Madarihat-Birpara is a community development block (CD block) that forms an administrative division in the Alipurduar subdivision of the Alipurduar district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Geography
Madarihat is located at .
The Madarihat-Birpara CD block lies in the north-western part of the district. The Dadua River flows along the western boundary of the district. It has hilly terrain which is part of the sub-Himalayan ranges.
The Madarihat-Birpara CD block is bounded by the Samtse District of Bhutan on the north, Kalchini CD block on the east, Falakata CD block on the south and Banarhat CD block in Jalpaiguri district on the west.
The Madarihat-Birpara CD block has an area of 376.75 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 10 gram panchayats, 139 gram sansads (village councils), 50 mouzas, 48 inhabited villages and 2 census towns. Madarihat and Birpara police stations serve this block. Headquarters of this CD block is at Madarihat.
Gram panchayats of Madarihat-Birpara block/ panchayat samiti are: Bandapani, Birpara I, Birpara II, Hantapara, Khayarbari, Lankapara, Madarihat, Rangali Bazna, Sishujhumra and Totopara Ballalguri.
Demographics
Population
According to the 2011 Census of India, the Madarihat CD block had a total population of 202,026, of which 188,265 were rural, and 13,761 were urban. There were 101,536 (50%) males and 100,490 (50%) females. There were 24,382 persons in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The Scheduled Castes numbered 28,813 (14.26%) and the Scheduled Tribes numbered 78,314 (38.76%).
According to the 2001 census, Madarihat-Birpara block had a total population of 185,499, out of which 94,315 were males and 91,184 were females. Madarihat-Birpara block registered a population growth of 21.88 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade.
Census towns in the Madarihat-Birpara CD block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Sisha Jumrha (4,130), Uttar Madarihat (9,631) .
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in the Madarihat-Birpara CD block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Dimdima Tea Garden (7,375), Birpara Tea Garden (42,080), Nangdala Tea Garden (4,929), Bandapani Tea Garden (5,390), Dalmore Tea Garden (8,551), Gopalpur Tea Garden (5,372), Ramjhora Tea Garden (4,612), Lankapara Tea Garden (12,401), Madhya Rangali Bazar (5,427), Dumchipara Tea Garden (7,062), Hantupara Tea Garden (7,336) and Garganda Tea Garden (4,633).
Other villages in the Madarihat-Birpara CD block include (2011 census figures in brackets): Totopara (2,960) and Dheklapara Tea Garden (2,643).
Literacy
According to the 2011 census, the total number of literate persons in the Madarihat CD block was 120,391 (67.77% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 67,717 (75.92% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 52,674 (59.55% of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 16.36%.
See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
Language and religion
In the 2011 Census of India, Hindus numbered 146,924 and formed 72.73% of the population of Madarihat-Birpara CD block. Muslims numbered 22,049 and formed 10.91% of the population. Christians numbered 15,811 and formed 7.83% of the population. Buddhists numbered 11,322 and formed 5.60% of the population. Others numbered 21,731 and formed 10.76% of the population. Others include Addi Bassi, Marang Boro, Santal, Saranath, Sari Dharma, Sarna, Alchchi, Bidin, Sant, Saevdharm, Seran, Saran, Sarin, Kheria, and other religious communities.
At the time of the 2011 census, 31.09% of the population spoke Sadri, 24.99% Nepali, 23.18% Bengali, 4.73% Hindi, 2.54% Kurukh, 2.39% Bhojpuri, 2.32% Rajbongshi, 1.96% Boro and 1.12% Mundari as their first language. 0.95% of the population were recorded as speaking 'Others' under Bengali.
Poverty level
Based on a study of the per capita consumption in rural and urban areas, using central sample data of NSS 55th Round 1999-2000, Jalpaiguri district was found to have relatively high rates of poverty of 35.73% in rural areas and 61.53% in the urban areas. It was one of the few districts where urban poverty rate was higher than the rural poverty rate.
According to a World Bank report, as of 2012, 26-31% of the population of Jalpaiguri, Bankura and Paschim Medinipur districts were below poverty line, a relatively high level of poverty in West Bengal, which had an average 20% of the population below poverty line.
