Nawada district

Nawada district is one of the thirty-eight districts of the Indian state of Bihar. Nawada is its administrative headquarters. The district is the easternmost district of the Magadh division, one of the nine administrative divisions of Bihar. The area of the modern district was historically part of the Magadha, Shunga and Gupta empires. Koderma and Giridih districts of the state of Jharkhand lie on the southern border of the district; it also shares borders with the Gaya, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, and Jamui districts of Bihar.

History

In 1845, Nawada was made a subdivision of Gaya district. Nawada district was separated from Gaya district on January 26, 1973.

Kakolat Falls are mentioned in Hindu Pauranik History as the abode of a king turned into a python by a Rishi’s curse.

Geography

Nawada district occupies an area of 2,494 square kilometres (963 sq mi), comparatively equivalent to Chile’s Navarino Island. Most parts of the district are plain but some areas are hilly. The main rivers are the Sakri, Khuri, Panchane, Bhusri by Kakolat and Tilaiya.

Administrative divisions

Nawada District is divided into two Sub-divisions and then into 14 blocks. These blocks in their respective sub-divisions are as follows :

Nawada Sub-Division

1. Hisua – Bagodar, Chhatihar, Chitarghati, Dhanwa, Dona, Eknar, Hadsa, Hisua Nagar Panchayat, Kaithir, Pachra, Sonsa, Tekpur, Tungi
2. Warisaliganj – Makanpur, Apsarh, Baghi Bardiha, Pakribarawan, Chakwae, Dosut, Hajipur, Kochgawn, Kumbhi, Kutri, Manjaur, Masudha, Mohiuddin Pur, Mosima, Naromurar, Paingari, Gorapar, Saur, Shahpur, Thera, Warisaliganj Nagar Panchayat, maafi, simri, may, chainpur, chandipur, balyari, baali, bilaari.
3. Nawada – Bhadauni, Akauna Minhai, Amthi, Bhadokhra, Bhagwanpur, Didaur, Gonawa, Jamuawa Patwa Sarai, Jhunathi, Kharant, Loharpura, Mahuli, Nanaura, Nawada Nagar Parishad, Oraina, Paura, Quadirganj, Samai, Sonsiahri
4. Kawakol – Chhabail, Darawa, Debnagar, Kawakol, Kebali, Khadshari, Lalpur, Mahudar, Manjhila, Nawadaih, Paharpur, Pali, Pandegangot, Saroni, Shekhodewra
5. Nardiganj – Dohra, Handiya, Ichua Karna, Kahuara, Kosla, Masaurha, Nardiganj, Nanaura, Odo, Parma, Pesh
6. Kashichak – Parwati, Revera, Jagdishpur, Chandinama, Khakhari, Belar, Birnawa, Subhanpur, Derhgaon, Sarkatti
7. Pakari Barawan – Belkhunda, Budhaul, Dioura, Okaura, Dewdha, Dhodha, Dumrawan, Euri, Jiuri, Kewala, Kunanpur, Pakri Barawan, Poksi

Rajauli Sub-Division

1. Akbarpur – Baksanda, Baliya Buzurg, Barail, Barew, Bhanail, Bhudhuwa, Fattehpur, Gobind Bigha, Kulna, Ladaha, Malikpur, Nemdarganj, Mankhar, Pachgawan, Pachrukhi, Paijuna, Panti, Parto Karahri, Pharaha, Sakarpura, Diri
2. Narhat – Babhnaur, Jamuara, Khanwa, Konibar, Narhat, Pali Kurd, Punaul, Punthar, Saidapur Goasa, Shekhpura
3. Meskaur – Akri Pandebigha, Barat, Barosar, Biju Bigha, Meskaur, Mairzapur, Pasarhi, Rasulpur, Saraye, Tetariya, Mahugay
4. Sirdala – Abdul, Akauna, Bandhi, Bargawan, Chaube, Chaukia, Dhiraundh, Ghaghat, Khalkhu, Khanpura, Khatangi, Laund, Rajan, Sanrh Majhgawn, Sirdala, Upardih
5. Rajauli – Amawa East, Amawa West, Andharbari, Bahadurpur, Chitarkoli, Dhamni, Hardiya, Jogya Maran, Lengura, Murhena, Parka Buzurg, Rajauli Nagar Panchayat, Sawaiya Tand, Sirodabar, Takua Tand
6. Govindpur – Baksoti, Baniya Bigha, Budhwara, Madhopur, Bisunpur, Bhawanpur, Delhua, Sarkanda, Sughri, Govindpur
7. Roh – Nazardih, Ohari, Marui

Nawada also has 5 Assembly constituencies: Nawada, Hisua, Rajauli, Gobindpur and Warisaliganj.

Economy

The main crops harvested in the district are paddy, wheat, pulses, and vegetables. Industrial facilities in the district include bidi factories and silk handlooms. Formerly, sugar cane farming and processing also took place; the district’s single sugar mill, located in Warisaliganj, is currently non-functional. Kadirganj, located 10 km from Nawada, has a silk small scale industry where workers clean and weave silk.

Rajauli Hisua and Warsaliganj are emerging as significant market hubs for the hinterland regions bordering Jharkhand state, and have also produced many professionals including physicians, surgeons, engineers who are working in many parts of India. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India identified Rajauli as the possible site for creating an additional 2,800 MW of nuclear power capacity in the state.

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Nawada one of the country’s 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the 38 districts in Bihar currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

Transport

National Highway 20 runs roughly north–south through the western side of district, serving many villages and towns, including the administrative center of Nawada. National Highway 120 follows a 30 km route in the far northwestern corner of the district, passing through the town of Hisua. Including state highways and other routes connecting villages, the district has approximately 420 km of paved roads. Deluxe buses are available from Nawada to major cities, including Patna.

The district lies in the East Central Railway of Indian Railways; the Gaya–Kiul line crosses the district roughly east–west, and connects with the Bakhtiyarpur–Tilaiya line at Tilaiya Junction. Two express trains and several local trains run on the Gaya-Kiul line via Nawada railway station. Though electrification is complete, doubling of railway line is under process . This would provide alternative route for kolkata and North-East bound trains and would enhance passenger services and freight trains. However a Delhi bound train is already scheduled to start from mid March from Bhagalpur to Delhi via kiul-gaya mughalsarai on a weekly basis.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Nawada district has a population of 2,219,146, roughly equal to the nation of Latvia or the US state of New Mexico. This gives it a ranking of 205th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 889 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,300/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 22.49%. Nawada had a sex ratio of 936 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 61.63%. Scheduled Castes make up 25.5% of the population.