District Profile
General Features of the District
Palamau is bounded in the north by the Bihar state, in the East by the distinct of Chatra, in the west by the district of Garhwa and in the south by Latehar district. Palamau district is extended over an area of 4606 km2, which is full of forests, rivers and rivulets, hills and hillocks, waterfalls and stream. It is situated between23050’ and 24080’N to 83055’ to 85030’E latitude and at an altitude of 222.00 m above from mean sea level. The normal rainfall of the district is 1257.8 mm.
For administrative convenience the district has been divided into three subdivisions. 21 block and 283 Grampanchayats with 1918 villages. The important towns of the district are Daltonganj, Chattarpur and Japla.
Land Utilization
Total geographical area of the district is 524690 ha. Out of which nearly 1,73,553 hectares comes under net cultivable land, 1,67,848 hectares is covered by forest and 24,750 hectares comes under barren and non cultivated land. About 6,550 hectares comes under cultivable wasteland and 1870 hectares is pastureland in the district.
Demographic Pattern
The total population of the district is 15,33,173 as per 2001 census out of that 7,94,880 are male and 7,38,293 are female. The rural population constitutes 14,34,504 and urban population constitutes 98,669. Density of population per km is 296. There is an annual increase in population by 2%. Total literacy rate of the district is 45.67%, of which male literacy is 59.76% and female literacy is 30.5%.
Occupation
The workers in this district are 4,27,525. Total agricultural labour are 1,54,050 and 2,11,819 are cultivator, 10,627 are household worker and 51,029 are artisans engaged in different occupation in the district.
Land holding Pattern
Majority of the farmers, (90500) have less than 1 ha. of land and only 1520 farmers have more than 10 ha. of land.
Climate
The District falls under unasserted rainfall zone and hence receives monsoon rain during July to September. The average annual rainfall of the district is 1257mm spread over many rain days. The district is characterized by warm climate in March to June and later on there is a gradual decline in temperature from October onward to December: and January is the coolest month of the Year, while cool and dry climate is observed during November. March, April and May are the hot and dry months in the district.
Rainfall
There is a large variation in the amount of total rainfall (696.3 mm to 1339 mm). The normal rainfall of the district is 1257.8 mm against the state average of 1340 mm. About 90 percent of the total rainfall occurs during four monsoon months i.e., June to September. Total rainfall 2011-12 is 1462mm.
Irrigation
Palamau has 52,133 ha. of gross area irrigated under different sources of irrigation. Tanks and ponds are the major source of irrigation.