BANKA

DISTRICT PROFILE

Banka district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar.

Situated in the far south-east of Bihar, Banka was notified as a district on 21st February, 1991. Formerly a sub-division of Bhagalpur district, it is now a part of Bhagalpur division.

Banka district is bounded by the districts of Jamui, Munger and Bhagalpur of Bihar, and districts of Deoghar, Dumka and Godda of Jharkhand.

The rivers flowing through Banka district are Chanan, Cheer, Orhni, Belharni and Barua . Chanan is the main river of the district.

INTRODUCTION

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Bhagalpur remained peaceful during the revolt of 1857. Freedom fighters of Banka played an active role in the national freedom movement. Saheed Satish Chandra Jha of village Kharahra was one of the seven martyrs

shot dead by the British on 11th August, 1942 in front of Patna Secretariat while hoisting the Indian flag on the Secretariat building. The martyr is shown in action in the Shaheed Smarak built in front of Patna Secretariat .

Banka has a rich tribal culture. Banka ranks as the 3rd least developed districts in India after Kalahandi and Raygadha of Orissa.

Banka is famous for its handicrafts and hand looms.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Banka town is the district headquarters of Banka district. Banka district comprises of one sub-division only, namely Banka which is divided

into 11 blocks.

Total no. of Gram Panchayats in Banka district: 199. Total no. of villages in Banka district: 2110.

o Banka o Amarpur o Shambhuganj o Belhar o Fullidumar o Katoria

o Chandan o Baunsi o Barahat o Dhoraiya o Rajoun

North Banka is mostly plains while the southern part of Banka adjoining the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand state is hilly tracts which make up 60% of the district of Banka.

Banka has largely an agrarian economy. Grain, fruits and vegetables grow in abundance. Banka district has Bounsi Katoriya forest ranges. The trees found here are Sal, Abuns, Asan,

Kendu, Bahera, Kadam, Amaltas, Mahua and species of acacia such as Babul, Sirish, and Sain Babul. Tasar worms are reared on Asan trees.

Pisi-culture is done in reservoirs, tanks and channels constructed on rivers. Fishes such as Rohu, Katla, Boari, Tengra, Bachwa, Jhinga, Pothi, etc., are reared. Chief fish market and trade-center is Amarpur.

Amarpur has several mills to produce sugar, Gur and molasses from sugarcane. Minerals found in Banka district are sand, china clay, fire clay, mica, granite and galena . China

Clay is found in Patherghatta hill, Samukhiya and Satletwa. Banka is gradually becoming a hotspot of religious tourism.

ECONOMIC PROFILE

GEOGRAPHIC

Coordinates Latitude: 22º30” to 25º9” North Longitude: 84º30” to 87º12” East

Temperature 45° C (Max.) 15° C (Avg.)

Average rainfall 1200 mm

Area 3019 sq. km

Height above sea level 79 meters

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

6953 7092 7524 7737 7764

9832 10237 11311

11815

13404

Per Capita Gross State and District Domestic Product

Per Capita Gross District Domestic Product Per Capita Gross State Domestic Product

Source: Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Govt. of Bihar

Source: MSME – DI Patna, official website of district

DEMOGRAPHIC

Population 2034763

Population density 674 per sq. km

Population growth 26.14%

Sex ratio 907 per 1000 male

Literacy rate 60.12%

Languages spoken Angika and Hindi

Although Banka is strategically located near the source of many minerals which are raw materials for heavy industries, it remains industrially backward.

Homemade Khadi and silk of Banka are very popular. Most of the raw silk cocoon is produced in Katoria; in fact major part of the raw materials required for silk industry in Bhagalpur is supplied from Katoria. Traditional Tasar silk weaving is practised in village Ktoriya in Amarpur block. A thousand weaver families in villages of Biraidih Churaili, Masuriya, Dumra and Jagay depend mainly on handloom weaving for their livelihood.

Shivshankar Chemicals Works is located in Rajoun near Bhagalpur border. There is good scope for setting up coal based power plant and other heavy industries in

Banka.

INVESTMENT

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50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Investment (Rs. Lakh)

Source: MSME – DI Patna

Source: MSME – DI Patna

INDUSTRIAL PROFILE Banka has three-four major rice production and transaction centres like Vijayhaat (oldest

and most successful) and Rajoun. Rice mills producing high quality Usna /Parmal rice are very popular.

Amarpur belt is famous for sugar cane, hence has many Gur and Khandsari mills. Banka district is full of greenery and forests, hence timber industry was once a vibrant

industry. Few timber mills are left and the industry is trying to revive. There is a stone crushing industry at Bounsi. Banka town has a sub-power grid. Being strategically close to sources of raw materials required for heavy industries, Banka

is a potential destination for large investment in thermal power projects, timber industry, sugarcane related industry, renewable energy, agro-based industry, china-clay industry and other heavy industries. MAJOR INDUSTRIAL AREA

EXISTING MICRO & SMALL ENTERPRISES AND ARTISAN UNITS Type of industry No. of Units Investment (Rs.

Lakh)

Agro based 150 304.1 Soda water 5 4.25 Cotton textile 70 160.2 Woolen, silk & artificial thread based clothes 110 240.36 Jute & jute based 5 22.11 Readymade garments & embroidery 20 24.25 Wood/wooden based furniture 50 57.25 Paper & paper products 34 96.39 Leather based 75 121.74 Chemical/chemical based 50 99.22 Rubber, plastic & petro based 20 79.54 Mineral based 60 40.03 Metal based (Steel Fab.) 110 150.02 Engineering units 5 1.75 Repairing & servicing 90 65.69 Others 26 52.09 Total 880 1518.99

No industrial area present in Banka district.

Source: MSME – DI Patna

INFRASTRUCTURE

Total no. of hospitals and health centers : 268. Total no. of commercial banks and financial institutions: 81 Educational institutions:

No. of primary schools – 1460 No. of middle schools – 502 No. of secondary and senior secondary schools – 64 No. of colleges – 07

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY

The land use in Banka district is mainly agricultural. North Banka has fertile plains and seasonal rivers, drying up in summer but flooding during rainy seasons. Water from irrigation schemes is sufficient for production of grain, fruits, vegetables, etc.

Banka is called the rice bowl of Bihar.

The main crops are rice, wheat, corn, and lentils. Fruits grown in Banka district are mango, jack-fruits, plantains, date palms, plums, Jamun, etc. The most important cash crop is sugar cane, growing in abundance in Amarpur, Rajoun and Dhoraiya.

Local agrarian economy can turn Banka into a land of opportunities.

POTENTIAL INDUSTRY

Micro & Small Enterprise

•Agro based products •Packaged drinking water •Rice mill •Daal mill •Patta/leaf plate industries •Garment industries

Major Clusters

•Handloom cluster •Chandi Machhali Nirman •Bamboo products •Latto cluster

Service Enterprises

•Computer hardware maintenance

•Cutting and tailoring

LARGE SCALE INDUSTRY/ PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKING

No large scale industry/ public sector undertaking.

IDENTIFIED CLUSTERS

•Principal products manufactured in the cluster- Silk cloth •No. of functional units in the cluster - 25 •Turnover of the cluster - Rs. 50 lakh •Employment in cluster - 370 •Average investment in plant & machinery - Rs. 10 lakh

Handloom Cluster, Dumrama, Amarpur

•Principal products manufactured in the cluster – Chandi Machali

•No. of functional units in the cluster – 45 •Turnover of the cluster – Rs. 90 lakh •Employment in cluster – 135 •Average investment in plant & machinery – Rs. 3 lakh

Chandi Machali Nirman Cluster, Mania, Katoria

•Principal products manufactured in the cluster –Bamboo products

•No. of functional units in the cluster – 25 •Turnover of the cluster – Rs. 12.5 lakh •Employment in cluster – 56 •Average investment in plant & machinery – Rs. 0.25 lakh

Bamboo Products, Fatahpur, Amarpur

Source: MSME – DI Patna

S. No.

Type of assistance Name and address of agencies

1. Provisional Registration Certificate (EM-1) & Permanent Registration Certificate ( EM-II)

District Industries Centre, Banka

2. Identification of Project Profiles, Techno-economic and Managerial consultancy services, Market survey and Economic survey reports.

MSME Development Institute – Patna

3. Land and Industrial shed BIADA – Patna 4. Financial Assistance All commercial/ lead Bank /

NABARD/ Nationalized Bank 5. For raw materials under Govt.

Supply National Small Industries Corporation, Patna

6. Plant and machinery under hire/ purchase basis.

National Small Industries Corporation, Patna

7. Power/ Electricity Bihar State Electricity Board 8. Technical Know–how. MSME-DI, Patna 9. Quality & Standard Bureau of Indian Standard

10. Marketing /Export Assistance Director, MSME-DI & NSIC

STEPS TO SETUP MSMEs

Source: MSME – DI Patna

TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE Ra

ilway

• Nearest Railway Station: Banka. •Railway line connecting Banka to Howrah, is coming up which will be a boon for investment due to accessibility to port and reach to larger market.

Road

•Banka is linked by good roads with Bhagalpur and Munger district.

Airp

ort

•Nearest airport is at Patna.

EDUCATION In 1945, freedom fighters established the famous Mandar Vidyapith in Banka, a

nationalist university to impart Indian education, after the model of Gujarat Vidyapith , Kashi Vidyapith and Bihar Vidyapith .

There are many schools and colleges in Banka district.

Some famous schools are: P.B.S.College, the most famous high school named Rani Mahkam Kumari High School, SKP Vidya Vihar, B.D Academy Amarpur, R.B Bal Vikas Sansthan Banka, Tribhuwan Academy Govt. School Panjawara, S.S Girls High School, B N JHA high school Kamalpur, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya.

HERITAGE & TOURISM Mandaar Parwat: This historical mountain, situated in Bounsi block at about 18 km

from Banka town, is the recognition of Banka district. Called Mandarachal Parwat in Puran, this 700 ft high hill in Bausi block, made of a single piece of stone has considerable religious significance and is a place of pilgrimage for the Hindus. The Skand Puran records the history of Samudra- Manthan when Mandaar was used as Mathni to churn Amrit from the ocean. Atop Mandaar Parwat are two temples in close proximity, Narsimha temple and Digambar Jain Tirthankar Basupujya temple, which is a sign of religious tolerance. At the bottom of Mandaar Parwat is an ancient Avantikanath temple.

Jesth Gour Pahar: At the foothill of Jesth Gour Pahar is a tank called Paap-harni, a Shiv temple called Jesth Gour Math-literally meaning elder brother of Deoghar temple and a number of dilapidated temples while atop the Jesth Gour Pahar is a Kali temple and an ancient well. A marvellous Mahavishnu - Mahalaxmi temple stands in the middle of Paapharni tank. The place has deep religious significance for the Hindus.

Village Asauta: Established by Maharani Chandarjoti of Kharagpur, she also built a Garh, tank and mosque. The ruins of the Garh and mosque are extant.

Village Amarpur: According to local tradition, the village was set up by Shah Umar- the Wazir of Shah Suja, the Governor of Bihar, for rehabilitating village Patwai which was displaced due to the spate in river Chandan.

Village Dumrama: Ruins of Buddhist Stupas have been excavated here.

Village Gouripur: It has an extant Shiv temple constructed by Maharani Chandarjoti of Kharakpur.

Village Lachhmipur: It was the seat of Rajas Lachhimipur, the ruins of whose forts are extant.

Shravani Mela: In the month of Shravan, Kaawaria- the pilgrims, travel bare- footed from Sultanganj to Baidyanath Dham, also called Babadham, in Deoghar district of Jharkhand state-a distance of 105 km, carrying Ganga Jal to offer to Lord Shiva. 64km of this ardours journey is through Belhar, Katoria and Chandan blocks of Banka district. Village Indrabaran has many Dharmshala for Kaawarias.

Udyog Mitra, Dept. of Industries Govt. of Bihar Ground Floor, Indira Bhawan, RCS Path, Patna, Bihar 800 001. Tel : +91 612 2532695 Fax : +91 612 2532695 Email: info@udyogmitrabihar.com

Industries Department 2nd Floor, Vikas Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna, Bihar 800 015

www.udyogmitrabihar.com