| Voice of Loknath Ray
The district sometime faces extreme condition of drought as well
as flood.
Poverty is very high in the district.
Government schemes, implemented for the upliftment of the poor are
not reaching the poor.
Begusarai District
Area, Population & Sex Ratio
Geographical Area : 1918.0 Km2
Population in Begusarai (Census 2011)
Total Population
Total : 2,954,367
Male : 1,560,203
Female : 1,394,164
Under 6 population
Total : 532,382
Male : 278,564
Female : 253,818
Disabled population
Total disabled population : 61031
In seeing : 31593
In speech : 4077
In hearing : 1897
In movement : 17712
Mental : 5752
Rank ( VoiceOfBharat.org Analysis
)
Backwardness : 300
Sex Ratio Rank : 189 (Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C (HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 99 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 523 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Water : Occurrence of High Arsenic in Ground Water
Brief About Begusarai District
Begusarai occupies a central position in North Bihar.
In 1870 it was established as a sub-divison of the Munger district.
It emerged as a district in 1972. It was named after "Begu" a man
of this district who used to look after "Sarai" an old and small
market.Geographical features: Begusarai lies in North Bihar between
latitudes 25°15' and 25° 45' north and longitudes 85°45' and 86°36" east. This town expands perpendicularly
from east to west which used to be a main link road. It is bounded
on the north by Samastipur, on the south by the Ganga and the Lakhisarai
district, on the east by Khagaria and Munger and on the west by
the Samastipur and Patna districts.Demographic feature: The 2001
census count placed the Begusarai population at 23,42,989 as on
the first of March. The population has grown at an annual average
rate of 2.9%. There are many stages in the demographic transition
beginning with a declining mortality and continuing fertility to
a stage where both mortality and fertility rates decline more or
less at the same rate and keep the population stable over a period
of time.
Geographical features : Begusarai lies in
North Bihar between latitudes 25°15' and 25° 45' north and longitudes
85°45' and 86°36" east. This town expands perpendicularly from east
to west which used to be a main link road. It is bounded on the
north by Samastipur, on the south by the Ganga and the Lakhisarai
district, on the east by Khagaria and Munger and on the west by
the Samastipur and Patna districts.
Demographic feature:
The 2001 census count placed the Begusarai population at 23,42,989
as on the first of March. The population has grown at an annual
average rate of 2.9%. There are many stages in the demographic transition
beginning with a declining mortality and continuing fertility to
a stage where both mortality and fertility
rates decline more or less at the same rate and keep the population
stable over a
period of time.
POPULATION
Source: Census, 1991, 2001
Land : In accordance with the reports compiled
by the District Agriculture Office, Begusarai, the principal characteristics
of the land use pattern of the
Begusarai district for the year 2002-2003 is as follows:
Wasteland and non arable area
:
2118 Hectares
Natural Water sources :
Begusarai district is located in
the middle Ganga plain. Main rivers are Burhi Gandak, Balan, Bainty,
Baya and Chandrabhaga.
Kaver Jheel :
Kaver Jheel one of the Asia’s largest fresh water lake, also famous
for Bird’s sanctuary.
Minerals : No minerals of economic importance
Irrigation :
Mostly by Tubwells
Forest : This district does not comprise of any
forest. In contrast to the eastern portions of the old district
of Munger, this district lying south to the Ganga does not comprise
of any forest of sal and other large trees. At most of the places,
there are gardens of mango and litchi. Chakmuzaffar a village of
Naokothi block is famous for banana. Apart from these, Babul, Neem,
Guava, Lemon, Gamahar, Peepal, Bamboo, shirish are also found. Shisham
is one of the most important ones of them.
Wild animals are scarcely found in this district.
However, birds are seen in large numbers in various colours, particularly
in the bird sanctuary of Kaver Lake. As of now 59 types of birds
from abroad and 107 types of birds from home have been recognized.
Sources of Livelihood :
The traditional occupation in this area has been the rearing of
milch cattle. Animals are used in agricultural work even today.
In urban areas rearing of cows of hybrid quality has increased.
Despite domestic use of milk, a huge quantity of milk is sold to
the Barauni Milk Composite Dairy Industry. This gives lucrative
income and employment to the people of Begusarai.
INDUSTRY:
Begusarai is nationally and internationally known for its industrial
recognition. Major industrial units are: Indian Oil Refinery-
Barauni, and Hindustan Fertilizer Limited -Barauni, Thermal power
station- Barauni and hundreds of small industrial units in the private
sector in which Hindustan Fertilizer Limited -Barauni is on the
verge of closure.
This district has potential for agro- based industries because of
large production of maize and oilseeds, etc, as mentioned earlier.
Infrastructure: Begusarai is well connected to
other parts of Bihar and India through railways as well as roads.
New Delhi - Gawahati railway line passes through Begusarai. Small
aerodrome in Ulao, five kms from the district headquarters, which
is used on the arrival of very important persons. Railway has a
route of 119 km (B.G.) and 67 km (M.G.). Barauni Railway Junction
occupies an important position. A number of important trains originate
from this station for distant destinations, viz, Delhi, Guwahati,
Amritsar, Varanasi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Chennai etc. Rajendra Setu
on the Ganga is connected to Mokama and Howrah. There are 18 railway
stations in this district. Interior parts of the district
are connected to the main roads.The National Highways 28 and 31
link this district to the other parts of the country. Its total
length is 95 km. State roads have the total length of 262 km. 95%
of the total villages is linked to the rural and urban road facilities.
The condition of the National Highway and other road in the district
is not very good. Excessive rains coupled with poor maintenance
account for the poor condition of roads. Other than National Highway,
roads are maintained by the Road construction Department, Some are
maintained by the Rural Engineering organization. Repairing and
maintenance of roads require huge investment and proper care with
a deep sense of responsibility. This a only way out.
Geography and Geology
Background
The district Begusarai, an important district in the state of Bihar
lies on the northern bank of river Ganga. Earlier it was a part
of the greater Munger district. Begusarai district was carved out
of it as a separate district on. 2nd October 1972 (A handnote on
Begusarai district census-1991). Now it is a part of the Munger
commissionery. Geographically, lying between latitudes 25015’N &
25014’N and longitudes 85045’E & 85045’E, it covers an area of 1918km
2. In the north, it shares its boundaries with Samastipur district;
in the east and NE it is surrounded by Khagaria district. In the
southeastern part lies the Munger district. In the south is Lakhisarai
and in the southwestern side, along the banks of River Ganga, it
is shares its boundaries with Patna district. It is situated in
a part of Middle Gangetic plains, locally known as North Bihar plains.
Administratively it is divided into five subdivisions- Begusarai,
Teghara, Balia Manjhaul and Bakhri and eighteen blocks namely Begusarai,
Mattihani, Teghra, Samho, Bachhwara, Barauni, Bhagwanpur, Balia,
Sahibpur Kamal, CheriaBariarpur, Khudabandpur, Bakhari. Mansurchak,
Birpur, Dandari, Nawkothi, Garhpura, and Chhaurahi The average population
density is app. 900 persons per square kms. The economy is mainly
agriculture based and the major crops are wheat,
maize, chilli, sugarcane etc.
The views presented in this article belongs to the author and in
no case represent the views of the organization to which he belongs
or the website which hosts the article.
Two big industries mark the skyline of the district i.e. Thermal
power station and Petro-Chemicals factory and Oil refinery complex
at Barauni. Earlier Barauni Fertilizer was also an important industry
which is now non functional. Rajendra Bridge across Ganges at Barauni
forms an important link way connecting north and south Bihar, Resting
spot for migratory birds in a wetland known as Kanwar tal and the
Ghats of Ganga at Simaria possessing religious importance, exists
as a potential tourist spots.
Climate
Being a part of Gangetic plain of Indian subcontinent, the district
experiences three climatic seasons – summer from late March to mid
time rainy season from mid June to October and the winter season
from November to February. The month of February & March fall in
the transitional season from winter to summer described as spring
or “Basant”. Similarly the months of September & October falls in
the transitional season from rainy season to winter season described
as “Shishir”.
Physiography and Relief
North Ganga plain is a major physiographic unit of the Indian
landmass. It extends from the Himalayan terrain in the north to
the river Ganga in the south covering about 56980 km2. a roughly
quadrilateral shape. Generally recognized as "a water-surplus area",
this quadrilateral region is bounded by a northern piedmont belt
where water oozes to the surface, followed by a broad belt of swampy
lands, depressions and lakes, and finally an aggregation of alluvial
fans as all these northern streams bend to form confluence points
with the Ganga (Singh & Kumar, 1970).Hence, the surface is characterized
by palaeo levees, swamps or flood basins locally called "Chaurs",
relict palaeo channels aggraded in varying degrees, meander belts,
ox-bow lakes and cut-of loops (Ahmad,1971). Its fluvial geomorphology
is dominated from west to east by the Ghagra-Gandak Interfluves,
the Gandak-Kosi Interfluves and the western Kosi Fan Belt. Some
of these rivers frequently change their channels. Their channels
are called by different names in different parts of their courses.
According to a study in 1976 on Wetlands in Bihar, by Govt. of Bihar,
natural wetlands of more than 100 ha each covered about 46828 ha
(Directory of Wetlands, Govt. of Bihar)
The district of Begusarai lies in the middle part of this great
plain known as mid Ganga plain. In general, it is a low-lying flat
terrain (MSL45m-32m) having a southerly to southeasterly slope.
This factor governs the flow of streams. Geomorphologically it is
a part of the Gandak- Kosi inerfluve (please refer subheading Geomorphology
given below). The southern part of the district, except those of
low-lying flood plains of Ganga, appears to be an elevated landmass
when compared to the adjoining districts of Khagaria and Samastipur.
Hence, being a safer destination amidst the flood drained region,
it supports the human activities in a better way.
The district Begusarai is divided into three flood plains namely
i. Kereha-Old Bhagmati flood plains,
ii. Burhi Gandhak Flood plain and
iii. Ganga Flood plain
The first two flood plains of the district are very low lying
areaS and are prone to the flood. The floods owe their origin to
the complex interplay of fluvial geomorphic elements in the upstream
sections of the Kosi, Bagmati-Kareh-Budhi Gandak and related rivers.
These two flood plains converge in the southeastern part of the
district, which is lowland. The streams flowing in the region show
a shifting tendency. In the course of their shifting, the rivers
leave behind their scars of their previous channels. Thus due to
shifting nature of streams and physiographic characteristic, this
part is full of wetlands, backswamps and oxbow lakes. However, in
the southern part, the flood plains of Ganga are least prone to
flodd. Interestingly the Railway track passing through the district
marks a prominent divider line for Ganga flood plain and Kereha-
old Bhagmati flood plains & Burhi Gandhak flood plain. The Flood
plains of Burhi Gandak and Kareha are marked by the presence of
paleo levees, oxbow lakes, paleochannels, relict streams and chaurs
viz Kaulachaur and Bhagwanpur chaur. These chaurs serve as excellent
fertile agricultural lands duing summer and are submerged during
rains. Also the areas around these chaurs face the problem of submergence
for around three-four months a year. Kawar lake, a large fresh water
lake which is basically a huge wetland is present as an important
physiographic feature of this part.
In the Gangaflood plain, which is approaximately 50-55km long and
5-6kms wide,in the southern part of the district, except those low
lying areas of “Taals and chaurs”, the typical fluvial characteristics
of North Bihar rivers are not visible, which are prominent in the
north of Railway track. This is the least flood prone area of the
district, which gets drowned only in cases of exceptional floods
in Ganga and Burhi Gandak. This relatively upland area appears to
be the levee of river Ganga.
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