Mekhliganj subdivision is one of five subdivisions of the Cooch Behar district in the state of West Bengal, India. It has an area of 459.78 km2. As of 2011, its population was 282,750, of which 90.09% was rural and 9.91 urban.

Subdivisions

Cooch Behar district is divided into the following administrative subdivisions:

SubdivisionHeadquartersArea km2Population (2011)Rural Population % (2011)Urban Population % (2011)
MekhliganjMekhliganj459.78282,75090.099.91
MathabhangaMathabhanga896.26654,83196.353.65
Cooch Behar SadarCooch Behar754.84748,39477.9222.08
TufanganjTufanganj586.44456,31993.026.97
DinhataDinhata692.02676,79294.025.98
Cooch Behar districtCooch Behar3,387.002,819,02689.7310.27
Map
Places in the Mathabhanga, Mekhliganj subdivisions and Sitai CD block in Dinhata subdivision of Cooch Behar district CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, M: Municipal town Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Administrative units

Mekhliganj subdivision has 3 police stations, 2 community development blocks, 2 panchayat samitis, 14 gram panchayats, 249 mouzas, 194 inhabited villages, 2 municipality and 1 census town. The municipalities are: Mekhliganj and Haldibari. The census town is: Nagar Changrabandha. The subdivision has its headquarters at Mekhliganj.

Police stations

Police stations in the Mekhliganj subdivision have the following features and jurisdiction:

Police StationArea covered km2International borderInter-state border kmMunicipal TownCD block
Mekhliganj292.14--MekhliganjMekhliganj
Haldibari152.38--HaldibariHaldibari
Kuchlibari41.17---Mekhliganj

Blocks

Community development blocks in the Mekhliganj subdivision are:

CD blockHeadquartersArea km2Population (2011)SC %ST %Literacy rate %Census Towns
MekhliganjChangrabandha302.07155,25071.241.2469.341
HaldibariHaldibari152.38103,96961.180.0369.22-

Gram panchayats

The subdivision contains 14 gram panchayats under 2 community development blocks:

  • Mekhliganj block consists of eight gram panchayats, viz. Bagdogra–Fulkadabri, Jamaldaha, Niztarof, Uchalpukuri, Changrabandha, Kuchlibari, Ranirhat and Bhotbari.
  • Haldibari block consists of six gram panchayats, viz. Boxiganj, Dakshin Bara Haldibari, Hemkumari, Uttar Bara Haldibari, Dewanganj and Per–Mekhliganj.

Education

The table below shows a comprehensive picture of the education scenario in Cooch Behar district, with data for the year 2012–13.

SubdivisionPrimary SchoolMiddle SchoolHigh SchoolHigher Secondary SchoolGeneral College, UnivTechnical / Professional InsttNon-formal Education
InstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudentInstitutionStudent
Mekhliganj21624,2105227,78244,0122127,6802285815545625,387
Mathabhanga43252,2358052,33814113,4524261,31543,91085781,17170,179
Cooch Behar Sadar44161,3754715,3223335,2045659,61468,934293,7491,19561,733
Tufanganj31031,2057245,2314617,5103038,27422,871327595036,293
Dinhata43142,2134614,7232731,8362944,94613,49243811,2281,950
Cooch Behar district1,830211,247297154,94394102,014178231,8291522,065455,0385,000223,323

Note: Primary schools include junior basic schools; middle schools, high schools and higher secondary schools include madrasahs; technical schools include junior technical schools, junior government polytechnics, industrial technical institutes, industrial training centres, nursing training institutes etc.; technical and professional colleges include engineering colleges, medical colleges, para-medical institutes, management colleges, teachers training and nursing training colleges, law colleges, art colleges, music colleges etc. Special and non-formal education centres include sishu siksha kendras, madhyamik siksha kendras, centres of Rabindra mukta vidyalaya, recognised Sanskrit tols, institutions for the blind and other handicapped persons, Anganwadi centres, reformatory schools etc.

Educational institutions

The following institutions are located in Mekhliganj subdivision:

Healthcare

The table below (all data in numbers) presents an overview of the medical facilities available and patients treated in the hospitals, health centres and sub-centres in 2013 in Cooch Behar district, with data for the year 2012–13.:

SubdivisionHealth & Family Welfare Deptt, WBOther State Govt DepttsLocal bodiesCentral Govt Deptts / PSUsNGO / Private Nursing HomesTotalTotal Number of BedsTotal Number of Doctors*Indoor PatientsOutdoor Patients
HospitalsRural HospitalsBlock Primary Health CentresPrimary Health Centres
Mekhliganj1115---192553223,850185,720
Mathabhanga1-27---3132974544,730712,513
Cooch Behar Sadar4-271-29251,03011596,233560,813
Tufanganj1-251--3122663846,232560,813
Dinhata1-37---3144295062,943624,514
Cooch Behar district8110312-219732,277280273,9883,145,902

.* Excluding nursing homes.

Medical facilities

Medical facilities in the Mekhliganj subdivision are as follows:

Hospitals: (Name, location, beds)

  • Mekhliganj Subdivisional Hospital, Mekhliganj M, 120 beds

Rural Hospitals: (Name, CD block, location, beds)

  • Haldibari Rural Hospital, Haldibari CD block, Haldibari M, 30 beds

Block Primary Health Centres: (Name, CD block, location, beds)

  • Changrabandha Block Primary Health Centre, Mekhliganj CD block, Changrabandha, 10 beds

Primary Health Centres: (CD block-wise)(CD block, PHC location, beds)

  • Mekhliganj CD block: Jamaldaha (10)
  • Haldibari CD block: Anguldekha (PO Bakshiganj) (10 beds), Hudumdanga (PO Dewanganj) (6), Kuchlibari (6)

Legislative segments

As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, the municipalities of Mekhliganj and Haldibari and the two blocks of Mekhliganj and Haldibari together will constitute the Mekhliganj assembly constituency of West Bengal. It will be reserved for Scheduled castes (SC) candidates. This constituency will be part of Jalpaiguri (Lok Sabha constituency), which will be reserved for SC candidates.