Kumargram 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
Kumargram is located at .
The Kumargarm CD Block lies in the eastern part of the district. The Sanaka River flows along the eastern boundary. It has hilly terrain which is part of the sub-Himalayan ranges.
Kumargram CD block is bounded by the Chukha District in Bhutan on the north, Gossaigaon Revenue Circle/ Tehsil in Kokrajhar district in Assam on the east, Tufanganj II CD block in Cooch Behar district on the south, and Alipurduar II and Kalchini CD blocks on the west.
The Kumargram CD block has an area of 517.68 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 11 gram panchayats, 144 gram sansads (village councils), 55 mouzas, 53 inhabited villages and 3 census towns. Kumargram police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD block is at Kumargram.
Gram panchayats of Kumargram block/ panchayat samiti are: Chengmari, Kamakhyaguri I, Kamakhyaguri II, Khoardanga I, Khoardanga II, Kumargram, Newland, Kumargram Sankos, Rydak, Turturikhanda, Valka Barabisa I, Valka Barabisa II.
Demographics
Population
According to the 2011 Census of India, the Kumargram CD block had a total population of 199,609, of which 174,058 were rural, and 25,551 were urban. There were 102,592 (51%) males and 97,017 (49%) females. There were 23,771 persons in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The Scheduled Castes numbered 71,417 (35.78%) and the Scheduled Tribes numbered 59,877 (30.00%).
According to the 2001 census, Kumargram block had a total population of 177,894, out of which 91,421 were males and 86,473 were females. Kumargram block registered a population growth of 15.60 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade.
Census towns in the Kumargram CD block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Laskarpara (7,137), Dakshin Rampur (6,932) and Uttar Kamakhyaguri (12,022).
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in the Kumargram CD block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Kartika Tea Garden (4,779), Jayanti Tea Garden (5,098), Raydak Tea Garden (7,610), Madhya Narathali (4,598), Paschim Narathali (4,665), Dakshin Narathali (7,433), Madhya Kamakhyaguri (4,759), Telipara (4,139), Narathali (6,337), Newlands Tea Garden (6,369), Kumargram Tea Garden (6,328), Sankos Tea Garden (6,643), Kumargram (5,384), Madhya Haldibari (4,252), Barabisa (4,433) and Purba Chakchaka (4,523).
Other villages in the Kumargram CD block include (2011 census figures in brackets): Chengmari (1,658), Turtiuri Khanda (2,844) and Bhalka (3,946).
Literacy
According to the 2011 census, the total number of literate persons in the Kumargram CD block was 127,335 (72.48% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 71,202 (78.76% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 56,135 (65.71% of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 13.05%.
See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
Language and religion
In the 2011 Census of India, Hindus numbered 164,226 and formed 82.27% of the population of Kumargram CD block. Christians numbered 23,901 and formed 11.97% of the population. Muslims numbered 25,591 and formed 4.34% of the population. Buddhists numbered 1,584 and formed 0.79% of the population. Others numbered 710 and formed 0.36% 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, 46.59% of the population spoke Bengali, 14.72% Sadri, 9.20% Kurukh, 8.24% Rajbongshi, 5.23% Nepali, 4.62% Boro, 1.68% Rabha and 1.25% Hindi as their first language. 5.20% were recorded as speaking 'Other' 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.