Ausgram II | |
|---|---|
Community development block | |
.svg) Location in West Bengal | |
| Coordinates:23°32′08.5″N87°39′42.5″E / 23.535694°N 87.661806°E /23.535694; 87.661806 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | West Bengal |
| District | Purba Bardhaman |
| Parliamentary constituency | Bolpur |
| Assembly constituency | Ausgram |
| Area | |
• Total | 139.17 sq mi (360.45 km2) |
| Elevation | 213 ft (65 m) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 150,896 |
| • Density | 1,084.3/sq mi (418.63/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC+5.30 (IST) |
| PIN | 713126 (Bhedia) |
| Telephone/STD code | 03452 |
| Vehicle registration | WB-37,WB-38,WB-41,WB-42,WB-44 |
| Literacy Rate | 68.00 per cent |
| Website | http://purbabardhaman.gov.in/ |
Ausgram II is acommunity development block. It is a municipality inBardhaman Sadar North subdivision ofPurba Bardhaman district in theIndianstate ofWest Bengal.
Studies at the nearbyPandu Rajar Dhibi archeological site have found, overall, six layers of occupation. There are traces of a civilisation similar to theIndus Valley Bronze Age civilisation found atHarappa inPunjab (2600 - 1900 BCE) and to theMinoan civilization ofCrete (3100 - 1450 BCE).[1] The main mound at Pandu Rajar Dhibi is associated withPandu, theKuru King (1200 - 900 BCE) with evidence ofChalolithic Bronze Age (1600 - 750 BCE) and thenIron Age (1300 - 300 BCE) peoples.[2]
Medieval India refers to the period between the fall of theGupta Empire in the 6th century CE and the rise of theMughal Empire in the 16th century CE.
The region between theDamodar River and theAjay River was known as "Gopbhum ". It was here that theSadgop kings ruled in the late medieval period. Their presence continues in the region as part of theYadav community.
As it is said, traditionally, that in the 11th century CE, the Hindu king,Adi Sura brought fiveBrahmin andKayastha fromKannauj, in what is nowUttar Pradesh, to Gopbhum in order to revive orthodox Brahminical Hinduism in West Bengal and that they are represented now by theKulin community.[3]
In the 14th century CE, King Mahendranath ruled from his fort atAmrargar. One can see the elementary remains of the foundation of a fort.[4][5] In the 17th century CE, the Amrargar chiefdom faced the warriors of theBardhaman Raj and in the 18th century,Bargi mercenaries of theMaratha Confederacy.[6]
Ausgram II CD Block is located in the central area of West Bengal, the eastern most state of India. It is approximately 41km northwest from the centre ofBardhaman (Burdwan) city, the capital ofPurba Bardhaman district and approximately 100 km northwest ofKolkata, the state capital.
Ausgram II has an area of 360.45 km2 . To the north, Ausgram II is bordered by the Ajay River. To the east is Ausgram I. To the south isGalsi I and to the west is the border withPaschim Bardhaman district.
Within the CD Block there are 7 local government areas (Panchayat samiti orGram panchayat). They are Amarpur, Balki, Bhedia, Debsala, Eral, Kota and Ramnagar. There are 113 village council areas (gram sansads), 106 administrative areas (Mouza) and 102 villages.Amrargar village is the CD Block administrative headquarters. Villages with over 4000 inhabitants include Debshala, Kota Chandipur, Chhora, Pubar, Amragar, Eral, Sar and Bhedia.[7][8][9]
Ausgram II CD Block is acanal irrigated agricultural area located on the Kanksa Ketugram flood plain of theAjay river. The uneven laterite territory found in the western part of Bardhaman district extends up to Ausgram and then the alluvial flood plains commence.[10] The CD Block is vulnerable to flooding. Factors contributing to this vulnerability include loss of forested land, damage to the embankments of the Ajay river, andMonsoonal rainfall.[11][12][13]
In 2011, the2011 Census of India found the Ausgram II CD Block population was 150,896. There were 77,184 (51%) males and 73,712 (49%) females. The number of children under 6 years of age was 17,204. Residents belonging to theScheduled Castes numbered 57,141 (37.87%) and toScheduled Tribes, 21,759 (14.42%).[7]
From 1991 to 2011, the total population increased.[14] In 2020, the total population was 175,760.[15]
At the 2011 Census of India, 68% of residents over 6 years of age were designated literate, an increase of approximately 5 % since 2001. Approximately 15% more males were literate than females.[7][16] 85.24% of the population spokeBengali and 12.86% spokeSantali as their first language.[17]
In 2011, 77.32% of residents wereHindu, 21.35% wereMuslim and 0.35% wereChristian.[18]
In 2005, a household survey found 44.85% of residents living inbelow the India poverty line.[19]
Ausgram II has an agricultural economy. In 2011, 16.18% of workers were farmers and 59.19% were agricultural labourers. 5.13% worked inhome based industries. 19.50% worked in other settings and the secondary and tertiary sectors.[20][21]
In 2004, the cropped area of Ausgram II was 22,705 hectares (62%). 32% of the cropped area produced more than one crop.[22]
Sharecropping is the predominant form of agriculture. The rights of farmers are recognised in the West Bengal Bargadari Act of 1950.[23] Since 1970, there has been someland reform in West Bengal.[24] In 2014, 56.51% of the agricultural workforce were labourers. 17.93% were holders of small land deeds (Pattadars). 13.49% were farmers owning land up to 1hectare and 4.03% owning land between 1 and 2%. 8.04% were share croppers (Bargadars).[20]
The main crop isrice grown inpaddy fields (32.87% of cropped area). Theaman crop is planted in the monsoon and harvested in winter. The spring rice crop (theboro crop) yield is smaller but is increasing with expansion of the irrigation system and intensive cropping.[25] Theaush (oraus) crop, a rough rice, is sown with pre-monsoonal showers and harvested in autumn.[26]
Wheat,potatoes,legumes andoil-seeds are also grown.[20]
In 2014, the 33% of Augram II's land area was irrigated. Most is by canal irrigation. A small amount is by river lift (pumps and direct fetching) irrigation anddeep tube wells.[20]
All the villages in Ausgram II have a supply of drinking water and a power supply. Most villages have telephone communication. 27 villages (26.47%) have post offices. Not all have a paved approach road and transport options.
In 2014, there were 6 commercial banks, and 4 government ownedregional rural banks (gramin banks) across Ausgram II.[20] In 2011, 22 villages (21.57%) hadagricultural credit societies.[27]
In 2014, there were 44 fertiliser depots, 1 seed store and 36fair price shops in Ausgram II.[20]
In 2014, Ausgram II had 8 individual bus routes.[20] In 2017, there was access to the Khana-Barharwa section ofSahibganj Loop with a station at Bhedia.[28]
In 2011, 5 villages in Ausgram II had no school. In 2014, Ausgram II had 133 primary schools with 8,691 students, 7 middle schools with 469 students, 15 high schools with 8,049 students and 6 higher secondary schools with 6,560 students. There were 343 institutions for special and non-formal education.[29]
In 2014, Ausgram II had health centres with a total of 39 beds and 7 doctors. The majority of patients were treated in an outdoor setting.[20] The main facility is atJamtara.[30]
Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary, near Burdwan village was established in 1981. It covers an area of 0.14 km2.[31]