District Map [1] Basic Information about the District District Paschim Medinipur Area(in Square KM) 6307.76 Total Population(Census 2011) 5193411 Total SC Population(in %) 18.05 Total ST Population(in %) 14.87 DEMOGRAPHY Total Population Density(per Sq. KM) 743 Total Polling Stations 5398 [4290(main)+1108(Auxi)] Total Assembly Constituencies 15 Total Electors 3835432 Total Male Electors 1941758 Total Female Electors 1893628 Total Third Gender Electors 46 ELECTORAL Total Service Electors 4825 INFORMATION Gender Ratio 975 EP Ratio 0.72 No. of Sub-Divisions 3 No. of Blocks 21 No. of Gram Panchayats 211 No. of Census Village 5698 No. of Municipalities 7 No. of Post Offices 1420 No. of Police Stations 20 Name of Bordering State/Countries Odisha Howrah, Hooghly, Purba ADMINISTRATIVE SETUP Name of Bordering Districts Medinipur, Jhargram , Bankura Total Road Length 538.06 KM National Highway Length 212 KM State Highway Length 69.35 KM IVITY ROAD ROAD CONNECT District Road Length 256.71 KM [2] Assembly Constituency Map [3] BRIEF NOTES ON THE DISTRICT Geography of the District at a glance Medinipur undivided was the largest district in West Bengal and one of the largest districts of India spanning 14,081 sq km and comprising 15.86% area of West Bengal. The district was divided into two – Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur on 1st January 2002. The district Paschim Medinipur was further divided into two – Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram on 4th April 2017. Presently, the district of Paschim Medinipur is still a large district with an area of 6,308sq km and a population of over 51.93 lakhs (Census 2011). Paschim Medinipur district is located in the south-west part of West Bengal. It is surrounded by Bankura in the north, Balasore in the south, Howrah, Hoogly and Purba Medinipur in the east and Jhargram in the west. The district has a tropical climate with temperatures of maximum 42 degree Celsius and minimum 10 degree Celsius. The district is divided into three subdivisions (Medinipur Sadar, Kharagpur and Ghatal), twentyone blocks and seven municipalities. Kharagpur subdivision consists of Kharagpur municipality and ten blocks: Dantan–I, Dantan–II, Pingla, Kharagpur–I, Kharagpur–II, Sabang, Mohanpur, Narayangarh, Keshiary and Debra. Medinipur Sadar subdivision consists of Medinipur municipality and six blocks: Medinipur Sadar, Garhbeta–I, Garhbeta–II, Garhbeta–III, Keshpur and Salboni. Ghatal subdivision consists of five municipalities (Ramjibanpur, Chandrakona, Khirpai, Kharar and Ghatal) and five blocks: Chandrakona–I, Chandrakona–II, Daspur–I, Daspur–II and Ghatal. There are total 201 gram panchayats in the district. The district is noted for its vast geographical diversity. The north and north-west region of the district is part of the Chhota Nagpur plateau in its eastern end and is covered with hard lateritic stone. The eastern part of the district is a part of recent alluvium. From Garbeta on the north to Midnapur town and from Dantan on the south to Kharagpur, State highway is stretched and the railway track goes just on its parallel line and this maybe treated as the apportioning line of these two land formations. Rivers like Keleghai, Subarnarekha, Kangshabati, Rupnarayan and Silabati flow through this district. Geographical features of this district may be classified into four divisions: (1) Plains of Shilai: This plain-land is a part of Bankura border, which is on the north of this district. This is the middle portion of Shilai on the north and Cossye on the south. Shilairiver comes from Purulia and enters Garbeta-II block. Due to regular alluvial deposition, the river bed gradually grows and in rainy season it causes floods in Daspur-I and Ghatal blocks. In geographical aspects, it is known as a depression area. Alluvial and brown soil is found in southern side of this plain area. The upland of northern region is covered with bush and dwarf sal trees. In this geographical area, Garbeta-I and Garbeta-II blocks, Chandrakona-I and II blocks, Ghatal and some portion of Daspur-I block are included. [4] (2) Lower Cossye Plains: This region can be marked on both sides of the Cossyeriveror its stream. Some portions have been formed with the eastern part of the Rupnarayan, which is a natural marking of Medinipur (undivided) district. The features of a delta plain are keenly found in the eastern part of the Rupnarayan and adjacent areas of Hooghly banks. Ebb and flow is very active in this region. It is a long and depressed area. This region is known as “Mayna basin’. Diffusing feature of the Cossye is one of the reasons behind it. Places like Salboni, Medinipur, Kharagpur, Keshpur, Ghatal, Daspur, Debra, Pingla are included in this plain. (3) Upland of Medinipur: This very upland is of 2029 sq. k.m. and the lands look wavy in this area. Some small ranges and ‘depression’ are found here. It’s a part of Chhoto Nagpur plateau, which is formed with laterite. The Subarnarekha may be called the controlling river in this upland region. This river comes from Bihar and enters Dantan-I block of this district and heads towards east and then flows like a natural border of Bengal and Odisha in the western part of Dantan-I block. Blocks like Keshiary, Dantan-I are totally or partially included in this region. (4) Plains of Contai region: Surface of this region is almost plain. Massive sand dunes are seen on the middle of the Rasulpurriverand Subarnarekha, which is 10 km away from sea coast. These dunes are called ‘Kanthi Baliari’ (Contai Dune). Major rivers are Rasulpur, Keleghai, Kapaleswari, etc. Blocks of Debra, Pingla, Sabong, Dantan, Mohanpur, Keshiary, Kharagpur-I & II etc. are totally or partially included in this region. Medinipur through the ages Period Events 1500 B.C. Reference of Tamralipta first found. 261 B.C. The Kalinga war of Ashoka. Tamralipta becomes a part of Mouryan empire. 320 A.D. Tamralipta flourishes under the Gupta rulers. Rise of ruler Sasanka in Bengal who ruled over Tamralipta and Dandabhukti (present 605 AD day Dantan). 1021- Attack of Rajendara Chola and the beginning of the fall of Tamralipta. 1023AD Anant Barman captures Midhunpur (Medinipur) and fall of Aramyadurg 1135 AD (Arambagh). Medinipur becomes a part of Odisha. 1203 AD Bakhtiar Khalji captures Nadia and the beginning of the Muslim rule in Bengal. 13th to 15th The Hindu rulers of Bishnupur and Chitua (present day Ghatal) and zamindars of century South Bengal prevent complete muslim domination over Bengal. 1497 AD Attack of Alauddin Hussain Shah in Odisha. Chaitanya Dev visits Puri by travelling through Medinipur. War takes place between 1509-1518 Odisha ruler Pratap Rudra and Alauddin Hussain Shah. Considerable areas of AD Medinpur are captured by the Muslims from the Surya Banshi rulers of Odisha. Hijli Port becomes an important centre of commercial trade. Arrival of Portuguese 1514 AD from Odisha. [5] Period Events 1574-1575 War between Mughals and Afghans near Tukaroi village. Afghans are defeated by AD Todarmal. The name ‘Mughal Mari’ emerges. Capture of Odisha and Medinipur by Raja Man Singh. Medinipur subsequently 1593 AD comes under Mughal rule. 1687 AD Arrival of Job Charnock in Hijli from Hooghly. 1701 AD Murshid Kuli Khan becomes the Fouzdar of Medinipur and Bardhaman. 1742 AD Attack of Marathas (Bargi) in Bengal. 1743 AD Second attack of Marathas in Bengal led by Bhaskar Pandit. Third attack of Marathas led by Bhaskar Pandit, plunder of Odisha and Medinipur. 1744 AD Bhaskar Pandit is finally killed by Alivardi Khan. Alivardi Khan sets a permanent camp in Medinipur as a protection against Maratha 1750 AD raids. Marathas kill the Nawab of Odisha, Nazim Mir Habib. A large part of Odisha and 1752 AD Medinipur comes under Maratha rule. Attack of Marathas led by Shib Bhatta. The Nayeb of Medinipur Khushi Lal Singh is 1760 AD defeated. Mir Kasim becomes the Nayeb of Bengal. As per treaty Chakal, Medinipur, Bardhaman and Chetua is handed over to East India Company. 1763 AD ‘Barabazar’ in Medinipur is set up. 1765 AD East India Company wins the Dewani rights of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. 1766 AD Famine in Bengal. ‘Bibi Bazar or Small Bazar’ is set up. 1770 AD Wide spread famine in Medinipur 1777 AD The first Collector of Medinipur and Jaleswar districts Mr. Pears is appointed. 1783 AD Medinipur town is declared as district headquarters on 2nd September. 1792 AD Famine in Medinipur. 1799-1800 Pyke revolt led by Rani Shiromoni and Chunilal Khan begins at Silda. AD 1814 AD Local residents of Medinipur set up Medinipur Collegiate School. Iswarchandra Vidyasagar is born in Birsingha village at present in Ghatal Sub- 1820 AD division. 1823 AD Devastating flood in Medinipur. 1831-1834 Recurring floods in Medinipur AD Medinipur Alms House set up which was later renamed as Medinipur Charitable 1835 AD Society. Medinipur Collegiate School is recognized by the Government and upgraded to a 1836 AD High School in 1840. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was a student of this school. 1841 AD Brahma Samaj established in Medinipur by Shiv Chandra Deb. 1851 Ad Devastating famine in Medinipur. Debendra Nath Tagore arrives in Medinipur. Medinipur Public Library is set up and Belly becomes its first President and Rishi 1852 AD Rajnarayan Basu becomes the first Secretary. Presently this library is known as Rajnarayan Smriti Pathagar (Rajnarayan Memorial Library). 1856 AD Jadav Chandra Bose sets up the first Bengali School at Tamluk. [6] Period Events Sepoy Mutiny starts. Same Mutiny takes place called the Paltan Mutiny in the 1857 AD Sekhawat Battalion in Medinipur. Leader of the revolt, a Tewari Brahmin is hanged in the Collegiate School ground. 1873 AD Midnapur College is set up by carving out of Midnapur Collegiate school M.N.