Galsi II is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
History
Buddhist Stupa (Bardanga) The University of Burdwan, in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India, carried out excavations near Monorampur, a newly developed village. Several statues of Gautama Buddha were found and the remains of a Buddhist stupa was unearthed. In 1994–95, the Burdwan Gazeteer had commented that the style of construction indicated that the stupa at Monorampur was built during 7-9th century. The lower portions of the excavations indicated the presence of a neolithic-chalcolithic habitation which remained deserted till the time of construction of the stupa. The place can be reached from Randiha dam.[1]
Geography
Location
Galsi is located at .
Galsi II CD Block is part of the Bardhaman Plain, the central plain area of the district. The area is surrounded by the Bhagirathi on the east, the Ajay on the north-west and the Damodar on the west and south. Old river channels and small creeks found in the region dry up in the dry season, but the Bardhaman Plains are sometimes subject to heavy floods during the rainy season. The region has recent alluvial soils.
Galsi II CD Block is bounded by Ausgram I CD Block on the north, Burdwan I CD Block on the east, Khandaghosh CD Block on the south and Indas CD Block, in Bankura district, and Galsi I CD Block on the west.
Galsi II CD Block has an area of 219.09 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 9 gram panchayats, 116 gram sansads (village councils), 73 mouzas and 73 inhabited villages. Galsi police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD Block is at Galsi.
Gram panchayats of Galsi II block/panchayat samiti are: Adra, Bhuri, Galsi, Gohogram, Khano, Kurkuba, Masjidpur, Sanko and Satinadi.
Demographics
Population
As per the 2011 Census of India Galsi II CD Block had a total population of 147,177, all of which were rural. There were 74,751 (51%) males and 72,426 (49%) females. Population below 6 years was 15,594. Scheduled Castes numbered 58,342 (39.64%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 7,652 (4.08%).
As per 2001 census, Galsi II block had a total population of 133,951, out of which 68,641 were males and 65,310 were females. Galsi II block registered a population growth of 11.82 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for Bardhaman district was 14.36 per cent. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent. Scheduled castes at 55,012 formed more than one-third the population. Scheduled tribes numbered 9,127.
Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Galsi II CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Galsi (10,700), Gohagram (4,058), Bahirghanya (5,116), Khano (5,400), Satinandi (6,954) and Sanko (9,580).
Other villages in Galsi II CD Block include (2011census figures in brackets): Adra (3,774), Kurkuba (2,714), Maszidpur (2,163), Bhuri (2,805) and Channa (2,465).
Literacy
As per the 2011 census the total number of literates in Galsi II CD Block was 92,178 (70.05% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 51,594 (77.28% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 40,584 (62.61% of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 14.66%.
As per 2001 census, Galsi II block had a total literacy of 64.54 per cent for the 6+ age group. While male literacy was 74.42 per cent female literacy was 54.05 per cent. Bardhaman district had a total literacy of 70.18 per cent, male literacy being 78.63 per cent and female literacy being 60.95 per cent.
See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate
Languages and religion
In the 2011 census Hindus numbered 110,055 and formed 74.78% of the population in Galsi II CD Block. Muslims numbered 36,410 and formed 24.74% of the population. Christians numbered 504 and formed 0.34% of the population. Others numbered 208 and formed 0.14% of the population.
In Bardhaman district the percentage of Hindu population has been declining from 84.3% in 1961 to 77.9% in 2011 and the percentage of Muslim population has increased from 15.2% in 1961 to 20.7% in 2011.
At the time of the 2011 census, 93.00% of the population spoke Bengali and 5.90% Santali as their first language.
Rural poverty
As per poverty estimates obtained from household survey for families living below poverty line in 2005, rural poverty in Galsi II CD Block was 29.42%.