Ranaghat I is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Ranaghat subdivision of Nadia district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Geography
Habibpur is located at .
Ranaghat I CD Block is bounded by Hanskhali CD Block in the north, Ranaghat II CD Block in the east, Chakdaha CD Block in the south and Santipur CD Block and Balagarh CD Block in Hooghly district across the Hooghly River in the west.
Nadia district is mostly alluvial plains lying to the east of Hooghly River, locally known as Bhagirathi. The alluvial plains are cut across by such distributaries as Jalangi, Churni and Ichhamati. With these rivers getting silted up, floods are a recurring feature.
Ranaghat I CD Block has an area of 145.53 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 10 gram panchayats, 177 gram sansads (village councils), 64 mouzas and 55 inhabited villages. Ranaghat and Taherpur police stations serve this block. Headquarters of this CD Block is at Habibpur. It is located 22 km from Krishnanagar, the district headquarters.
Gram panchayats of Ranaghat I block/ panchayat samiti are: Anulia, Habibpur, Barasat, Kalinarayanpur, Paharpur, Khisma, Nawpara Masunda, Payradanga, Ramnagar I, Ramnagar II and Tarapur.
Demographics
Population
As per the 2011 Census of India, Ranaghat I CD Block had a total population of 232,282, of which 120,847 were rural and 111,435 were urban. There were 119,444 (51%) males and 112,838 (49%) females. The population below 6 years of age was 21,717. Scheduled Castes numbered 84,911 (36.56%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 4,438 (1.91%).
As per the 2001 census, Ranaghat I block had a total population 207,320, out of which 106,134 were males and 101,186 were females. Ranaghat I block registered a population growth of 13.28 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for the district was 19.51 per cent. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.
There are several census towns in Ranaghat I CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets) : Gangni (5,532), Kamgachhi (19,998), Raghabpur (10.280), Panpara (5,349), Aistala (20,662), Satigachha (9,847), Anulia (5,220), Gopalpur (7,818) and Parbbatipur (9,584).
Outgrowths in Ranaghat I CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets): Taherpur (Ward No. 14) (3,095), Barasat (Ward No, 15) (6,770), Bhaduri (Ward No. 16)(4,558) and Mahisdanga (Ward No. 17) (2,722).
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Ranaghat I CD Block (2011 census figures in brackets): Krishnapur Chak (4,493), Birnagar (P) (7,513), Habibpur (13,310), Paschim Noapara (5,030), Ukhil Nara (6,572) and Sundalpur Char (4,642).
Other villages in Ranaghat I CD Block include (2011 census figures in brackets): Khiima (2,944) and Mashunda (1,304).
Literacy
As per the 2011 census, the total number of literates in Ranaghat I CD Block was 163,429 (77.61% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 88,861 (88.08% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 74,568 (72.89% of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 9.19%.
See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
Language and religion
In the 2011 census, Hindus numbered 201,832 and formed 93.82% of the population in Ranaghat I CD Block. Muslims numbered 12,208 and formed 5.67% of the population. Christians numbered 837 and formed 0.39% of the population. Others numbered 260 and formed 0.12% of the population.
In the 2001 census, Hindus numbered 480,008 and formed 89.28% of the combined population of Ranaghat I and Ranaghat II CD Blocks. Muslims numbered 50,640 and formed 9.42% of the combined population. In the 1991 census, Hindus numbered 438,924 and formed 93.50% of the combined population of Ranaghat I and Ranaghat II CD Blocks. Muslims numbered 24,349 and formed 5.19% of the combined population.
At the time of the 2011 census, 98.66% of the population spoke Bengali and 1.21% Hindi as their first language.
Rural poverty
The District Human Development Report for Nadia has provided a CD Block-wise data table for Modified Human Vulnerability Index of the district. Ranaghat I CD Block registered 34.08 on the MHPI scale. The CD Block-wise mean MHVI was estimated at 33.92. A total of 8 out of the 17 CD Blocks in Nadia district were found to be severely deprived when measured against the CD Block mean MHVI - Karimpur I and Karimpur II (under Tehatta subdivision), Kaliganj, Nakashipara, Chapra, Krishnanagar I and Nabadwip (under Krishnanagar Sadar subdivision) and Santipur (under Ranaghat subdivision) appear to be backward.