Paschim Medinipur (West Medinipur) is a district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was formed on 1 January 2002 when the erstwhile Medinipur district, then one of the largest districts in India, was bifurcated into Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur. In 2017, the district was further divided with the carving out of Jhargram district from its western portion. The district headquarters is located at the city of Medinipur.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | West Bengal |
| Division | Medinipur |
| Headquarters | Medinipur |
| Formed | 1 January 2002 |
| Predecessor | Medinipur district |
| Successor districts | Purba Medinipur (2002), Jhargram (2017) |
| Language | Bengali |
Geography
Paschim Medinipur lies in the south-western part of West Bengal. After the 2017 reorganisation, it is bordered by Bankura district to the north, Hooghly and Howrah to the east, Purba Medinipur to the south-east, Jhargram to the west, and the state of Odisha to the south-west in some segments. The terrain transitions from lateritic uplands in the west to the alluvial plains of the lower Kangsabati and Subarnarekha river systems in the east. Major rivers include the Kangsabati (Kasai), Silabati, Dwarakeswar and Rupnarayan.
Administration
The district is part of the Medinipur administrative division of West Bengal. It is divided into sub-divisions including Medinipur Sadan, Kharagpur and Ghatal, which are further organised into community development blocks, gram panchayats and municipalities. Important urban centres in the district are Medinipur, Kharagpur, Ghatal, Khirpai, Chandrakona and Ramjibanpur.
History
The undivided Medinipur district had a long political and cultural history, including a prominent role in the Indian independence movement, with episodes such as the Tamluk and Contai uprisings of 1942. As the district was geographically very large and administratively unwieldy, the Government of West Bengal partitioned it on 1 January 2002. The eastern, deltaic portion became Purba Medinipur, while the western portion retained the name Paschim Medinipur.
On 4 April 2017, the Jangalmahal areas of Jhargram, Binpur, Gopiballavpur, Jamboni, Nayagram and Sankrail blocks were separated to form the new Jhargram district, leaving Paschim Medinipur with a smaller territory centred on Medinipur, Kharagpur and Ghatal.
Economy
The economy is predominantly agrarian, with paddy as the principal crop, supplemented by potato, vegetables, oilseeds and pulses. The Ghatal sub-division is known for intensive cultivation along the Silabati and Rupnarayan basins, though it is also flood-prone. Kharagpur is a major industrial and railway centre, hosting one of the largest railway junctions in India and serving as the headquarters of the South Eastern Railway's Kharagpur division.
Education and institutions
Kharagpur is home to the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, established in 1951, which was the first of the IITs. The district also has Vidyasagar University at Medinipur, named after the social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, who was born in the region.
Culture
Bengali is the principal language, with significant Santali and other tribal-language-speaking populations, particularly in the western blocks. The district has a strong tradition of folk forms such as Chhau, Jhumur and Patachitra (scroll painting), and is associated with rural fairs and Vaishnava religious centres.
Transport
Paschim Medinipur is well connected by rail and road. National Highway 16 (the old NH 6, part of the Kolkata–Chennai corridor) passes through the district via Kharagpur, which is also a major node on the Howrah–Chennai and Howrah–Mumbai railway routes.
Related topics
- Medinipur
- Kharagpur
- Purba Medinipur district
- Jhargram district
- IIT Kharagpur
- Districts of West Bengal
- Jangalmahal
References
- Wikidata: Q1855537
- Government of West Bengal, Department of Planning and Statistics – district profiles.
- Census of India, district handbooks for Paschim Medinipur.