Nandakumar is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Tamluk subdivision of Purba Medinipur district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Geography
Purba Medinipur district is part of the lower Indo-Gangetic Plain and Eastern coastal plains. Topographically, the district can be divided into two parts – (a) almost entirely flat plains on the west, east and north, (b) the coastal plains on the south. The vast expanse of land is formed of alluvium and is composed of younger and coastal alluvial. The elevation of the district is within 10 metres above mean sea level. The district has a long coastline of 65.5 km along its southern and south eastern boundary. Five coastal CD Blocks, namely, Khejuri II, Contai II (Deshapran), Contai I, Ramnagar I and II, are occasionally affected by cyclones and tornadoes. Tidal floods are quite regular in these five CD Blocks. Normally floods occur in 21 of the 25 CD Blocks in the district. The major rivers are Haldi, Rupnarayan, Rasulpur, Bagui and Keleghai, flowing in north to south or south-east direction. River water is an important source of irrigation. The district has a low 899 hectare forest cover, which is 0.02% of its geographical area.
Nandakumar is located at .
Nandakumar CD Block is bounded by Tamluk CD Block in the north, Mahishadal CD Blocks in the east, Chandipur CD Block in the south and Moyna CD Blocks in the west.
It is located 12 km from Tamluk, the district headquarters.
Nandakumar CD Block has an area of 165.70 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 12 gram panchayats, 186 gram sansads (village councils), 100 mouzas and 100 inhabited villages. Nandakumar police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD Block is at Kumarpur.
Gram panchayats of Nandakumar block/ panchayat samiti are: Bargodadgdar, Basudebpur, Byabattarhat Paschim, Byabattarhat Purba, Chaksimulia, Dakshin Narikeldanga, Kalyanpur, Kumarara, Kumarchak, Saorberia-Jalpai I, Saorberia-Jalpai II and Sitalpur Paschim.
Demographics
Population
As per 2011 Census of India Nanda Kumar CD Block had a total population of 262,998, all of which were rural. There were 135,720 (52%) males and 127,278 (48%) females. Population below 6 years was 31,408. Scheduled Castes numbered 37,366 (14.21%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 633 (0.24%).
As per 2001 census, Nandakumar block had a total population of 229,444, out of which 117,859 were males and 111,585 were females. Nandakumar block registered a population growth of 15.58 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 17.84 per cent.
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Nandakumar CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets): Bargoda (4,971), Bar Godagudar (11,660), Kunar Chak (9,198), Saorabere Jalpai (14,774), Chak Simulya (4,620), Baich Berya (5,549), Khanchi (7,454), Raj Nagar (4,388), Jalpai (19,447), Shyamsundarpur (4,759), Shridharpur (5,035), Basudebpur (4,739), Kumarara (4,231), Mahammadpur (4,614), Madhabpur (4,055), Kalyanpur (5,421) and Terapara Jalpai (4,801).
Literacy
As per 2011 census the total number of literates in Nandakumar CD Block was 198,153 (85.56% of the population over 6 years) out of which 108,428 (55%) were males and 89,725 (45%) were females.
As per 2011 census, literacy in Purba Medinipur district was 87.02%. Purba Medinipur had the highest literacy amongst all the districts of West Bengal in 2011.
See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
Language and religion
In 2011 census Hindus numbered 230,480 and formed 87.64% of the population in Nandakumar CD Block. Muslims numbered 32,197 and formed 12.24% of the population. Others numbered 321 and formed 0.12% of the population. In 2001, Hindus made up 88.89% and Muslims 11.07% of the population respectively.
Bengali is the predominant language, spoken by 99.81% of the population.
Rural poverty
The District Human Development Report for Purba Medinipur has provided a CD Block-wise data table for Modified Human Poverty Index of the district. Nandakumar CD Block registered 23.89 on the MHPI scale. The CD Block-wise mean MHPI was estimated at 24.78. Eleven out of twentyfive CD Blocks were found to be severely deprived in respect of grand CD Block average value of MHPI (CD Blocks with lower amount of poverty are better): All the CD Blocks of Haldia and Contai subdivisions appeared backward, except Ramnagar I & II, of all the blocks of Egra subdivision only Bhagabanpur I appeared backward and in Tamluk subdivision none appeared backward.