Begusarai District
| Total Population: 2,349,366 |
| Total literate : 896,444 |
| Rural : 2,241,743 |
Urban : 107,623 |
| Male :1,228,874 |
Female : 1,120,492 |
| Area :1,918
sq. kms. |
|
Collector
District
Magistrate
Phone : 06243-200584
Deputy
Development Commissioner
Phone : 06243-212343
MP : Loksabha
Singh,
Shri Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan)
CONSTITUENCY : Begusarai (Bihar )
PARTY : Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))
Present
Address
21, Meena Bagh
New Delhi-110 011
Tels (011) 23793052, 23793090, 9868180504 (M)
Permanent
Address
406, Mirambhika Apartment,
Behind Quality Corner, Boring Road Chowk,
Patna - 800 001 (Bihar)
Tels. (0612) 2523628
Brief
about 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 :
Agriculture is the mainstay here. 88.33% people depend
upon agriculture. Main cash crops of the district
are oilseeds, tobacco, jute, potato, red chilies,
tomato and andi.
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
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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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