Jute fields, Araria (illustration)
DistrictOpen government dataJute fields · illustration

Araria District

अररिया · Bihar

Blocks
9
Gram Panchayats
218
Population (2011)
28.12 lakh
Literacy rate
53.5%

Quick answer

Araria is a district in Purnia Division, Bihar, with 9 blocks, 9 anchals (circles) and 218 gram panchayats (LGD code 188). Its population was 28.12 lakh in the 2011 Census, with a literacy rate of 53.5%. The district elects 8 MLAs to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha.

· Sources: LGD, Election Commission of India, Census 2011 and other open government data

About Araria District

Araria (अररिया) is a district in the Purnia Division of Bihar, with its headquarters at Araria. Its villages are organised into 9 development blocks and 218 gram panchayats, and its 9 anchals (circles) handle land and revenue work. LGD district code: 188.

The district had 28.12 lakh people at the 2011 Census, spread over 2,830 km² (about 993 people per km²). Literacy was 53.5%, and there were 921 women for every 1,000 men.

The district sends 8 MLAs to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha (Narpatganj, Raniganj, Jokihat, Sikti, Forbesganj, Araria, Bahadurganj and Amour) and falls in the Araria and Kishanganj Lok Sabha constituencies.

Araria at a glance

NameAraria / अररिया
TypeDistrict
LGD code188
DivisionPurnia Division
StateBihar
Gram Panchayats218
Villages726
Blocks9
Anchals (Circles)9
Population (2011)28,11,569
Households5,68,142
Literacy rate53.5%
Sex ratio921
Area2,830.0 km²
HeadquartersAraria
Coordinates26.1300° N, 87.4700° E
Census 2011 code209
WikidataQ42901
Schools2,452
Bank Branches109
Post Offices168

Map of Araria

Points are approximate, based on State Election Commission polling-centre locations. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Araria District LGD code

LGD code
Census 2011 code

The LGD (Local Government Directory) code is a permanent number the Government of India gives every village, panchayat, block and district. eGramSwaraj, nrega.nic.in and many other portals look places up by it, so keep it handy when you fill in an online form.

Araria District Block List

Araria district has 9 development blocks. Each block page lists its gram panchayats, explains what the block office does and sums up local facilities.

BlockName in HindiGram PanchayatsVillages
Arariaअररिया3080Gram Panchayat list
Bhargamaभरगामा2067Gram Panchayat list
Forbesganjफारबिसगंज32104Gram Panchayat list
Jokihatजोकीहाट2796Gram Panchayat list
Kursakantaकुर्साकाँटा1369Gram Panchayat list
Narpatganjनरपतगंज2960Gram Panchayat list
Palasiपलासी21107Gram Panchayat list
Raniganjरानीगंज3286Gram Panchayat list
Siktyसिकटी1457Gram Panchayat list

Araria District Anchal List

Araria has 9 anchals (circles). This is where you go for land records, certificates and revenue court cases:

Population of Araria

Population
28,11,569
Households
5,68,142
Literacy rate
53.5%
Sex ratio
921

At the 2011 Census, Araria had 28,11,569 residents, 14,63,333 male and 13,48,236 female, in 5,68,142 households: about 4.9 people per household. At 53.5%, literacy is lower than the Bihar average of 61.8%. Male literacy is 62.3% against 43.9% for women, a gap of 18.4 percentage points.

There are 921 females for every 1,000 males, compared with 918 in Bihar. Scheduled Castes make up 13.6% of the population and Scheduled Tribes 1.4%. Children aged 0–6 make up 20.6% of residents.

94.0% of Araria’s people live in villages and 6.0% in towns and cities.

Overall literacy53.5%
Male literacy62.3%
Female literacy43.9%
Census 2011, rural areas
Rural population26,42,792
Rural households5,35,361
Rural literacy rate52.3%
Rural sex ratio923
Rural SC population share13.9%
Rural work participation38.5%

Health and household indicators (NFHS-5)

Key figures for Araria district from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019–21):

IndicatorAraria
Women who are literate43.7%
Women with 10+ years of schooling16.8%
Institutional births66.2%
Children 12–23 months fully vaccinated61.6%
Children under 5 who are stunted49.9%
Women (15–49) who are anaemic67.9%
Households using clean cooking fuel15.2%
Households with improved sanitation32.2%
Households with electricity96.2%
Households with health insurance19.5%
Households with improved drinking water100.0%

Work and livelihood

At Census 2011, 38.1% of people in Araria were workers. Of them, 20.8% farmed their own land, 64.7% were farm labourers, 2.3% worked in household industries and 12.2% in other jobs such as services, trade and construction.

Cultivators20.8%
Agricultural labourers64.7%
Household industry2.3%
Other workers12.2%

Administration

The District Magistrate (DM) heads the administration of Araria district. The Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC, also CEO of the Zila Parishad) oversees rural development schemes, the District Panchayat Raj Officer (DPRO) looks after all gram panchayats, and the Superintendent of Police (SP) handles law and order. The elected Zila Parishad, headed by the Zila Parishad Adhyaksh, is the top tier of Panchayati Raj.

Araria MLA and MP List

MP, Araria

Pradeep Kumar Singh

Bharatiya Janata Party2024 Lok Sabha election
PartyBharatiya Janata Party
Term / election2024 Lok Sabha election
Votes received6,00,146
Vote share47.9%
Winning margin20,094
Runner-upShahnawaz

Source: Election Commission of India, Lok Sabha 2024 results, 2024-06-04

MP, Kishanganj

Mohammad Jawed

Indian National Congress2024 Lok Sabha election
PartyIndian National Congress
Term / election2024 Lok Sabha election
Votes received4,02,850
Vote share35.0%
Winning margin59,692
Runner-upMujahid Alam

Source: Election Commission of India, Lok Sabha 2024 results, 2024-06-04

Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha seats in Araria

Seats held by each party in the 8 assembly constituencies of Araria: All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen 3, Bharatiya Janata Party 2, Indian National Congress 2, Rashtriya Janata Dal 1.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen3
Bharatiya Janata Party2
Indian National Congress2
Rashtriya Janata Dal1

Panchayat elections

Mukhiya seats won by women
53%2021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar
Candidates per Mukhiya seat
7.92021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar

Women won 111 of the 211 Mukhiya seats in Araria in the 2021 panchayat election (53%), 12 of them on seats not reserved for women. 2021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar

In the 2021 panchayat election, an average of 7.9 candidates stood for each Mukhiya's seat in Araria, against 8.2 across Bihar.

How Araria scores on the Panchayat Advancement Index

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj's Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0) gives every gram panchayat a score from 0 to 100 on nine themes of the Localised Sustainable Development Goals. It uses about 150 indicators that panchayats report and block and district officials check.

PAI score
51.6/1002023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

Across its panchayats, Araria averages 51.6 out of 100 in the Panchayat Advancement Index 2023-24, 24th of 38 in Bihar, about the same as the Bihar average of 51.9. 2023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

None of the 211 scored panchayats of Araria reached the Front Runner band (75+) in 2023-24.

Scores on the nine development themes

Poverty-free and enhanced livelihoods63.3
Healthy panchayat52.0
Child-friendly panchayat46.8
Water-sufficient panchayat43.7
Clean and green panchayat47.9
Self-sufficient infrastructure47.9
Socially just and secured66.8
Good governance62.2
Women-friendly panchayat47.7

Araria does best on “Socially just and secured” (66.8) and worst on “Water-sufficient panchayat” (43.7). That 23-point gap shows where the next Gram Panchayat Development Plan could focus. 2023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

Schools in and near Araria

Araria District has 2,452 schools on record. See the full list of schools

This list comes from the Ministry of Education’s UDISE+ school register. It covers government, government-aided and private schools and madrasas, each by the highest stage it teaches, from primary to higher secondary. See udiseplus.gov.in for a school’s full record.

Banks (IFSC), post office (PIN) and CSC near Araria

On record in Araria District: 109 Bank Branches and 168 Post Offices.

Banks with the most branches here: State Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Bank of Baroda.

State Bank of India26
Central Bank of India12
Bank of Baroda12
Canara Bank9
Indian Bank8
Axis Bank6
UCO Bank6
Bandhan Bank5

Facilities at a glance

FacilityCount
🏫 Schools2,452View list
🏦 Bank Branches109View list
📮 Post Offices168View list
🚉 Railway Stations11View list

On average there’s one bank branch for every 25,794 people.

How to reach Araria

The nearest railway station to the centre of Araria is Arariya Court, about 2.9 km away.

The nearest airport is Bagdogra Airport, about 105 km away.

PlaceTypeDistanceDirection
Arariya Court (ARQ)Railway Station2.9 kmsouth-west
Arariya (ARR)Railway Station5.8 kmwest
Kusiargaon (KSY)Railway Station8.1 kmsouth
Bagdogra AirportAirport105 kmnorth-east
Darbhanga AirportAirport155 kmwest

Distances are straight-line; by road it's usually 20–40% farther.

How far Araria is from everyday services

Straight-line distances from the panchayat's mapped centre to the nearest facility of each kind. By road, expect them to be 20–40% longer.

Nearest bank branch
9.5 kmCalculatedRBI bank branch list
Nearest railway station
12 kmCalculatedDataMeet railways

On average, a gram panchayat in Araria is 9.5 km from the nearest bank branch (farther than the Bihar average of 7.5 km). CalculatedRBI bank branch list

A typical gram panchayat in Araria is 12 km from the nearest railway station. Gram panchayats in Araria are, on average, 2.4 km from the nearest post office.

Places near Araria

The Districts closest to Araria, by straight-line distance between their approximate centres:

DistrictDivisionDistanceDirection
PurniaPurnia Division39 kmsouth
KatiharPurnia Division65 kmsouth
KishanganjPurnia Division73 kmsouth-west
MadhepuraKosi Division73 kmwest
SupaulKosi Division87 kmwest
SaharsaKosi Division91 kmwest

Other Districts in Purnia Division

Citizen services: how to get things done

Income, caste and domicile certificates

  1. Apply at a Common Service Centre (CSC) or RTPS counter or on RTPS Bihar (serviceonline.bihar.gov.in). Take your Aadhaar, a photo and a signed self-declaration.
  2. The application goes to your Anchal. The Rajasva Karmachari checks it in the village and the Circle Inspector sends the report on.
  3. The Circle Officer (CO) issues a digitally signed certificate, usually within 7–15 working days. Track it online with your application number.

Jamabandi / Khatiyan (land record) and Dakhil-Kharij (mutation)

  1. On Bihar Bhumi (biharbhumi.bihar.gov.in), choose district Araria, your anchal and your village, then search by account number, plot (khasra) number or name to see the Jamabandi / Khatiyan.
  2. You can get a certified copy at a Common Service Centre (CSC) or RTPS counter or the Anchal office. Check the status of a Dakhil-Kharij (mutation) case on Bihar Bhumi (Dakhil-Kharij status) (biharbhumi.bihar.gov.in).

Ration card

  1. To get a new ration card or add family members, apply on RTPS Bihar (ration card service) (serviceonline.bihar.gov.in) or through a Common Service Centre (CSC) or RTPS counter. The card is made out in the name of the eldest woman of the household.
  2. In villages, the block office officials check the application and the supply inspector or District Supply Officer approves it.

Old-age, widow and disability pension

  1. Apply online on RTPS Bihar (social security pension) (serviceonline.bihar.gov.in) or through a Common Service Centre (CSC) or RTPS counter. Attach proof of age (or of your spouse’s death, or of disability), an income certificate, Aadhaar and your bank passbook.
  2. In villages, the Block Development Officer (BDO) verifies the application. Once it’s sanctioned, the pension goes straight into your bank account.

Complaints and Right to Information (RTI)

  1. Complain about any government service on Bihar Lok Shikayat Nivaran (lokshikayat.bihar.gov.in) or call 1800 345 6284. It goes to the officer responsible, and you can track what happens online.
  2. To find out what the panchayat spent and on which works, file an RTI application (₹10 fee) with the Public Information Officer at the block office. Works and payments are also listed on egramswaraj.gov.in.

Portals and procedures change, so check with the office before you apply. If a link has moved, look for the service by name on the portal's home page.

Special programmes

Araria is one of the 112 Aspirational Districts NITI Aayog picked in 2018 for focused work on health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skills, and basic infrastructure. Its progress is tracked every month on a public dashboard. 2018ListedNITI Aayog

Government schemes for residents of Araria

These schemes, from the central government and the Government of Bihar, matter most to households in Araria. Each card says who can apply, what you get and where to apply locally. Open a scheme for the full rules, the documents you need and the steps.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G)

Financial help to build a pucca house with basic amenities for rural families who are homeless or live in kutcha houses.

Benefit₹1.20 lakh in plain areas (plus rural job scheme wages (VB-G RAM G, earlier MGNREGA) and a Swachh Bharat toilet)
Who can applyHouseless or kutcha-house families identified through SECC/Awaas+ survey and approved by the Gram Sabha
Where to applythe panchayat secretary and the block office

Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), VB-G RAM G (earlier MGNREGA)

From 1 July 2026 this Act replaces MGNREGA. Every rural household can get at least 125 days of paid unskilled work a year on works the Gram Sabha approves, such as ponds, roads, plantations and farm bunds. Old e-KYC'd MGNREGA job cards stay valid until the new Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards are issued.

BenefitAt least 125 days of work a year at the notified wage, paid weekly or within 15 days into your bank or post office account
Who can applyAny adult member of a rural household willing to do unskilled manual work
Where to applythe panchayat secretary and the block office

PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

Income support of ₹6,000 a year, paid in three instalments of ₹2,000 directly to the bank accounts of land-holding farmer families.

Benefit₹6,000 per year in three instalments
Who can applyFarmer families owning cultivable land (with exclusions for taxpayers, pensioners and officials); e-KYC and land seeding required
Where to applythe nearest Common Service Centre (CSC), online and the block office

Ayushman Bharat – PM Jan Arogya Yojana (Ayushman card)

Cashless hospital treatment up to ₹5 lakh per family per year at empanelled government and private hospitals; all citizens aged 70+ are also covered.

BenefitHealth cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year
Who can applySECC-listed deprived families, NFSA ration-card families covered by the UP extension, and senior citizens 70+
Where to applythe nearest Common Service Centre (CSC) and online

Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin (household toilet)

Incentive to build an individual household toilet, plus solid and liquid waste management works in villages under ODF Plus.

Benefit₹12,000 incentive for a household toilet
Who can applyRural households without a toilet (BPL and identified APL categories)
Where to applythe panchayat secretary, the block office and online

Jal Jeevan Mission – Har Ghar Jal

Functional household tap connection providing safe drinking water to every rural home, managed with the village water and sanitation committee.

BenefitFree household tap connection
Who can applyAll rural households
Where to applythe panchayat secretary

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (free LPG connection)

Deposit-free LPG connection with first refill and stove for women from poor households.

BenefitFree LPG connection, first refill and stove
Who can applyAdult women from poor households without an existing LPG connection
Where to applyonline and the nearest Common Service Centre (CSC)

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

Maternity benefit for pregnant and lactating mothers to compensate wage loss and support nutrition.

Benefit₹5,000 for the first child; ₹6,000 if the second child is a girl
Who can applyPregnant women and lactating mothers (excluding regular government employees)
Where to applythe Anganwadi centre and online

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (zero-balance account)

Basic savings bank account with no minimum balance, RuPay debit card with accident insurance and overdraft facility.

BenefitZero-balance account, RuPay card, ₹2 lakh accident cover
Who can applyAny Indian resident aged 10+ without a bank account
Where to applyyour bank branch

Kisan Credit Card (KCC)

Short-term crop loans at a subsidised interest rate for farmers, livestock and fisheries, with interest subvention for prompt repayment.

BenefitCrop loan at an effective 4% interest on timely repayment (up to ₹3 lakh)
Who can applyOwner and tenant farmers, sharecroppers, SHGs/JLGs of farmers, animal husbandry and fisheries farmers
Where to applyyour bank branch

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)

Cash assistance for institutional delivery in government hospitals, with free transport and care arranged through the ASHA.

Benefit₹1,400 to rural mothers for institutional delivery
Who can applyPregnant women delivering in a government or accredited facility
Where to applythe Anganwadi centre

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance)

Crop insurance against natural calamities, pests and diseases at a low farmer premium (2% Kharif, 1.5% Rabi).

BenefitCompensation for notified crop losses
Who can applyAll farmers growing notified crops in notified areas
Where to applyyour bank branch, the nearest Common Service Centre (CSC) and online

PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima & PM Suraksha Bima Yojana

Low-cost life cover (₹2 lakh for ₹436 a year) and accident cover (₹2 lakh for ₹20 a year) through your bank account.

Benefit₹2 lakh life cover and ₹2 lakh accident cover
Who can applyBank account holders aged 18–50 (life) and 18–70 (accident)
Where to applyyour bank branch

DAY-NRLM / UP State Rural Livelihood Mission (women's self-help groups)

Organises rural women into self-help groups with revolving funds, bank credit and livelihood training; members can become BC Sakhi, Lakhpati Didi and more.

BenefitRevolving fund, community investment fund and low-interest bank loans
Who can applyWomen from rural households, especially poor and vulnerable families
Where to applythe block office

PM Vishwakarma Yojana

Recognition, skill training, toolkit incentive and collateral-free credit for traditional artisans and craftspeople in 18 trades.

Benefit₹15,000 toolkit incentive and loans up to ₹3 lakh at 5%
Who can applyArtisans aged 18+ working in the listed trades (one member per family)
Where to applythe nearest Common Service Centre (CSC)

Atal Pension Yojana

Guaranteed monthly pension of ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 after age 60 for unorganised-sector workers who contribute through their bank account.

Benefit₹1,000–₹5,000 monthly pension after 60
Who can applyBank account holders aged 18–40 who are not income-tax payers
Where to applyyour bank branch

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (rooftop solar)

Subsidy for installing rooftop solar panels on homes, providing up to 300 units of free electricity a month.

BenefitSubsidy up to ₹78,000 for rooftop solar
Who can applyHouseholds with their own roof and a valid electricity connection
Where to applyonline

Browse all government schemes

Terrain and climate of Araria

Elevation
56 mCalculatedSRTM elevation model
Average annual rainfall
1,390 mm2001-2020CalculatedNASA POWER

The gram panchayats of Araria lie at an average of about 56 metres above sea level. CalculatedSRTM elevation model

Araria gets roughly 1,400 mm of rain in an average year. The land around it is almost flat: heights within 2 km vary by only about 8 m, typical of the alluvial plains.

Land cover around Araria

Land cover within about 2 km

  • Cropland 75%
  • Tree cover 19%
  • Built-up land 3.3%
  • Water and wetland 0.6%
  • Grass and scrub 1.2%
  • Bare or sparse land 0.1%

Averaged over its gram panchayats, the land around Araria's villages is about 75% cropland, 19% tree cover and 3% built-up (ESA WorldCover 2021). 2021CalculatedESA WorldCover 2021

From the blog

Stories from Araria District

Araria District: frequently asked questions

Which division is Araria District in?

Araria District is part of Purnia Division.

What is the headquarters of Araria District?

The headquarters of Araria District is Araria.

What is the population of Araria District?

The 2011 Census counted 28,11,569 people in Araria District, living in 5,68,142 households. About 94% of them lived in villages.

How many gram panchayats are there in Araria District?

There are 218 gram panchayats in Araria District.

How many villages are there in Araria District?

Araria District has 726 revenue villages.

How many blocks are there in Araria District?

Araria District has 9 development blocks.

How many anchals are there in Araria District?

Araria District has 9 anchals.

How many assembly seats are there in Araria District?

Araria District has 6 assembly constituencies: Narpatganj, Raniganj, Forbesganj, Araria, Jokihat and Sikti.

Show 18 more questions

Who are the MLAs of Araria District?

Which Lok Sabha constituency is Araria in?

Araria is in the Araria Lok Sabha constituency.

Who is the MP of Araria?

The Member of Parliament for Araria is Pradeep Kumar Singh (Bharatiya Janata Party), elected in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. They got 6,00,146 votes (47.9%) and won by 20,094 votes.

What is the literacy rate of Araria District?

The literacy rate of Araria District was 53.5% in the 2011 Census (men 62.3%, women 43.9%), against the state average of 61.8%.

What is the sex ratio of Araria District?

In the 2011 Census, Araria District had 921 females for every 1,000 males (state average 918).

What is the area of Araria District?

Araria District covers about 2,830 sq km, which works out to about 993 people per sq km on its 2011 population.

Which block of Araria District has the most gram panchayats?

Forbesganj block has the most gram panchayats (32).

How many Mukhiyas in Araria District are women?

In the 2021 panchayat election, women won 111 of the 211 Mukhiya seats here (53%).

How many candidates contested each Mukhiya seat in Araria District in 2021?

In the 2021 panchayat election, an average of 7.9 candidates contested each Mukhiya seat in Araria District. No Mukhiya seat was won unopposed.

How do the panchayats of Araria perform in the Panchayat Advancement Index?

The gram panchayats of Araria average 51.6 out of 100 in PAI 2023-24, about the same as the Bihar average of 51.9.

Is Araria District an Aspirational District?

Yes. Araria District is one of the 112 Aspirational Districts chosen by NITI Aayog in 2018 for focused improvement in health and nutrition, education, agriculture, financial inclusion and basic infrastructure.

How many banks and post offices are there in Araria District?

We list 109 bank branches and 168 post offices in Araria District.

Which is the nearest airport to Araria District?

The nearest airport to the centre of Araria District is Bagdogra Airport (IXB), about 105 km away as the crow flies. The next nearest is Darbhanga Airport (DBR), about 155 km away.

How can I file a complaint with the Araria District administration?

File your complaint on Bihar Lok Shikayat Nivaran (lokshikayat.bihar.gov.in) or call helpline 1800 345 6284. It goes to the District Magistrate (DM) of Araria District and the department concerned, and you can track it online with the complaint number.

Which districts are near Araria District?

Neighbouring districts of Araria District: Purnia (39 km), Katihar (65 km), Kishanganj (73 km), Madhepura (73 km) and Supaul (87 km).

What is the altitude of Araria District above sea level?

The gram panchayats of Araria District lie at an average of about 56 metres above sea level (SRTM terrain model).

How much rainfall does Araria District get, and how hot does it get?

On 2001-2020 averages, the gram panchayats of Araria District get about 1,390 mm of rain a year, 79% of it between June and September. The hottest days reach about 43°C, while the coldest nights fall to about 2°C. (NASA POWER satellite-model estimates)

How much farmland and tree cover is there around Araria District?

Around the gram panchayats of Araria District, the land is on average 75% cropland, 19% tree cover and 3% built-up land, going by ESA WorldCover 2021 satellite maps.

Data sources and updates

We built this page from public, open government data. Each figure is as of its source’s date and may have changed since, so check with the office concerned before using it for anything official.

Data last refreshed: October 18, 2026

How we collect and label data · Disclaimer

Add or correct information (Mukhiya, secretary, contact)