KATIHAR (BIHAR)

Katihar district

Katihar district कटिहार जिलाضلع کٹہار
—  District of Bihar  —
Location of Katihar district in Bihar
Country	India
State	Bihar
Administrative division	Purnia
Headquarters	Katihar
Government
• Lok Sabha constituencies	Katihar
• Assembly seats	Katihar, Kadwa, Balrampur, Pranpur, Manihari, Barari, Korha
Area
• Total	3,056 km2 (1,180 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	3,068,149
• Density	1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
Demographics
• Literacy	53.56 per cent
• Sex ratio	916
Major highways	NH 31, NH 81
Website	Official website

Katihar district is one of the thirty-seven districts of Bihar state, India, and Katihar town is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district is a part of Purnia Division.

Katihar became a district when it was split from Purnia in 1973. Earlier Katihar district was dominated by Choudhary Family who were the biggest landlords of Kosi zone . Founder of Choudhary family was Khan Bahadur Mohammad Baksh. The family holds lands of about 15,000 acres in katihar district, 8,500 acres in Purnia. It was also the part of Bengal before Partition Of Bengal. And after the Partion of Bengal, this Katihar District became part of Bihar.

Geography

Katihar district occupies an area of 3,057 square kilometres (1,180 sq mi),comparatively equivalent to Canada's Akimiski Island.

Rivers: Mahananda, Ganges, Koshi, Righa

Katihar district is situated in the plains of North Eastern part of Bihar State, surrounded by Purnea district (Bihar) in the north and the west, Bhagalpur district (Bihar) and Sahebganj district (Jharkhand) in the south and Malda district and Uttar Dinajpur district (Paschim Bengal) in the east.

Economy

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Katihar one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the 36 districts in Bihar currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

Political history

The Katihar Loksabha constituency has been represented by politicians like Tariq Anwar, Nikhil Choudhary, Yonuis Salim. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed also unsuccessfully tried his luck. The district has seen immense activity during freedom struggle. There has been renowned freedom fighters like Alhaj Azhar Ali after whose name there is a village called Ajhrail.

Sub-divisions

Katihar District comprises 3 Sub-divisions:

• Katihar,
• Barsoi and
• Manihari

Katihar sub-division is further divided into 10 blocks: Katihar, Korha, Falka, Sameli, Barari, Kursela, Pranpur, Hasanganj, Dandkhora and Mansahi. Barsoi sub-division consists 4 blocks: Barsoi, Kadwa, Azamnagar and Balrampur. Manihari sub-division has 2 blocks: Manihari and Amdabad. Hasanganj being the largest block which was under the zamindari rule with accres of land under the possession of then Late Shri Jogendranarayan Roy Choudhury. The entire landmass with school, temple and market has been donated to the people from the predecessors who remain in Katihar now with little of the possession under the Paul Choudhury fame. Mansahi was also very active zamindari estate which was at par with Kursela and Falka.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Katihar district has a population of 3,068,149, roughly equal to the nation of Oman or the US state of Iowa. This gives it a ranking of 117th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 1,004 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,600 /sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 28.23%. Katihar has a sex ratio of 916 females for every 1000 males,and a literacy rate of 53.56%. The district has a significant concentration of muslims.

Angika is the main language spoken in Katihar district.

Surjapuri language, north Bengal's native language is spoken in Barsoi subdivision of Katihar district while Bengali language is also significantly spoken in Katihar.