Rampurhat subdivision is an administrative subdivision of Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India.It is the most populous subdivision in the district. Rampurhat subdivision lies in the northern part of Birbhum district, bordering both Jharkhand and other areas within West Bengal. To the west, it shares an interstate boundary with Jharkhand’s Santhal Parganas, fostering economic ties, especially in stone mining. The east connects to Murshidabad district, supporting intra-state trade. The north, near Nalhati, is close to Jharkhand and near the Padma River and Bangladesh border, though it doesn't directly touch them. The southern boundary is shared with Mayureswar I & II and parts of Suri Sadar subdivision, marking internal administrative limits

Overview The northern portion of Rampurhat subdivision is part of the Nalhati Plains, a sub-micro physiographic region, and the southern portion is part of the Brahmani-Mayurakshi Basin, another sub-micro physiographic region occupying the area between the Brahmani in the north and the Mayurakshi in the south. There is an occasional intrusion of Rajmahal Hills, from adjoining Santhal Parganas, towards the north-western part of the subdivision.

Geography Subdivisions Birbhum district is divided into the following administrative subdivisions:

Subdivision-wise Statistics of Birbhum District (2011 Census) Subdivision Headquarters Area (km²)(2001) Population(2011) Ruralpopulation (%) Urbanpopulation (%) Rampurhat Rampurhat 1,574.23 1,508,506 96.62 3.38 Suri Sadar Suri 1,782.72 1,121,871 96.57 3.43 Bolpur Bolpur 1,186.66 872,027 96.56 3.44 Birbhum district (Total) – 4,545.00 3,502,404 96.59 3.41

Administrative units

Rampurhat subdivision has 5 police stations, 8 community development blocks, 8 panchayat samitis, 65 gram panchayats, 760 mouzas, 725 inhabited villages, 2 municipalities and 6 census towns. The municipalities are: Rampurhat and Nalhati. The census towns are: Murarai, Barua Gopalpur, Ambhua, Kashimnagar, Bishnupur and Fatehpur. The subdivision has its headquarters at Rampurhat.

Police stations Police stations in Rampurhat subdivision have the following features and jurisdiction:

Police station Area coveredkm2 Municipal town CD Block Nalhati 359.5 NalhatiNalhati I, Nalhati IIMurarai 356.9 - Murarai I, Murarai IIMayureswar 381.0 - Mayureswar IIRampurhat 472.4 RampurhatRampurhat IMargram n/a - Rampurhat IITarapith n/a n/a Rampurhat II (Budhigram Gram Panchayat & Sahapur Gram Panchayat)Mallarpur n/a n/a Mayureswar IPaikar n/a n/a n/a

Blocks Community development blocks in Rampurhat subdivision are:

CD Block HeadquartersAreakm2(2001) Population(2011) SC %ST %Hindus %Muslims %Literacy rate %CensusTownsMurarai IMurarai175.51190,80224.604.5640.5858.9255.673Murarai IIPaikar185.33222,03318.040.5424.9175.0058.281Nalhati INalhati249.71204,81836.024.9952.1146.6469.83 -Nalhati IILohapur109.15127,78521.260.4129.7970.1071.68 -Rampurhat IRampurhat287.63188,43531.9613.7067.3830.6173.29 -Rampurhat IIMargram181.55187,82331.720.5751.6448.2070.77 1Mayureswar IMallarpur224.83159,78234.076.6969.8429.3371.52 1Mayureswar IIKotasur156.27127,66130.677.1274.0625.6570.89 -

Gram panchayats The subdivision contains 65 gram panchayats under 8 community development blocks: CD Blocks and Gram Panchayats in Rampurhat Subdivision CD Block Gram Panchayats Mayureswar I Baraturigram, Dakshingram, Mollarpur–I, Bajitpur, Jhikodda, Mollarpur–II, Dabuk, Kanachi, Talowan Mayureswar II Daspalsa, Kaleswar, Mayureswar, Ulkunda, Dheka, Kundola, Satpalsa Rampurhat I Ayas, Dakhalbati, Kusumba, Bonhat, Kasthagara, Mashra, Barshal, Kharun, Narayanpur Rampurhat II Bishnupur, Budhigram, Hansan–I, Margram–I, Hansan–II, Margram–II, Dunigram, Kaluha, Sahapur Murarai I Chatra, Gorsha, Murarai, Rajgram, Dumurgram, Mahurapur, Palsa Murarai II Amdole, Kushmore–II, Paikar–I, Jajigram, Mitrapur, Paikar–II, Kushmore–I, Nandigram, Rudranagar Nalhati I Banior, Haridaspur, Kaitha–II, Barla, Kalitha, Kurumgram, Bautia, Kaitha–I, Paikpara Nalhati II Bara–I, Bhadrapur–I, Noapara, Bara–II, Bhadrapur–II, Shitalgram

Education Birbhum district had a literacy rate of 70.68% as per the provisional figures of the 2011 census. Rampurhat subdivision had a literacy rate of 69.12%, Suri Sadar subdivision 71.16% and Bolpur subdivision 72.71%.

Given in the table below is a comprehensive picture of the education scenario in Birbhum district, with data for the year 2013-14:

SubdivisionPrimarySchoolMiddleSchoolHighSchoolHigher SecondarySchoolGeneralCollege, UnivTechnical /Professional InsttNon-formalEducationInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentRampurhat88999,7671329,4878268,4626585,685716,963243,4482,29199,407Suri Sadar91271,882905,1887240,1615669,109613,912357,6201,96158,469Bolpur62848,314645,8595331,2664960,139617,379203,4241,33343,805Birbhum district2,429219,26328620,534207139,889170214,9251948,2547914,4925,585201,681

The following institutions are located in Rampurhat subdivision: Rampurhat College was established at Rampurhat in 1950. Asleha Girls College was established at Rampurhat in 2009. Rampurhat Government Polytechnic was established at Rampurhat in 2015. Hiralal Bhakat College was established at Nalhati in 1986. Sofia Girls College was established at Nalhati in 2009. Nalhati Government Polytechnic was established at Nalhati in 2015. Lokepara Mahavidyalaya was established at Lokpara in 2010. Turku Hansda-Lapsa Hemram Mahavidyalaya was established at Madian in 2006. Kabi Nazrul College was established at Murarai in 1985. Murarai Government Polytechnic was established at Murarai in 2015.

Healthcare Rampurhat Health District is an initiative aimed at strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in Rampurhat, the most populous subdivision of West Bengal, with a focus on delivering affordable, accessible, and high-quality health services. Its headquarters is located in Rampurhat. Medical facilities in Rampurhat Health District are as follows: Hospitals in Rampurhat Health District Name Location Beds Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital Rampurhat 626 Murarai State General Hospital Murarai 100 Rampurhat Railway Health Unit Rampurhat 2

Rural Hospitals: Rural Hospitals in Rampurhat Health District Community Development Block Name Location Beds Rampurhat II Baswa Rural Hospital Baswa 30Murarai IMurarai Rural HospitalMurarai50 Murarai II Paikar Rural Hospital Paikar 30 Nalhati I Nalhati Rural Hospital Nalhati 30 Mayureswar I Mallarpur Rural Hospital Mallarpur 30 Mayureswar II Satpalsa (Basudebpur) Rural Hospital Basudebpur 30

Block Primary Health Centres: Block Primary Health Centres (BPHCs) in Rampurhat Health District Name Community Development Block Location Beds Lohapur Block Primary Health Centre Nalhati II Lohapur 15 Chakmandala Block Primary Health Centre Rampurhat I Chakmandala 15

Primary Health Centres: Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Rampurhat Health District Community Development Block PHC Location Beds Murarai I Rajgram 10 Chatra 6 Murarai II Jajigram 10 Rudranagar 10 Bhimpur 6Kaitha Idrakpur6 Nalhati I Kaitha 6 Kurumgram 6 Sonarkundu 10 Nalhati II Sitalgram 6 Bhadrapur 10 Rampurhat I Kasthagara 6 Baidara (PO Haridaspur) 10 Udaypur (PO Dhekuria) 6 Narayanpur 10 Rampurhat II Tarapur 6 Margram 10 Dunigram 6 Mayureswar I Talwa 6 Ratma (PO Daksingram) 6 Mayureswar II Noapara-Ulkunda (PO Gunutia) 10 Dheka (PO Kuliara) 6 Hatinagar (PO Kotasur) 6

Electoral constituencies Lok Sabha (parliamentary) and Vidhan Sabha (state assembly) constituencies in Rampurhat subdivision were as follows:

Lok Sabha constituency ReservationVidhan Sabha constituency ReservationCD Block and/or Gram panchayats and/or municipal areasBirbhumNoneMuraraiNoneMurarai I CD Block, and Amdole, Jajigram, Mitrapur, Nandigram, Paikar I and Paikar II GPs of Murarai II CD Block - - NalhatiNoneNalhati I CD Block, and Kushmore I, Kushmore II and Rudranagar GPs of Murarai II CD Block - - HansanNoneRampurhat II and Nalhati II CD Blocks - - RampurhatNoneRampurhat munuicipality, Rampurhat I CD Block and Bharkata, Gonpur, Hinglow, Kapista, Rampur and Sekedda GPs of Mohammad Bazar CD Block - - All other Vidhan Sabha segments outside Rampurhat subdivision - BolpurSC MayureswarNoneMayureswar I and Mayureswar II CD Blocks - - All other Vidhan Sabha segments outside Rampurhat subdivision -

Notable people Khan Bahadur Mudassir Hossain, MLA for Birbhum Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda

References