The growth rate was 13.35% in 2014–2015. Ancient Bengal was the site of several major Janapadas, while the earliest cities date back to the Vedic period. [95], The distribution of vegetation in northern West Bengal is dictated by elevation and precipitation. The Scottish Church College, the oldest Christian liberal arts college in South Asia, started in 1830. [221], Notable scholars who were born, worked, or studied in the geographic area of the state include physicists: Satyendra Nath Bose, Meghnad Saha,[224] and Jagadish Chandra Bose;[225] chemist Prafulla Chandra Roy;[224] statisticians Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis and Anil Kumar Gain;[224] physician Upendranath Brahmachari;[224] educator Ashutosh Mukherjee;[226] and Nobel laureates Rabindranath Tagore,[227] C. V. Raman,[225] Amartya Sen,[228] and Abhijit Banerjee[229], In 2005 West Bengal had 505 published newspapers,[230] of which 389 were in Bengali. Dial-up access is provided throughout the state by BSNL and other providers. Total population of rural areas of West Bengal state was 62,183,113. Politics West Bengal. The Koch dynasty in northern Bengal flourished during the 16th and 17th centuries; it weathered the Mughals and survived until the advent of the British colonial era. [53], When India gained independence in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines. [106] Each district is subdivided into sub-divisions, governed by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and again into blocks. [230] Ananda Bazar Patrika, published in Kolkata with 1,277,801 daily copies, has the largest circulation for a single-edition, regional language newspaper in India. [4] In 2012, the state government passed a bill granting additional official status to Hindi, Odia, Punjabi, Santali and Urdu in areas where speakers exceed 10% of the population. Nepali has additional official status in the three subdivisions of Darjeeling district. Kazi Nazrul University was established in 2012. There are five factors which work in favour of Mamata in West Bengal: 1. [26] According to the Indian epic Mahabharata the region was part of the Vanga Kingdom. [114] GSDP percent growth at current prices varied from a low of 10.3% in 2010–2011 to a high of 17.11% in 2013–2014. Migratory birds come to the state during the winter. [245] The stadium hosted the final match of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. During the Bengal Sultanate, the territory was a major trading nation in the world, and was often referred by the Europeans as the "richest country to trade with". [98] Recognising its special conservation value, the Sundarbans area has been declared a Biosphere Reserve. The population of West Bengal makes up 7.8% of India’s total population. Broadband Internet is available in select towns and cities and is provided by the state-run BSNL and by other private companies. In early summer, brief squalls and thunderstorms known as Kalbaisakhi, or Nor'westers, often occur. Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri is a customs airport that offers international service to Bhutan and Thailand, besides regular domestic service. Major English language newspapers include The Telegraph, The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, The Statesman, The Indian Express and Asian Age. GSDP at current prices (base 2004–2005) has increased from Rs 2,086.56 billion in 2004–05 to Rs 8,00,868 crores in 2014–2015,[113] reaching Rs 10,21,000 crores in 2017–18. Notable sports persons from West Bengal include former Indian national cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly, Pankaj Roy, Olympic tennis bronze medallist Leander Paes and chess grand master Dibyendu Barua. [86], The "India State of Forest Report 2017", recorded forest area in the state is 16,847 km2 (6,505 sq mi),[87][88] while in 2013, forest area was 16,805 km2 (6,488 sq mi), which was 18.93% of the state's geographical area, compared to the then national average of 21.23%. The Bengali film industry is well known for its art films, and has produced acclaimed directors like Satyajit Ray who is widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century,[186] Mrinal Sen whose films were known for their artistic depiction of social reality, Tapan Sinha who was one of the most prominent Indian film directors of his time,[187] and Ritwik Ghatak. West Bengal schools are run by the state government or private organisations, including religious institutions. [148] The Darjeeling district also has a large Nepali immigrant population, making Nepali a widely spoken language there. [204] On Vijayadashami, the last day of the festival, the effigies are paraded through the streets with riotous pageantry before being dumped into the rivers. [110] Other larger cities and towns in West Bengal are: Durgapur, Howrah, Bardhaman, Baharampur, Jalpaiguri, Kharagpur and Chandannagar. Bengalis make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products, including Rôshogolla, Chômchôm, Kalojam and several kinds of sondesh. The Vidyasagar College was established in 1872 and was the first purely Indian-run private college in India. “Just as they have tried to divide Hindus and Muslims, they are now trying to create a rift between Bengali and non-Bengalis,” he said. [28] Bengal had overseas trade relations with Suvarnabhumi (Burma, Lower Thailand, the Lower Malay Peninsula and Sumatra). West Bengal's total fertility rate was 1.6, lower than Bihar's 3.4, which is the highest in the entire country. [51] Bengal suffered from the Great Bengal famine in 1943, which claimed three million lives during World War II. [35] After a period of anarchy,[36]:36 the Pala dynasty ruled the region for four hundred years beginning in the 8th century. West Bengal, unlike most other states of India, is noted for its passion and patronage of football. [207], Ganga Sagar Mela coincides with the Makar Sankranti, and hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims converge where the river Ganges meets the sea to bathe en masse during this fervent festival.[206]. 2. https://uidai.gov.in/images/state-wise-aadhaar-saturation.pdf Sweets such as narkol-naru, til-naru, moa and payesh are prepared during festivals such as Lakshmi puja. The ‘Bengali And Non-Bengali’ Divide In West Bengal Politics. [56] The 1974 smallpox epidemic killed thousands. The Council of Ministers reports to the Legislative Assembly. In 2011, the population of Bengal was estimated to be 250 million, making it one of the most densely populated regions in the world. The population density … [211], Some of the notable schools in the city are: Ramakrishna Mission Narendrapur, Baranagore Ramakrishna Mission, Sister Nivedita Girls' School, Hindu School, Hare School, La Martiniere Calcutta, Calcutta Boys' School, St. James' School (Kolkata), South Point School, St. Xavier's Collegiate School, and Loreto House, Loreto Convent, Asansol some of which rank amongst the best schools in the country. [90] Extant wildlife includes Indian rhinoceros, Indian elephant, deer, leopard, gaur, tiger and crocodiles, as well as many bird species. [12] Today, the economy of West Bengal is the sixth-largest state economy in India with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹12.54 lakh crore (US$180 billion),[3] and has the country's 23rd-highest GSDP per capita of ₹115,748 (US$1,600). Both Assam and Bengal go to polls during the summer of 2021. Ironically Bengal does have a history of political resistance. By Aritra Singha On Dec 2, 2020. The Kolkata metro is the country's first underground railway. C. V. Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery (Raman Effect) done at the IACS. Development Policy of a Communist Government: West Bengal Since 1977, This page was last edited on 12 January 2021, at 17:39. Despite the Trinamool Congress government's efforts to forge a consensus on the name change resolution, the Indian National Congress, the Left Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party opposed the resolution. The Hindu College was established in 1817. Auxiliary authorities known as panchayats, for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs. During the arrival of the monsoons, low pressure in the Bay of Bengal region often leads to the formation of storms in the coastal areas. "Don't fall for rumours. [115] The state's per capita income has lagged the all India average for over two decades. Just like Durga Puja, Christmas in Kolkata is an occasion when all communities and people of every religion take part. Bengal has been in the vanguard of modernism in fine arts. [ By Boro Baski ] According to the Ministry of Human Resource Development Report of India (2004–05), the dropout rate among tribals in India from class I to X is 79 %. [20][21], In 2011 the Government of West Bengal proposed a change in the official name of the state to PaschimBanga (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Pôshchimbônggô). [198] Popular street foods include Aloor Chop, Beguni, Kati roll, biryani, and phuchka. Covering an area of 88,752 km2 (34,267 sq mi), it is also the seventh-most populous country subdivision of the world. TMC strategists later warned Mamata about the risk of alienating Bengal’s 15 million non-Bengali Hindu population. In most of the state, cycle rickshaws and in Kolkata, hand-pulled rickshaws and electric rickshaws are used for short-distance travel. Rabindrasangeet, songs composed and set to words by Rabindranath Tagore, and Nazrul geeti (by Kazi Nazrul Islam) are popular. [163], As of September 2017, of 125 towns and cities in Bengal, 76 have achieved open defecation free (ODF) status. [83], West Bengal's climate varies from tropical savanna in the southern portions to humid subtropical in the north. The eastern part went to the Dominion of Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan in 1956), becoming the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. [122], In the period 2004–2010, the average gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth rate was 13.9% (calculated in Indian rupee terms) lower than 15.5%, the average for all states of the country. ", "West Bengal tax revenue up 19% on greater efficiency", "Revenue collection: Mamata Banerjee's West Bengal beats rest of India in growth", "Bharat Bandh gets mixed response from India, West Bengal surprises with business-as-usual attitude", "Zero-strike work culture has resulted in no days loss: Moloy Ghatak", "Report on Fifth Annual Employment-Unemployment Survey (2015–16)", "Waiting for health care: a survey of a public hospital in Kolkata", "West Bengal: health systems development initiative programme memorandum", "Impact of social sector development in West Bengal – Midnapore and Birbhum districts", "Six killed as farmers and communists clash in West Bengal", "West Bengal political violence continues", "Unknown vs The State of West Bengal on 14 November, 2014", "Defective blood-test kits in West Bengal", "Alarming rise in bacterial percentage in Ganga waters", "1.04 cr hit by arsenic contamination in Bengal", "Under 7-inch snow, Sandakphu a hot favourite among tourists now", "Bengal green cover up by just 21 sq km, aided by plantations", "Forest and tree resources in states and union territories: West Bengal", "World's largest mangrove forest under threat", "State animals, birds, trees and flowers", West Bengal Human Development Report 2004, "TMC registers strong wins in Bengal by-elections", "Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Agreement signed", "Section 2 of West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973 – West Bengal Judicial Academy", "Directory of district, sub division, panchayat samiti/ block and gram panchayats in West Bengal, March 2008", "Urban agglomerations/cities having population 1 million and above", The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India, "Cities having population 1 lakh and above, census 2011", "Geography's Curse: India's Vulnerable 'Chicken's Neck, "Net state domestic product at factor cost—state-wise (at current prices)", "GSDP at current prices, 2004–05 series (2004–05 to 2014–15)", "Centre accepts Bengal GDP has crossed Rs 10L cr", "GSDP at current prices, Percent growth (2004–05 to 2014–15)", "Per Capita NSDP at current prices, Percent growth (2004–05 to 2014–15) – NITI Aayog", "About West Bengal State: Tourism, Industries, Agriculture, Economy & Geography", "Mamata seeks debt restructuring plan for West Bengal", "A year of shutdowns in Bengal's industry", "Darjeeling fears continuing Gorkhaland agitation to hurt festive tourism business", "Business environment satisfactory in West Bengal: Survey", "West Bengal bags top spot in Ease of Doing Business; Here's the full ranking list", "Industrial Development in West Bengal, GSDP of West Bengal", "Statewise Length of national highways in India", "Kolkata Metro is now the 17th zone of Indian Railways", "Profile on Kazi Nazrul Islam International Airport", "Air India operates inaugural flight between Durgapur & Kolkata", "Bengal transport dept to offer VRS to over 4,000 employees", "[IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: IR History: Early Days – 1", "Language – India, States and Union Territories", "Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India", "Population by religion community – 2011", "Could it take two to tango with Mamata? 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