Araria district: statistical profile Araria is one of the districts covered by PACS in Bihar. The district (area: 2,830 sq km) was formed in January 1990 as one of the administrative districts under Purnia division. Araria town is its administrative headquarters. The district is divided into two sub-divisions: Araria and Forbesganj. Araria sub-division comprises four blocks: Araria, Kursakanta, Siktti and Raniganj. Frobesganj sub-division comprises five blocks: Jokihat, Palasi, Forbesganj, Bhargama and Narpatganj. Major rivers here include the Kosi, Suwara, Kali and Koli. Around 13% of the district’s population belongs to the scheduled castes. Muslims constitute 41% of the population. S No Indicator Data 1 Population   Persons 2,158,608   Male 1,128,105   Female 1,030,503   Children (0 to 4 years) 312,331   Decadal growth (1991-2001) 31.84%   Rural 2,026,257 (93.87%)   Urban 132,351 (6.13%)   Sex ratio (females per 1,000 males) 913   Household size (per household) 5   SC population 293,488 (13.60%)   ST population 29,423 (1.36%) 2 Literacy rate   Persons 35.01   Male 46.38   Female 22.37 3 Religious groups (largest three)     Hindus 1,263,766   Muslims 887,972   Jains 2,504 4 Important towns (largest three)   Araria 60,861   Forbesganj 41,499   Jogabani 29,991 5 Amenities in villages     Total inhabited villages 713   Villages with:     Safe drinking water 711   Electricity (domestic) 121   Primary schools 552   Medical facility 60   Paved approach road 252 6 Health   Pregnant women* who received at least three or more antenatal checkups 41.0%   Pregnant women* who received at least one TT injection 71.1%   Women* who had institutional delivery 13.7%   Children aged 12-23 months who were fully immunised** 33.3%   Children aged 12-23 months who received at least one dose of Vitamin A 47.1% 7 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme   Households issued job cards# 294,948   Cumulative person days employment generated# 1,537   Households completed 100 days employment# 0 Sources: *Women aged 15-49 who had their last live/still birth after December 31, 2003 ** BCG, three injections of DPT, three doses of polio (excluding Polio 0) and measles # As on September 3, 2010 Indicator groups 1-5: Census of India 2001 http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Dist_File/datasheet-1007.pdf   Indicator group 6: Tables 4.6, 4.9 and 5.7 in District Level Household and Facility Survey (DLHS-3), 2007-08: India. Bihar. International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, 2010; funded by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Indicator group 7: State-wise NREGA Implementation Status Report in http://nrega.nic.in viewed September 3, 2010