Goghat I

Goghat I
Community development block
Coordinates: 22.875244°N 87.703736°E / 22.875244; 87.703736
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	Hooghly
Government
• Type	Representative democracy
Area
• Total	186.32 km^2 (71.94 sq mi)
Elevation	16 m (52 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	140,030
• Density	750/km^2 (1,900/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Bengali, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	712614 (Goghat)
Area code	03211
ISO 3166 code	IN-WB
Vehicle registration	WB-15, WB-16, WB-18
Literacy	78.70%
Lok Sabha constituency	Arambagh
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Goghat
Website	hooghly.gov.in

Goghat I is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Arambag subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Overview

The Goghat I CD Block is part of the western uplands, which is an extension of the rocky uneven physiography found in adjoining Bankura district.^[1]

Geography

Map of Hooghly district showing CD blocks and municipal areas

Goghat CD block map Sowing GP areas

Goghat is located at 22°52′31″N 87°42′13″E.

Goghat I CD Block is bounded by Raina II CD Block, in Bardhaman district, in the north, Arambagh CD Block in the east, Chandrakona I and Ghatal CD Blocks, in Paschim Medinipur district, in the south, and Goghat II CD Block in the west.

It is located 82 km from Chinsurah, the district headquarters.

Goghat I CD Block has an area of 186.32 km². It has 1 panchayat samity, 7 gram panchayats, 107 gram sansads (village councils), 99 mouzas and 97 inhabited villages. Goghat police station serves this block.^[2] Headquarters of this CD Block is at Goghat.^[3][4]

Gram panchayats of Goghat I block/ panchayat samiti are: Bali, Bhadur, Goghat, Kumursha, Nakunda, Raghubati and Seorah.^[5]

Demographics

Population

As per the 2011 Census of India, Goghat I CD Block had a total population of 140,030, all of which were rural. There were 71,804 (51%) males and 68,226 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 14,581. Scheduled Castes numbered 54,321 (38.79%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 8,415 (6.01%).^[6]

As per the 2001 census, Goghat I block had a total population of 125,277, out of which 64,162 were males and 61,115 were females. Goghat I block registered a population growth of 14.36 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for Hooghly district was 15.72 per cent.^[7] Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.^[8]

Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Goghat I CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Goghat (5,495), Kumursa (4,449), Nakunda (4,228), Saora (4,290), Syamballabpur (4,985) and Bali (4,063).^[6]

Other villages in Goghat I CD Block include (2011 census figures in brackets): Bhadur (2,898), Raghunathbati (1,785), Mandalghanti(1627) and Adra(481) ^[6]

Literacy

As per the 2011 census the total number of literates in Goghat I CD Block was 98,732 (78.70% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 55,063 (85.64% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 43,669 (71.41% of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 14.24%.^[6]

As per the 2001 census, Goghat I block had a total literacy of 51.15 per cent. While male literacy was 72.72 per cent, female literacy was 40.69 per cent.^[9]

See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate

Literacy in CD blocks of Hooghly district
Arambagh subdivision
Arambagh – 79.10
Khanakul I – 77.73
Khanakul II – 79.16
Goghat I – 78.70
Goghat II – 77.24
Pursurah – 82.12
Chandannagar subdivision
Haripal – 78.59
Singur – 84.01
Tarakeswar – 79.96
Chinsurah subdivision
Balagarh – 76.94
Chinsurah Mogra – 83.01
Dhaniakhali – 75.66
Pandua – 75.86
Polba Dadpur – 75.14
Srirampore subdivision
Chanditala I – 83.76
Chanditala II – 84.78
Jangipara – 75.34
Sreerampur Uttarpara – 87.33
Source: 2011 Census: CD Block Wise Primary Census Abstract Data

Language and religion

Religion in Goghat I CD block (2011)[10]
Hinduism			89.71%
Islam			9.75%
Other or not stated			0.54%

As per the 2011 census, majority of the population of the district belong to the Hindu community with a population share of 82.9% followed by Muslims at 15.8%. The percentage of the Hindu population of the district has followed a decreasing trend from 87.1% in 1961 to 82.9% in the latest census 2011. On the other hand, the percentage of Muslim population has increased from 12.7% in 1961 to 15.8% in 2011 census.^[11]

In the 2011 census Hindus numbered 125,620 and formed 89.71% of the population in Goghat I CD Block. Muslims numbered 13,655 and formed 9.75% of the population. Others numbered 755 and formed 0.54% of the population.^[10]

Languages of Goghat I block (2011)^[12]

  Bengali (95.21%)

  Santali (4.71%)

  Others (0.08%)

At the time of the 2011 census, 95.21% of the population spoke Bengali and 4.71% Santali as their first language.^[12]

Rural poverty

As per poverty estimates obtained from household survey for families living below poverty line in 2005, rural poverty in Goghat I CD Block was 29.97%.^[13]

Economy

Livelihood

Livelihood
in Goghat I CD Block

  Cultivators (27.87%)

  Agricultural labourers (41.68%)

  Household industries (3.18%)

  Other Workers (27.28%)

In Goghat I CD Block in 2011, amongst the class of total workers, cultivators formed 27.87%, agricultural labourers 41.68%, household industry workers 3.18% and other workers 27.28%.^[14]

Infrastructure

There are 97 inhabited villages in Goghat I CD Block. 100% villages have power supply. 59 villages have more than one source of drinking water (tap, well, tube well, hand pump), 2 villages have only tube well/ borewell and 31 villages have only hand pump. 11 villages have post offices, 5 villages have sub post offices and 3 villages have post and telegraph offices. 63 villages have landlines, 40 villages have public call offices and 80 villages have mobile phone coverage. 48 villages have pucca roads and 51 villages have bus service (public/ private). 33 villages have agricultural credit societies and 7 villages have commercial/ co-operative banks.^[15]

Important Handicrafts of Hooghly District

Zari Work on Sari - Pandua, Pursurah, Jangipara, Tarakeswar and other blocks - 3,000 families involved Chikon Embroidery – Babnan, Pandua, Singur - 2,500 families involved Silk and Cotton Printing – Serampore (Chanditala) - 300 families involved Brass and Bell Metal – Manikpat, Goghat, Arambagh - 150 families involved Conch Shell – Pandua, Khanakul, Makla, Chandannagar Jute Diversified Product – Baidyabati, Mogra Terracota – Chinsurah, Chandannagar, Baidyabati, Mogra Source:District Human Development Report 2010: Hooghly P. 67

Agriculture

This is a rich agricultural area with several cold storages.^[16] Though rice is the prime crop of the district, the agricultural economy largely depends on potato, jute, vegetables, and orchard products. Though potato is cultivated in all the blocks of this district Dhaniakhali, Arambagh, Goghat, Pursurah, Haripal, Polba-Dadpur, Tarakeswar, Pandua and Singur contributed much of its production of this district.^[17]

Some of the primary and other hats or markets in the Goghat I and Goghat II CD Blocks are: Amar hat, Baddangang hat, Bengali market, Ballihat, Goghat market, Hazipur hat, Khatul hat, Kamarpukur, Madina market, Shyambazar hat, Shyamballabhpur market, Badanganj hat and Dewagang hat.^[18]

The Tebhaga movement launched in 1946, in 24 Parganas district, aimed at securing for the share-croppers a better position within the existing land relation structure. Although the subsequent Bargadari Act of 1950 recognised the rights of bargadars to a higher share of crops from the land that they tilled, it was not implemented fully. Large tracts, beyond the prescribed limit of land ceiling, remained with the rich landlords. From 1977 onwards major land reforms took place in West Bengal. Land in excess of land ceiling was acquired and distributed amongst the peasants.^[19] Following land reforms land ownership pattern has undergone transformation. In 2013-14, persons engaged in agriculture in Goghat I CD Block could be classified as follows: bargadars 8.12%, patta (document) holders 17.96%, small farmers (possessing land between 1 and 2 hectares) 3.00%, marginal farmers (possessing land up to 1 hectare) 26.26% and agricultural labourers 44.65%.^[14]

Goghat I CD Block had 69 fertiliser depots, 8 seed stores and 44 fair price shops in 2013-14.^[14]

In 2013-14, Goghat I CD Block produced 34,577 tonnes of Aman paddy, the main winter crop from 12,992 hectares, 17,589 tonnes of Boro paddy (spring crop) from 5,491 hectares, 3,063 tonnes of Aus paddy (summer crop) from 1,170hectares and 84,730 tonnes of potatoes from 4,724 hectares. It also produced oilseeds .^[14]

In 2013-14, the total area irrigated in Goghat I and Goghat II CD Blocks was 27,605 hectares, out of which 10,300 hectares were irrigated by canal water, 4,270 hectares by tank water, 870 hectares by river lift irrigation, 840 hectares by deep tube wells and 11,325 hectares by shallow tube wells.^[14]

Banking

In 2013-14, Goghat I CD Block had offices of 6 commercial banks and 2 gramin bank.^[14]

Transport

Goghat I CD Block has 3 ferry services and 7 originating/ terminating bus routes.^[14]

EMU services, earlier operating from Howrah to Tarakeswar, was extended to Goghat railway station, after completion of the electrified broad gauge Tarakewar-Goghat sector of the Tarakeswar-Bishnupur extension of the Sheoraphuli–Bishnupur branch line.^[20]

It is part of Kolkata Suburban Railway system.

State Highway 2 (West Bengal) running from Bankura to Malancha (in North 24 Parganas district) passes through this CD Block.^[21]

From Arambagh bus stand many buses go directly to Goghat.

Education

In 2013-14, Goghat I CD Block had 127 primary schools with 9,226 students, 7 middle schools with 1,060 students, 14 high schools with 8,200 students and 9 higher secondary schools with 8,139 students. Goghat I CD Block had 243 institutions for special and non-formal education with 7,612 students^[14]

In Goghat I CD Block, amongst the 97 inhabited villages, 6 villages had no school, 44 villages had more than 1 primary school, 55 villages had at least 1 primary school, 36 villages had at least 1 primary and 1 middle school and 25 villages had at least 1 middle and 1 secondary school.^[15]

Culture

The Goghat I CD block has one prominent location with several heritage temples.

Bali Dewanganj: Shiva Durga temple (in picture), a Jor Bangla with a nava ratna tower, built in 19th century, Vishnu temple (partly in picture), Damodar temple, built in 1822, Lakshmi Janardan temple, Mangal Chandi temple and others, many with extensive terracotta design work.

Healthcare

In 2014, Goghat I CD Block had 1 block primary health centre and 1 primary health centre with total 10 beds and 1 doctor (excluding private bodies). It had 22 family welfare subcentres. 1,397 patients were treated indoor and 148,051 patients were treated outdoor in the hospitals, health centres and subcentres of the CD Block.^[14]

Goghat I CD Block has Goghat Block Primary Health Centre (with 10 beds) at Goghat and Nakunda Primary Health Centre (with 6 beds).^[22]

Goghat I CD Block is one of the areas of Hooghly district where ground water is affected by moderate level of arsenic contamination. The WHO guideline for arsenic in drinking water is 10 mg/ litre, and the Indian Standard value is 50 mg/ litre. In Hooghly district, 16 blocks have arsenic levels above WHO guidelines and 11 blocks above Indian standard value. The maximum concentration in Goghat I CD Block is 147 mg/litre.^[23]

References

1. "District Census Handbook: Hugli, Series-20, Part XIIA" (PDF). Physiography, Page 17-24. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
2. "District Statistical Handbook 2014 Hooghly". Tables 2.1, 2.2. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
3. "District Census Handbook: Hugli, Series-20, Part XIIA" (PDF). Map of Hooghly district with CD Block HQs and Police Stations (on the fifth page). Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
4. "Goghat I". Local Self-government. Hooghly Zilla Parishad. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
5. "Directory of District, Subdivision, Panchayat Samiti/ Block and Gram Panchayats in West Bengal". Hooghly – Revised in March 2008. Panchayats and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
6. "C.D. Block Wise Primary Census Abstract Data(PCA)". 2011 census: West Bengal – District-wise CD Blocks. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
7. "Provisional Population Totals, West Bengal. Table 4". Census of India 2001 – Hooghly district. Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
8. "Provisional Population Totals, West Bengal. Table 4". Census of India 2001. Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
9. "Goghat I". Local Self-government. Hooghly Zilla Parishad. Retrieved 2011-08-04.
10. "Table C-01 Population by Religion: West Bengal". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
11. "District Census Handbook: Hugli, Series-20, Part XIIA" (PDF). Religion, Mother-tongue Pages 50-51. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
12. "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: West Bengal". www.censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
13. "District Human Development Report: Hooghly" (PDF). Table 2.38: Empirical Measurement of Rural Poverty in Hooghly 2005, page 89. Development and Planning Department, Government of West Bengal, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
14. "District Statistical Handbook 2014 Hooghly". Tables 2.7, 17.2, 16.1, 18.1, 18.2, 20.1, 21.2, 4.4, 3.1, 3.3 – arranged as per use. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
15. "District Census Handbook: Hugli, Series-20, Part XIIA" (PDF). Appendices to Village Directory, 2009, Pages 775-779. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
16. "List of functioning Cold Storage of West Bengal District wise as on 18.01.07". West Bengal State Marketing Board. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
17. "Intensive cropping with remarkable feature of Hooghly District". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
18. "Primary Hats/Markets of District". Hooghly. West Bengal State Marketing Board. Archived from the original on 2009-07-07. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
19. "District Human Development Report: South 24 Parganas". (1) Chapter 1.2, South 24 Parganas in Historical Perspective, pages 7-9 (2) Chapter 3.4, Land reforms, pages 32-33. Development & Planning Department, Government of West Bengal, 2009. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
20. "37365 Howrah Goghat Local". indiarailinfo. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
21. "List of State Highways in West Bengal". West Bengal Traffic Police. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
22. "Health & Family Welfare Department". Health Statistics. Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
23. "Groundwater Arsenic contamination in West Bengal-India (20 years study )". Hugli. SOES. Archived from the original on 24 May 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.