II is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Diamond Harbour subdivision of South 24 Parganas district in the Indian State of West Bengal.
Geography
Mathurapur II CD block is located at . It has an average elevation of .
Mathurapur II CD block is bounded by Mathurapur I CD block in the north and part of the west, Jaynagar II and Kultali CD blocks in the east, Sundarbans forests in the south and Patharpratima CD block in a part of the west.
South 24 Parganas district is divided into two distinct physiographic zones: the marine-riverine delta in the north and the marine delta zone in the south. As the sea receded southwards, in the sub-recent geological period, a large low-lying plain got exposed. Both tidal inflows and the rivers have been depositing sediments in this plain. The periodical collapse of both the natural levees and man-made embankments speed up the process of filling up of the depressions containing brackish water wetlands. The marine delta in the south is formed of interlacing tidal channels. As non-saline water for irrigation is scarce, agriculture is monsoon dominated. Some parts of the wetlands are still preserved for raising fish.
Mathurapur II CD block has an area of 227.45 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 11 gram panchayats, 115 gram sansads (village councils), 27 mouzas and 27 inhabited villages, as per the District Statistical Handbook, South Twenty-four Parganas. Raidighi police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD block is at PO Baribhanga Abad - 743377.
Mathurapur II CD block has 225.46 km of embankments. Breaches in these embankments varied from 3.3 km in 2005-06 to 18.5 km in 2006-07. Embankments raised along rivers are of critical importance for the safety of lives and protection of crops, against daily tides and tidal surges. Technologically the embankment structures are weak and there is need of proper drainage of accumulated rain water through sluice gates. Crude cuts in embankments for drainage of accumulated rain water and channels built for providing water to large fisheries (Bheris) also add to the hazards. Cyclones and tropical depressions are regular threats.
Gram panchayats of Mathurapur II CD block/panchayat samiti are: Dighipar Bakultala, Gilarchat, Kankandighi, Kashinagar, Kautala, Khari, Kumrarpara, Nagendrapur, Nandakumarpur, Radhakantapur and Raidighi.
Demographics
Population
As per the 2011 Census of India, Mathurapur II CD block had a total population of 220,839, all of which were rural. There were 113,831 (52%) males and 107,008 (48%) females. Population below 6 years was 26,447. Scheduled Castes numbered 62,342 (28.23%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 4,643 (2.10%).
As per the 2001 Census of India, Mathurapur II CD block had a total population of 198,261, out of which 102,937 were males and 95,324 were females. Mathurapur II CD block registered a population growth of 14.61 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for South 24 Parganas district was 20.89 per cent. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent. Scheduled Castes at 60,519 formed around one-third the population. Scheduled Tribes numbered 5,676.
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Mathurapur II CD block (2011 census figures in brackets): Khari (21,900), Uttar Kashinagar (12,321), Kautala (11,725), Gilarchat (25,897), Radhakantapur Abad (8,442), Baribhanga Abad (6,773), Raydighi Abad (20,467), Dighirpar Bakultala (14,080), Chaplarkhop (4,088), Kumarpara (17,682), Kankandighi (12,900), Paschim Jatardeul (5,797), Purbba Jatardeul (6,222), Baradanagar (4,715), Purbba Shridharpur (5,377), Nagendrapur (6,041), Damkal (5,936), Dakshin Jaykrishnapur (5,204), Nandakumarpur (5,570) and Mahabatpur (4,249).
Literacy
As per the 2011 census, the total number of literates in Mathurapur II CD block was 151,186 (77.77% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 85,316 (85.09% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 65,870 (69.98% of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 15.12%.
As per the 2011 Census of India, literacy in South 24 Parganas district was 77.51 Literacy in West Bengal was 77.08% in 2011. Literacy in India in 2011 was 74.04%.
As per the 2001 Census of India, Mathurapur II CD block had a total literacy of 68.24 per cent for the 6+ age group. While male literacy was 80.56 per cent female literacy was 54.89 per cent. South 24 Parganas district had a total literacy of 69.45 per cent, male literacy being 79.19 per cent and female literacy being 59.01 per cent.