Debra is a community development block that forms an administrative division in the Kharagpur subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
History
Naxalite movement in Debra-Gopiballavpur
In 1968 many revolutionary intellectuals, broadly termed as Naxalites, settled in Gopiballavpur. Amongst them was Santosh Rana, who was a local person. In September 1969 a guerrilla squad killed an oppressive landlord. The landlords fled to the towns and a big peasant movement began. Landlords’ crops were forcibly harvested. Around 150 people were killed. Santosh Rana was the key figure in virtually “liberating” Debra, Gopiballavpur and neighbouring areas in West Bengal, as well as in Odisha and Jharkhand (then it was Bihar). The movement gradually split and collapsed in the early seventies.
Geography
Debra CD block is largely a flood prone marshy wetland. In this block 100% of the cultivated area has highly productive alluvial soil.
Debra is located at .
Debra CD block is bounded by Daspur I CD block in the north, Panskura CD block, in Purba Medinipur district, in the east, Pingla CD block in the south and Kharagpur II and Keshpur CD blocks in the west.
It is located 28 km from Midnapore, the district headquarters.
Debra CD block has an area of 342.41 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 14 gram panchayats, 214 gram sansads (village councils), 477 mouzas and 460 inhabited villages. Debra police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD block is at Balichak.
Debra CD block had a forest cover of 540 hectares, against a total geographical area of 34,231 hectares in 2005-06.
Gram panchayats of Debra block/ panchayat samiti are: Bhabanipur, Bharatpur, Debra I, Debra II, Duan I, Duan II, Golgram, Jalimanda, Khanamohan, Malighati, Radhamohanpur I, Radhamohanpur II, Satyapur and Snarpur Lowada.
Demographics
Population
According to the 2011 Census of India, Debra CD block had a total population of 288,619, of which 274,835 were rural and 13,784 were urban. There were 145,559 (50%) males and 143,060 (50%) females. Population in the age range 0–6 years was 31,859. Scheduled Castes numbered 37,503 (12.99%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 59,122 (20.48%).
As per 2001 census, Debra block had a total population of 255,196, out of which 129,109 were males and 126,087 were females. Debra block registered a population growth of 15.80 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for the combined Midnapore district was 14.87 per cent. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.45 per cent.
Census Towns in Debra CD block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Balichak (13,784).
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Debra CD block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Baragar (4,329).
Other villages in Debra CD block include (2011 census figures in brackets): Debra (2,347), Bhawanipur (1,700), Bharatpur (826), Golgram (3,984), Malighati (2,379), Satyapur (3,091), Jalimanda (2,263), Duan (3,497), Radhamohanpur (3,604), Khana Mohan (559), Shanrpur (1,252), Loyada (1,520) and Chak Bajit (560).
Literacy
As per the 2011 census the total number of literates in Debra CD block was 210,618 (82.03% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 114,992 (88.78% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 95,626 (75.16% of the female population over 6 years). The gender gap in literacy rates was 13.62%.
See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
Language and religion
In the 2011 census Hindus formed 88.16% and Muslims formed 10.34% of the population. Christians and other religious communities formed 1.50% of the population. Others including Addi Bassi, Marang Boro, Santal, Saranath, Sari Dharma, Sarna, Alchchi, Bidin, Sant, Saevdharm, Seran, Saran, Sarin, Kheria, Christian and other religious communities. In 2001, Hindus were 87.81%, Muslims 9.53% and tribal religions 2.31% of the population respectively.
At the time of the 2011 census, 86.77% of the population spoke Bengali, 9.06% Santali and 1.69% Hindi as their first language.
BPL families
In Debra CD block 37.37% families were living below poverty line in 2007.