Southwest Garo Hills[1] is an administrative district in the State of Meghalaya, India. The Ampati Civil Sub-Division is upgraded to a full fledged district as South West Garo Hills, on 7 August 2012 with its headquarters at Ampati.[2] It was inaugurated by Dr. Mukul Sangma, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, India.
Southwest Garo Hills district | |
|---|---|
.svg) Location in Meghalaya | |
 Southwest Garo Hills district | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Meghalaya |
| Headquarters | Ampati |
| Government | |
| • Vidhan Sabha constituencies | 3 |
| Area | |
• Total | 822 km2 (317 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 172,795 |
| • Density | 210/km2 (540/sq mi) |
| Demographics | |
| • Literacy | 56.7% |
| Time zone | UTC 05:30 (IST) |
| Website | southwestgarohills |
History and Creation
editThe South West Garo Hills is carved out of present West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, India. The District comprises all the villages falling under the two Community and Rural Development Blocks,[3] viz. Betasing and Zikzak Community and Rural Development Blocks, including 33 (thirty-three) villages under Mukdangra Gram Sevak (GS) Circle and Garobadha Gram Sevak Circle of Selsella Community & Rural Development Block, 24 (twenty-four) villages under Okkapara Songma Gram Sevak Circle and Chengkuregre Gram Sevak Circle of Gambeggre Community & Rural Development Block, 13 (thirteen) villages under Jarangkona Gram Sevak Circle of Dalu Community & Rural Development Block and Anggalgre village of Rongkhongre Gram Sevak Circle of Rongram Community & Rural Development Block.
Reorganized Gram Sevak Circle
editAfter the reorganization of the Gram Sevak Circle all the villages annexed from other Community and Rural Development Blocks falls under Betasing Community and Rural Development Block, except for Jarangkona Gram Sevak Circle of Dalu Community & Rural Development Block which falls under Zikzak Community and Rural Development Block.[citation needed]
Demographics
editThe population of South West Garo Hills is 1,72,495 with 87,135 male and 85,360 female population as per Census 2011, which is as per the new reorganized Gram Sevak Circle of Betasing and Zikzak Community and Rural Development Blocks. The literacy rate of the District is 56.7% as per 2011 Census. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 2,095 (1.21%) and 1,38,168 (80.10%) of the population.[4] Christianity is the dominant religion, with Hinduism and Islam second-largest religions.
Language
editGaro is spoken by majority of the residents of the district. Bengali, Hajong and Koch are the major minority languages.
Garo is spoken by 88,216 people, Bengali by 45,586, whereas 31,523 people speak Hajong language, followed by 10,292 speaking Koch language.
Notable people
edit- Shamsul Hoque, inaugural MLA of Mahendraganj
References
edit- ^ Meghalaya State Portal(http://meghalaya.gov.in:8080/megportal/district_details/20325)
- ^ Governor Notification (http://meghpol.nic.in/notification/New_Dist_SWGH.pdf[permanent dead link])
- ^ "Official Website of Community & Rural Development Department". Archived from the original on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ District Statistical Office, West Garo Hills, Tura
- ^ "C-16 Population By Mother Tongue - South Garo Hills". censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 16 August 2020.