Gogabil lake, Katihar (illustration)
DistrictOpen government dataGogabil lake · illustration

Katihar District

कटिहार · Bihar

Blocks
16
Gram Panchayats
236
Population (2011)
30.71 lakh
Literacy rate
52.2%

Quick answer

Katihar is a district in Purnia Division, Bihar, with 16 blocks, 16 anchals (circles) and 236 gram panchayats (LGD code 201). Its population was 30.71 lakh in the 2011 Census, with a literacy rate of 52.2%. The district elects 7 MLAs to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha.

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

About Katihar District

Katihar (कटिहार) district is in the Purnia Division of Bihar, with its headquarters at Katihar. It has 16 anchals (circles) for revenue work and 16 development blocks with 236 gram panchayats between them. LGD code: 201.

Census 2011 counted 30.71 lakh people in the district, spread over 3,056 km² (about 1,005 people per km²). Literacy was 52.2%, and there were 919 women for every 1,000 men.

The district sends 7 MLAs to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha (Balrampur, Pranpur, Kadwa, Barari, Korha, Manihari and Katihar) and falls in the Katihar and Purnia Lok Sabha constituencies.

Katihar at a glance

NameKatihar / कटिहार
TypeDistrict
LGD code201
DivisionPurnia Division
StateBihar
Gram Panchayats236
Villages1,504
Blocks16
Anchals (Circles)16
Population (2011)30,71,029
Households6,19,076
Literacy rate52.2%
Sex ratio919
Area3,056.0 km²
HeadquartersKatihar
Coordinates25.5500° N, 87.5700° E
Census 2011 code212
WikidataQ77568
Schools2,411
Bank Branches105
Post Offices127

Map of Katihar

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

Katihar 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.

Katihar District Block List

Katihar district has 16 development blocks. Each block page lists its gram panchayats, explains what the block office does and sums up local facilities.

BlockName in HindiGram PanchayatsVillages
Amdabadअमदाबाद1447Gram Panchayat list
Azamnagarआजमनगर28234Gram Panchayat list
Balrampurबलरामपुर13146Gram Panchayat list
Barariबरारी2286Gram Panchayat list
Barsoiबारसोई27221Gram Panchayat list
Dandkhoraडंडखोरा650Gram Panchayat list
Falkaफलका1373Gram Panchayat list
Hasanganjहसनगंज541Gram Panchayat list
Kadwaकदवा30264Gram Panchayat list
Katiharकटिहार830Gram Panchayat list
Korhaकोढ़ा2376Gram Panchayat list
Kurselaकुर्सेला622Gram Panchayat list
Manihariमनिहारी1467Gram Panchayat list
Mansahiमनसाही726Gram Panchayat list
Pranpurप्राणपुर1285Gram Panchayat list
Sameliसमेली836Gram Panchayat list

Katihar District Anchal List

Katihar has 16 anchals (circles). This is where you go for land records, certificates and revenue court cases:

Population of Katihar

Population
30,71,029
Households
6,19,076
Literacy rate
52.2%
Sex ratio
919

Census 2011 counted 30,71,029 people in Katihar (16,00,430 male, 14,70,599 female) in 6,19,076 households, or about 5.0 per household. At 52.2%, literacy is lower than the Bihar average of 61.8%. Male literacy is 59.4% against 44.4% for women, a gap of 15.0 percentage points.

There are 919 females for every 1,000 males, compared with 918 in Bihar. Scheduled Castes make up 8.6% of the population and Scheduled Tribes 5.9%. Children aged 0–6 make up 20.2% of residents.

91.1% of Katihar’s people live in villages and 8.9% in towns and cities.

Overall literacy52.2%
Male literacy59.4%
Female literacy44.4%
Census 2011, rural areas
Rural population27,97,207
Rural households5,65,512
Rural literacy rate49.6%
Rural sex ratio921
Rural SC population share8.3%
Rural work participation33.5%

Health and household indicators (NFHS-5)

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

IndicatorKatihar
Women who are literate49.7%
Women with 10+ years of schooling19.8%
Institutional births66.9%
Children 12–23 months fully vaccinated73.7%
Children under 5 who are stunted43.9%
Women (15–49) who are anaemic68.4%
Households using clean cooking fuel16.9%
Households with improved sanitation44.6%
Households with electricity92.0%
Households with health insurance8.4%
Households with improved drinking water99.2%

Work and livelihood

At Census 2011, 33.0% of people in Katihar were workers. Of them, 16.7% farmed their own land, 66.3% were farm labourers, 2.0% worked in household industries and 15.0% in other jobs such as services, trade and construction.

Cultivators16.7%
Agricultural labourers66.3%
Household industry2.0%
Other workers15.0%

Administration

The District Magistrate (DM) heads the administration of Katihar 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.

Katihar MLA and MP List

MP, Katihar

Tariq Anwar

Indian National Congress2024 Lok Sabha election
PartyIndian National Congress
Term / election2024 Lok Sabha election
Votes received5,67,092
Vote share48.4%
Winning margin49,863
Runner-upDulal Chandra Goswami

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

MP, Purnia

Rajesh Ranjan Alias Pappu Yadav

Independent2024 Lok Sabha election
PartyIndependent
Term / election2024 Lok Sabha election
Votes received5,67,556
Vote share47.5%
Winning margin23,847
Runner-upSantosh Kumar

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

Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha seats in Katihar

Seats held by each party in the 7 assembly constituencies of Katihar: Bharatiya Janata Party 3, Janata Dal (United) 2, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) 1, Indian National Congress 1.

Bharatiya Janata Party3
Janata Dal (United)2
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)1
Indian National Congress1

Panchayat elections

Mukhiya seats won by women
52%2021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar
Candidates per Mukhiya seat
7.52021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar

Women won 119 of the 230 Mukhiya seats in Katihar in the 2021 panchayat election (52%), 24 of them on seats not reserved for women. 2021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar

In the 2021 panchayat election, an average of 7.5 candidates stood for each Mukhiya's seat in Katihar, against 8.2 across Bihar.

How Katihar 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
52.7/1002023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

Across its panchayats, Katihar averages 52.7 out of 100 in the Panchayat Advancement Index 2023-24, 14th of 38 in Bihar, about the same as the Bihar average of 51.9. 2023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

None of the 231 scored panchayats of Katihar reached the Front Runner band (75+) in 2023-24.

Scores on the nine development themes

Poverty-free and enhanced livelihoods66.8
Healthy panchayat55.5
Child-friendly panchayat39.6
Water-sufficient panchayat44.0
Clean and green panchayat51.9
Self-sufficient infrastructure51.3
Socially just and secured67.8
Good governance60.7
Women-friendly panchayat50.1

Katihar does best on “Socially just and secured” (67.8) and worst on “Child-friendly panchayat” (39.6). That 28-point gap shows where the next Gram Panchayat Development Plan could focus. 2023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

Schools in and near Katihar

Katihar District has 2,411 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 Katihar

On record in Katihar District: 105 Bank Branches and 127 Post Offices.

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

State Bank of India24
Central Bank of India15
Indian Bank11
Punjab National Bank11
Canara Bank7
Utkarsh Small Finance Bank6
Union Bank of India5
Bank of Baroda5

Facilities at a glance

FacilityCount
🏫 Schools2,411View list
🏦 Bank Branches105View list
📮 Post Offices127View list
🚉 Railway Stations42View list

On average there’s one bank branch for every 29,248 people.

How to reach Katihar

Katihar Jn station (0.4 km) is the closest railway station to the middle of Katihar.

The nearest airport is Bagdogra Airport, about 147 km away.

PlaceTypeDistanceDirection
Katihar Jn (KIR)Railway Station0.4 kmwest
Katihar Cbo Mb (KIRB)Railway Station0.9 kmeast
Nayatola (NYT)Railway Station3.5 kmeast
Bagdogra AirportAirport147 kmnorth-east
Darbhanga AirportAirport180 kmnorth-west

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

How far Katihar 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
12 kmCalculatedRBI bank branch list
Nearest railway station
5.3 kmCalculatedDataMeet railways

On average, a gram panchayat in Katihar is 12 km from the nearest bank branch (much farther than the Bihar average of 7.5 km). CalculatedRBI bank branch list

A typical gram panchayat in Katihar is 5.3 km from the nearest railway station. Gram panchayats in Katihar are, on average, 10.0 km from the nearest post office.

Places near Katihar

These are the nearest Districts to Katihar (straight-line distance). Handy for finding neighbouring villages, markets and offices:

DistrictDivisionDistanceDirection
PurniaPurnia Division28 kmnorth
KishanganjPurnia Division64 kmwest
ArariaPurnia Division65 kmnorth
MadhepuraKosi Division89 kmnorth-west
BhagalpurBhagalpur Division90 kmsouth-west
BankaBhagalpur Division99 kmsouth-west

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 Katihar, 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

Katihar 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 Katihar

Households in Katihar can apply for the schemes below, covering housing, work, farming, pensions, health, education and support for women. Each one shows the local office where you apply.

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 Katihar

Elevation
33 mCalculatedSRTM elevation model
Average annual rainfall
1,328 mm2001-2020CalculatedNASA POWER

The gram panchayats of Katihar lie at an average of about 33 metres above sea level. CalculatedSRTM elevation model

Katihar gets roughly 1,300 mm of rain in an average year. The surrounding land is gently undulating, with heights within 2 km varying by about 14 m.

Land cover around Katihar

Land cover within about 2 km

  • Cropland 73%
  • Tree cover 16%
  • Built-up land 4.2%
  • Water and wetland 5.5%
  • Grass and scrub 1.2%
  • Bare or sparse land 0.4%

Averaged over its gram panchayats, the land around Katihar's villages is about 73% cropland, 16% tree cover and 4% built-up (ESA WorldCover 2021). 2021CalculatedESA WorldCover 2021

From the blog

Stories from Katihar District

Katihar District: frequently asked questions

Which division is Katihar District in?

Katihar District is part of Purnia Division.

What is the headquarters of Katihar District?

The headquarters of Katihar District is Katihar.

What is the population of Katihar District?

The 2011 Census counted 30,71,029 people in Katihar District, living in 6,19,076 households. About 91% of them lived in villages.

How many gram panchayats are there in Katihar District?

There are 236 gram panchayats in Katihar District.

How many villages are there in Katihar District?

Katihar District has 1,504 revenue villages.

How many blocks are there in Katihar District?

Katihar District has 16 development blocks.

How many anchals are there in Katihar District?

Katihar District has 16 anchals.

How many assembly seats are there in Katihar District?

Katihar District has 7 assembly constituencies: Katihar, Kadwa, Balrampur, Pranpur, Manihari, Barari and Korha.

Show 17 more questions

Who are the MLAs of Katihar District?

Which Lok Sabha constituencies and MPs cover Katihar District?

What is the literacy rate of Katihar District?

The literacy rate of Katihar District was 52.2% in the 2011 Census (men 59.4%, women 44.4%), against the state average of 61.8%.

What is the sex ratio of Katihar District?

In the 2011 Census, Katihar District had 919 females for every 1,000 males (state average 918).

What is the area of Katihar District?

Katihar District covers about 3,056 sq km, which works out to about 1,005 people per sq km on its 2011 population.

Which block of Katihar District has the most gram panchayats?

Kadwa block has the most gram panchayats (30).

How many Mukhiyas in Katihar District are women?

In the 2021 panchayat election, women won 119 of the 230 Mukhiya seats here (52%).

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

In the 2021 panchayat election, an average of 7.5 candidates contested each Mukhiya seat in Katihar District. No Mukhiya seat was won unopposed.

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

The gram panchayats of Katihar average 52.7 out of 100 in PAI 2023-24, about the same as the Bihar average of 51.9.

Is Katihar District an Aspirational District?

Yes. Katihar 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 Katihar District?

We list 105 bank branches and 127 post offices in Katihar District.

Which is the nearest airport to Katihar District?

The nearest airport to the centre of Katihar District is Bagdogra Airport (IXB), about 147 km away as the crow flies. The next nearest is Darbhanga Airport (DBR), about 180 km away.

How can I file a complaint with the Katihar 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 Katihar District and the department concerned, and you can track it online with the complaint number.

Which districts are near Katihar District?

Neighbouring districts of Katihar District: Purnia (28 km), Kishanganj (64 km), Araria (65 km), Madhepura (89 km) and Bhagalpur (90 km).

What is the altitude of Katihar District above sea level?

The gram panchayats of Katihar District lie at an average of about 33 metres above sea level (SRTM terrain model).

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

On 2001-2020 averages, the gram panchayats of Katihar District get about 1,330 mm of rain a year, 78% of it between June and September. The hottest days reach about 45°C, while the coldest nights fall to about 1°C. (NASA POWER satellite-model estimates)

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

Around the gram panchayats of Katihar District, the land is on average 73% cropland, 16% tree cover, 4% built-up land and 6% water, 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)