Sone river, Arwal (illustration)
DistrictOpen government dataSone river · illustration

Arwal District

अरवल · Bihar

Blocks
5
Gram Panchayats
65
Population (2011)
7.01 lakh
Literacy rate
67.4%

Quick answer

Arwal is a district in Magadh Division, Bihar, with 5 blocks, 5 anchals (circles) and 65 gram panchayats (LGD code 611). Its population was 7.01 lakh in the 2011 Census, with a literacy rate of 67.4%. The district elects 2 MLAs to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha.

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

About Arwal District

Arwal (अरवल) district is in the Magadh Division of Bihar, with its headquarters at Arwal. It has 5 anchals (circles) for revenue work and 5 development blocks with 65 gram panchayats between them. LGD code: 611.

Census 2011 counted 7.01 lakh people in the district, spread over 638 km² (about 1,099 people per km²). Literacy was 67.4%, and there were 928 women for every 1,000 men.

The district sends 2 MLAs to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha (Kurtha and Arwal) and falls in the Jahanabad Lok Sabha constituency.

Arwal at a glance

NameArwal / अरवल
TypeDistrict
LGD code611
DivisionMagadh Division
StateBihar
Gram Panchayats65
Villages313
Blocks5
Anchals (Circles)5
Population (2011)7,00,843
Households1,18,222
Literacy rate67.4%
Sex ratio928
Area638.0 km²
HeadquartersArwal
Coordinates25.2400° N, 84.6700° E
Census 2011 code240
WikidataQ42917
Schools696
Bank Branches23
Post Offices87

Map of Arwal

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

Arwal 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.

Arwal District Block List

Arwal district has 5 development blocks. Each block page lists its gram panchayats, explains what the block office does and sums up local facilities.

BlockName in HindiGram PanchayatsVillages
Arwalअरवल1254Gram Panchayat list
Kalerकलेर1561Gram Panchayat list
Kapriकरपी1984Gram Panchayat list
Kurthaकुर्था1168Gram Panchayat list
Sonbhadra-bansi-surajpurसोनभद्र बंशी सुर्यापूर846Gram Panchayat list

Arwal District Anchal List

Arwal has 5 anchals (circles). This is where you go for land records, certificates and revenue court cases:

Population of Arwal

Population
7,00,843
Households
1,18,222
Literacy rate
67.4%
Sex ratio
928

Census 2011 counted 7,00,843 people in Arwal (3,63,497 male, 3,37,346 female) in 1,18,222 households, or about 5.9 per household. At 67.4%, literacy is higher than the Bihar average of 61.8%. Male literacy is 79.1% against 54.9% for women, a gap of 24.2 percentage points.

There are 928 females for every 1,000 males, compared with 918 in Bihar. Scheduled Castes make up 20.2% of the population and Scheduled Tribes 0.1%. Children aged 0–6 make up 18.2% of residents.

92.6% of Arwal’s people live in villages and 7.4% in towns and cities.

Overall literacy67.4%
Male literacy79.1%
Female literacy54.9%
Census 2011, rural areas
Rural population6,48,994
Rural households1,09,769
Rural literacy rate66.8%
Rural sex ratio929
Rural SC population share20.3%
Rural work participation34.2%

Health and household indicators (NFHS-5)

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

IndicatorArwal
Women who are literate62.5%
Women with 10+ years of schooling32.9%
Institutional births79.2%
Children 12–23 months fully vaccinated84.2%
Children under 5 who are stunted45.6%
Women (15–49) who are anaemic66.9%
Households using clean cooking fuel29.3%
Households with improved sanitation43.4%
Households with electricity97.4%
Households with health insurance15.6%
Households with improved drinking water99.9%

Work and livelihood

At Census 2011, 33.7% of people in Arwal were workers. Of them, 20.8% farmed their own land, 61.2% were farm labourers, 2.9% worked in household industries and 15.1% in other jobs such as services, trade and construction.

Cultivators20.8%
Agricultural labourers61.2%
Household industry2.9%
Other workers15.1%

Administration

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

Arwal MLA and MP List

MP, Jahanabad

Surendra Prasad Yadav

Rashtriya Janata Dal2024 Lok Sabha election
PartyRashtriya Janata Dal
Term / election2024 Lok Sabha election
Votes received4,43,035
Vote share47.9%
Winning margin1,42,591
Runner-upChandeshwar Prasad

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

Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha seats in Arwal

Seats held by each party in the 2 assembly constituencies of Arwal: Janata Dal (United) 1, Bharatiya Janata Party 1.

Janata Dal (United)1
Bharatiya Janata Party1

Panchayat elections

Mukhiya seats won by women
52%2021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar
Candidates per Mukhiya seat
8.72021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar

Women won 33 of the 64 Mukhiya seats in Arwal in the 2021 panchayat election (52%), 5 of them on seats not reserved for women. 2021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar

In the 2021 panchayat election, an average of 8.7 candidates stood for each Mukhiya's seat in Arwal, against 8.2 across Bihar.

How Arwal 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
49.3/1002023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

Across its panchayats, Arwal averages 49.3 out of 100 in the Panchayat Advancement Index 2023-24, 33rd of 38 in Bihar, slightly behind the Bihar average of 51.9. 2023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

None of the 64 scored panchayats of Arwal reached the Front Runner band (75+) in 2023-24.

Scores on the nine development themes

Poverty-free and enhanced livelihoods60.0
Healthy panchayat55.1
Child-friendly panchayat43.2
Water-sufficient panchayat42.6
Clean and green panchayat48.5
Self-sufficient infrastructure40.6
Socially just and secured66.9
Good governance59.8
Women-friendly panchayat43.3

Arwal does best on “Socially just and secured” (66.9) and worst on “Self-sufficient infrastructure” (40.6). That 26-point gap shows where the next Gram Panchayat Development Plan could focus. 2023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

Schools in and near Arwal

Arwal District has 696 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 Arwal

On record in Arwal District: 23 Bank Branches and 87 Post Offices.

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

State Bank of India3
Indian Bank2
UCO Bank2
Utkarsh Small Finance Bank2
ICICI Bank2
Bandhan Bank1
Bank of India1
Central Bank of India1

Facilities at a glance

FacilityCount
🏫 Schools696View list
🏦 Bank Branches23View list
📮 Post Offices87View list

On average there’s one bank branch for every 30,471 people.

How to reach Arwal

Garhani station (22 km) is the closest railway station to the middle of Arwal (ECR zone).

The nearest airport is Jay Prakash Narayan Airport, about 57 km away.

PlaceTypeDistanceDirection
Garhani (GQN)Railway Station22 kmnorth-west
Semraon (SRMN)Railway Station22 kmnorth-west
Charpokhari Halt (CRQ)Railway Station23 kmnorth-west
Jay Prakash Narayan AirportAirport57 kmnorth-east
Gaya AirportAirport62 kmsouth-east

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

How far Arwal 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
8.4 kmCalculatedRBI bank branch list
Nearest railway station
23 kmCalculatedDataMeet railways

A typical gram panchayat in Arwal is 23 km from the nearest railway station. CalculatedDataMeet railways

On average, a gram panchayat in Arwal is 8.4 km from the nearest bank branch (a little farther than the Bihar average of 7.5 km). Gram panchayats in Arwal are, on average, 2.7 km from the nearest post office.

Places near Arwal

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

DistrictDivisionDistanceDirection
BhojpurPatna Division35 kmnorth
PatnaPatna Division54 kmeast
AurangabadMagadh Division62 kmsouth-west
GayaMagadh Division64 kmsouth-east
JehanabadMagadh Division64 kmsouth-east
NawadaMagadh Division64 kmsouth-east

Other Districts in Magadh 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 Arwal, 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.

Government schemes for residents of Arwal

Households in Arwal 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 Arwal

Elevation
78 mCalculatedSRTM elevation model
Average annual rainfall
992 mm2001-2020CalculatedNASA POWER

The gram panchayats of Arwal lie at an average of about 78 metres above sea level. CalculatedSRTM elevation model

Arwal gets roughly 990 mm of rain in an average year. The land around it is almost flat: heights within 2 km vary by only about 10 m, typical of the alluvial plains.

Land cover around Arwal

Land cover within about 2 km

  • Cropland 84%
  • Tree cover 8.6%
  • Built-up land 3.3%
  • Water and wetland 0.8%
  • Grass and scrub 1.6%
  • Bare or sparse land 1.3%

Averaged over its gram panchayats, the land around Arwal's villages is about 84% cropland, 9% tree cover and 3% built-up (ESA WorldCover 2021). 2021CalculatedESA WorldCover 2021

From the blog

Stories from Arwal District

Arwal District: frequently asked questions

Which division is Arwal District in?

Arwal District is part of Magadh Division.

What is the headquarters of Arwal District?

The headquarters of Arwal District is Arwal.

What is the population of Arwal District?

The 2011 Census counted 7,00,843 people in Arwal District, living in 1,18,222 households. About 93% of them lived in villages.

How many gram panchayats are there in Arwal District?

There are 65 gram panchayats in Arwal District.

How many villages are there in Arwal District?

Arwal District has 313 revenue villages.

How many blocks are there in Arwal District?

Arwal District has 5 development blocks.

How many anchals are there in Arwal District?

Arwal District has 5 anchals.

How many assembly seats are there in Arwal District?

Arwal District has 2 assembly constituencies: Arwal and Kurtha.

Show 17 more questions

Who are the MLAs of Arwal District?

Which Lok Sabha constituency is Arwal in?

Arwal is in the Jahanabad Lok Sabha constituency.

Who is the MP of Arwal?

The Member of Parliament for Jahanabad is Surendra Prasad Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal), elected in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. They got 4,43,035 votes (47.9%) and won by 1,42,591 votes.

What is the literacy rate of Arwal District?

The literacy rate of Arwal District was 67.4% in the 2011 Census (men 79.1%, women 54.9%), against the state average of 61.8%.

What is the sex ratio of Arwal District?

In the 2011 Census, Arwal District had 928 females for every 1,000 males (state average 918).

What is the area of Arwal District?

Arwal District covers about 638 sq km, which works out to about 1,099 people per sq km on its 2011 population.

Which block of Arwal District has the most gram panchayats?

Kapri block has the most gram panchayats (19).

How many Mukhiyas in Arwal District are women?

In the 2021 panchayat election, women won 33 of the 64 Mukhiya seats here (52%).

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

In the 2021 panchayat election, an average of 8.7 candidates contested each Mukhiya seat in Arwal District. No Mukhiya seat was won unopposed.

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

The gram panchayats of Arwal average 49.3 out of 100 in PAI 2023-24, slightly behind the Bihar average of 51.9.

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

We list 23 bank branches and 87 post offices in Arwal District.

Which is the nearest airport to Arwal District?

The nearest airport to the centre of Arwal District is Jay Prakash Narayan Airport (PAT), about 57 km away as the crow flies. The next nearest is Gaya Airport (GAY), about 62 km away.

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

Which districts are near Arwal District?

Neighbouring districts of Arwal District: Bhojpur (35 km), Patna (54 km), Aurangabad (62 km), Gaya (64 km) and Jehanabad (64 km).

What is the altitude of Arwal District above sea level?

The gram panchayats of Arwal District lie at an average of about 78 metres above sea level (SRTM terrain model).

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

On 2001-2020 averages, the gram panchayats of Arwal District get about 990 mm of rain a year, 85% of it between June and September. The hottest days reach about 48°C, while the coldest nights fall to about 2°C. (NASA POWER satellite-model estimates)

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

Around the gram panchayats of Arwal District, the land is on average 84% cropland, 9% 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)