Social,
Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : 180
Sex Ratio Rank : 149
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 271 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 450 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Brief About Mirzapur
District
According to the tradition,the name of this town,after which the
District itself is named was GIRZAPUR, which in terms derives its
name from the goddess Parvati (Girija) who sacrified herself here
in a vajna. Mirza, Vindhyavasini and Lakshmi are the other names
of the goddess whose temple exists at Vindhyachal.The present name
of the district is derived from goddess Lakshmi who emerged from
the sea. The word Mirza is formed from two words; Mir meaning sea
and ja meaning outcome,with the additional pur standing for town.
It is also locally believed that the town was founded by raja Nanner
and was known as Girijapur,but later on it came to know as Mirzapur
The earliest mention of the town is found in the writings of Tieffenthaler,who
drew up his description of the country between 1760 and 1770. He
mentioned it, under the name of Mirzapur specially as a great mart.
In the records of Jonathan Duncan,who was resident of Varanasi,frequent
mention is made of the place as Mirzapur
History
The District of Mirzapur, with the exception of the Villages
namely Mowat, Merolatand, Mahespur, Durjanipur, Mangarahi Deohat,
Katra and Bamsaur received from Allahabad in 1861, falls entirely
within the tract of country once known as the province of Benaras.
The sovereignty of this was formally ceded to
the East India Company in 1775 by the Nawab-vizir of Avadh;
but the tract itself was included in the zamindari of the raja
of Benares and remained in his actual possession until 1794, when
Mahip Narayan Singh surrendered its control of the Governor General
of India by the agreement of 27th october of that year. It is
not until 1830 that Mirzapur became a separate revenue jurisdiction
of its own ,because until that year it had been included
in Varanasi.
Mirzapur was then placed under a local collector
of customs, the subdivisions assigned to new collectorate being
tappas Chaurasi , Chhiyanve, Upraudh, Kon and Sakteshgarh of pargana
Kantit and other paragnas, Bhagwat Bhuili, Haveli, Chunar, Quriat,
Sikhar, Agori, Barhar and Bijaigarh, Bhadohi, Kon and Majhwa were
restored to Varanasi on the protest of raja but were afterwards
re-annexed to Mirzapur. At present Agori, Barharand Bijaigarh
are in Sonbhadra District. However Bhadohi is in Sant Ravidas
Nagar District.
There has been no change in the territorial limits
of Mirzapur since 1833, when the revenue and judicial administrations
were made to coincide throughout the Benares province; but several
alternations have been made in the sub-divisional boundries since
the tract came in to the possession of the British. In 1801 every
pargana and tappa, with a few exception had a separate Tehsildar.
In 1804 it was resolved to abolish the office
of Tehsildar in the Benares Province. In 1806, tahsildars were
established for tappas Chaurasi, Upraudh, Chhiyanvey Sakteshgarh
and Bhagwat at Chaurasi ; and for pargnas Agori-Barhar
and Bijaigarh (at present lies in Sonbhadra District) at Kusancha.
The first of the two tahsils created in 1809
corresponds to a great extent with the present Mirzapur tahsil.
Saketeshgarh and Bhagwat have been taken may from it and kon and
Majhwa added . To the tahsil which had its headquarters in 1809
at Kusancha, Singrauli and Dudhi were added and the whole was
for some time known as the Shahganj tahsil ( Now all these are
in Sonbhadra District).
History
The history of Mirzapur dates back to Mughal times when,
at the time of the Mughal king Akbar, carpet weaving began in
the Jaunpur and Allahabad districts of Uttar Pradesh. During the
course of time, these weavers migrated to Mirzapur. Even today
carpets are a big industry in the region.
There are many lovely structures that still exist in Mirzapur
today, albeit in a dilapidated state.
Havelis, colonial structures and natural beauty combine to make
Mirzapur an interesting
place to visit.
Location
Mirzapur is located between latitude 23.52º to 23.32º and longitude
82.72º to 83.33º. It is spread over an area of 4952.5 sq. km.
It is surrounded by Varanasi and Sant Ravidas Nagar on the north,
Allahabad on the west, and towards south east its boundaries are
contiguous with Varanasi district, Sonebhadra and the state of
Madhya Pradesh. The district measures 64 km from east to west
and 32 km. from north to south.
Topography
The land in the district is mostly uneven. The landscape is dotted
with hills, mountains, plateaus, waterfalls and rivers. The Vindhya
mountains range rises in Mirzapur district and extends to the
south west. And the most beautiful waterfalls in the district
are at Tanda, Windham. Ganga and Belan are the two major rivers
flowing through the district.
The soil is generally red and the terrain generally rocky in the
district. The district has 4,50,169 hectares reported area. The
forest coverage is 98,353 hectares (28.1% of total reported).
Climate/Natural Resources
Mirzapur’s climate is subtropical. Average rainfall is 11 cm/year.
The Vindhya range has a dense forest cover. The most important
forest produce is Tendu leaves.
Stone mines are found in many blocks of the district. This is
a major industry.
Chunar is famous for its potteries.
Demographic Features
According to 1991 census the total population of the district
is 16.57 lakhs (8.79 lakhs males and 7.77 lakhs females).
The urban population is 2.28 lakhs and rural population is 14.28
lakhs.
The sex ratio is 884 females for every 1000 males.
The density of population per square km is 336. The scheduled
caste population is 4.61 lakhs. The district has a very negligible
population of scheduled tribes.
Literacy
The total number of literates in the district is 5.11 lakhs which
is 39.68% of the total population. Male literacy rate is 54.75%
as compared 22.32% for females. Literacy rate amongst scheduled
castes is well below the district average. A concerted effort
is required in the field of girl child education and extension
of primary education to weaker sections of the society, particularly
scheduled caste population.
Socio-Economic Structure
Due to its hard rocky terrain, low soil fertility and poor industrial
investment, Mirzapur has not broken away from its feudal past.
There still exists a very strong caste system effecting socio-economic
structure.
The reorganization of the district has seen most
of the active industrial sector go to Sonebhadra. Present day
Mirzapur is left with extremely low level of state and central
government public investment. The carpet industry of the district
is flourishing and is world famous.
