General information page for North Twentyfour Parganas
North 24 Parganas district is a district in southern West Bengal, India. North 24 Parganas extends in the from latitude 22º11´6´´ north to 23º15´2´´ north and from longitude 88º20´ east to 89º5´ east. It is bordered to Nadia by north, to Bangladesh (Khulna Division) by north and east, to South 24 Parganas and Kolkata by south and to Kolkata, Howrah and Hoogly by west. Barasat is the district headquarters of North 24 Parganas.
North 24 Parganas is West Bengal’s most populous and economically backward district. It is also the tenth largest district in the State by area and second most densely populated district (3,781/km² as of 2007 census).
History
British Raj
The territory of Greater 24 Parganas were under the Satgaon (ancient Saptagram, now in Hoogly district) administration during the Mughal era and later it was included in Hoogly chakla (district under post-Mughal Nawabi rule) during the rule of Murshid Quli Khan. In 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, Nawab Mir Jafar confer the Zamindari of 24 parganas and janglimahals (small administrative units) to the British East India Company. These were Amirpur, Akbarpur, Balia, Birati ,Azimabad, Basandhari, Baridhati, Bagjola, Kalikata, Garh, Hatiagarh, Islampur ,Dakshin Sagar, Kharijuri, Khaspur, Ikhtiarpur,Madhyamgram , Magura, Medanmalla, Maida, Manpur, Muragachha, Pechakuli, Paikan, Rajarhat ,Shahpur, Shahnagar, Satal and Uttar Pargana. Since then, this entire territory is known as Twentyfour Parganas.
In 1751, the Company assigned John Zephaniah Holwell as zemindar of the District. In 1759, after the Bengali War of 1756-57, the Company assigned it to Lord Clive as a personal Jaghir (zamindari) and after his death it again came under the direct authority of the Company.
In 1793, during the rule of Lord Cornwallis, entire Sunderbans were in Twentyfour Parganas. In 1802, some parganas on the western banks of river Hoogly were included into it. These parganas were in Nadia earlier. In 1814, a separate collectorate was established in Twentyfour Parganas. In 1817, Falta and Baranagar and in 1820, some potions of Nadia’s Balanda and Anwarpur were encompassed to it. In 1824, portions of Barasat, Khulna and Bakhargunge (now in Bangladesh) were also included to it.
In 1824, the district Headquarter was shifted from Kolkata to Baruipur, but in 1828, it was removed to Alipore.
In 1834, the district was spilt into two districts – Alipore and Barasat, but later these were united again.
In 1905, some portion of this district around the Sunderbans was detached and linked to Khulna and Barishal. These parts remained in Pakistani (later Bangladeshi) territories where Jessore’s Bangaon was joined to Twentyfour Pargana after the 1947 partition.
After Independence
In 1983, an administrative reform committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Ashok Mitra suggested to spilt the district into two and as per the recommendation of the committee two districts – North and South 24 Parganas were created. The North 24 Parganas which was included to the Presidency Division has been formed with 5 sub-divisions of the Greater 24 Parganas namely Barasat (Headquarter), Barrackpore, Basirhat, Bangaon and Bidhannagar (a satellite township of Kolkata, popularly known as Salt Lake).
Geography
The district lies within the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta. The river Ganges flows along the entire west border of the district. There are many over rivers, which include the Ichhamati, Jamuna, and Bidyadhari.
Location
Latitude: 23°15'North - 22°11' North
Longitude: 89°5'East - 88°20' East
Land
Soil Status varies from alluvial to clay loam
Ratio of land High:Medium:Low=17:44:39
Groundwater Arsenic Contamination
North 24 Parganas is one of the nine (including Kolkata) severely arsenic affected district in West Bengal . On the basis of updated survey conducted by School of Environmental Studies (SOES), Jadavpur University, out of total 22 administrative blocks in 22, 21 and 16 blocks arsenic above 10 μg/L (WHO Recommended value of arsenic in drinking water), 50 μg/L (Indian standard value of arsenic in drinking water) and 300 μg/L (the concentration predicting overt arsenical skin lesions) was noted respectively. The maximum arsenic contamination level found in this district is 2830μg/L in the Baduria block.
Climate
The climate is tropical, like the rest of the Gangetic West Bengal. The hallmark is the Monsoon, which lasts from early June to mid September. The weather remains dry during the winter (mid November to mid February) and humid during summer.
Annual Rainfall 1,579mm(Normal)
Temperature 41°C in May(Max) and 10°C in January(Min)
Relative Humidity Between 50% in March & 90% in July
Economy
Muslims are mainly engaged in farming , fishing and other agricultural activities. The average size of agricultural landholdings in 3.2 Bighas. Hindu "Refugees" from Bangladesh form a major part of the industrial workforce. North 24 Pargans is one of the economically backward District of West Bengal .
Demography
* Population:8,930,295 (2001 census)
o Male:4,635,262; Female:4,295,033
* Area:4094 square km
* Population Density:2781 per square km
* Sex ratio: 977 females per 1000 males
* Decadal Growth Rate 1991-200 : 22.64
* Literacy rate(excluding 0-6 age group),in percentage:82.07 ( second-highest in West Bengal)
o Male:83.92; Female:71.72
Hindus - 61% , Muslims - 36% , others - 3%
Education
* Primary school 2353,799
* Middle school 26163
* High school 204560
* Higher Secondary school 15328
* Degree college 237
* Technical schools & colleges 116
Health Facility
* District Hospital 10 with 2500 beds
* Sub Divisional Hospital 14 with 1870 beds
* state General Hospital 18 with 1870 beds
* ESI Hospital 01 with 200 beds
* Rural Hospital 07 with 228 beds
* Block Primary Health Centre 15