Kakolat waterfall, Nawada (illustration)
DistrictOpen government dataKakolat waterfall · illustration

Nawada District

नवादा · Bihar

Blocks
14
Gram Panchayats
187
Population (2011)
22.19 lakh
Literacy rate
59.8%

Quick answer

Nawada is a district in Magadh Division, Bihar, with 14 blocks, 14 anchals (circles) and 187 gram panchayats (LGD code 210). Its population was 22.19 lakh in the 2011 Census, with a literacy rate of 59.8%. The district elects 5 MLAs to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha.

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

About Nawada District

Nawada (नवादा) is a district in the Magadh Division of Bihar, with its headquarters at Nawada. Its villages are organised into 14 development blocks and 187 gram panchayats, and its 14 anchals (circles) handle land and revenue work. LGD district code: 210.

The district had 22.19 lakh people at the 2011 Census, spread over 2,494 km² (about 890 people per km²). Literacy was 59.8%, and there were 939 women for every 1,000 men.

The district sends 5 MLAs to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha (Rajauli, Hisua, Warisaliganj, Gobindpur and Nawada) and falls in the Nawada Lok Sabha constituency.

Nawada at a glance

NameNawada / नवादा
TypeDistrict
LGD code210
DivisionMagadh Division
StateBihar
Gram Panchayats187
Villages1,089
Blocks14
Anchals (Circles)14
Population (2011)22,19,146
Households3,38,247
Literacy rate59.8%
Sex ratio939
Area2,494.0 km²
HeadquartersNawada
Coordinates24.7500° N, 85.0000° E
Census 2011 code237
WikidataQ100067
Schools1,990
Bank Branches69
Post Offices172

Map of Nawada

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

Nawada 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.

Nawada District Block List

Nawada district has 14 development blocks. Each block page lists its gram panchayats, explains what the block office does and sums up local facilities.

BlockName in HindiGram PanchayatsVillages
Akbarpurअकबरपुर20158Gram Panchayat list
Gobindpurगोविन्दपुर973Gram Panchayat list
Hisuaहिसुआ1050Gram Panchayat list
Kashichakकाशीचक733Gram Panchayat list
Kawakoleकौआकोल1548Gram Panchayat list
Mescaurमेसकौर1060Gram Panchayat list
Nardiganjनारदीगंज1155Gram Panchayat list
Narhatनरहट1065Gram Panchayat list
Nawadaनवादा1873Gram Panchayat list
Pakri Barawanपकरीबरांवा1668Gram Panchayat list
Rajauliरजौली16167Gram Panchayat list
Rohरोह1477Gram Panchayat list
Sirdalaसिरदला1587Gram Panchayat list
Warisaliganjवारिसलीगंज1675Gram Panchayat list

Nawada District Anchal List

Nawada has 14 anchals (circles). This is where you go for land records, certificates and revenue court cases:

Population of Nawada

Population
22,19,146
Households
3,38,247
Literacy rate
59.8%
Sex ratio
939

At the 2011 Census, Nawada had 22,19,146 residents, 11,44,668 male and 10,74,478 female, in 3,38,247 households: about 6.6 people per household. At 59.8%, literacy is lower than the Bihar average of 61.8%. Male literacy is 70.0% against 48.9% for women, a gap of 21.1 percentage points.

There are 939 females for every 1,000 males, compared with 918 in Bihar. Scheduled Castes make up 25.5% of the population and Scheduled Tribes 0.1%. Children aged 0–6 make up 17.7% of residents.

90.3% of Nawada’s people live in villages and 9.7% in towns and cities.

Overall literacy59.8%
Male literacy70.0%
Female literacy48.9%
Census 2011, rural areas
Rural population20,03,567
Rural households3,04,903
Rural literacy rate58.1%
Rural sex ratio942
Rural SC population share27.0%
Rural work participation37.7%

Health and household indicators (NFHS-5)

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

IndicatorNawada
Women who are literate62.1%
Women with 10+ years of schooling37.3%
Institutional births79.9%
Children 12–23 months fully vaccinated74.5%
Children under 5 who are stunted49.4%
Women (15–49) who are anaemic70.4%
Households using clean cooking fuel40.7%
Households with improved sanitation47.9%
Households with electricity97.4%
Households with health insurance8.1%
Households with improved drinking water99.3%

Work and livelihood

At Census 2011, 36.8% of people in Nawada were workers. Of them, 26.5% farmed their own land, 48.7% were farm labourers, 4.9% worked in household industries and 20.0% in other jobs such as services, trade and construction.

Cultivators26.5%
Agricultural labourers48.7%
Household industry4.9%
Other workers20.0%

Administration

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

Nawada MLA and MP List

MP, Nawada

Vivek Thakur

Bharatiya Janata Party2024 Lok Sabha election
PartyBharatiya Janata Party
Term / election2024 Lok Sabha election
Votes received4,10,608
Vote share47.2%
Winning margin67,670
Runner-upShrawan Kumar

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

Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha seats in Nawada

Seats held by each party in the 5 assembly constituencies of Nawada: Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) 2, Bharatiya Janata Party 1, Rashtriya Janata Dal 1, Janata Dal (United) 1.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)2
Bharatiya Janata Party1
Rashtriya Janata Dal1
Janata Dal (United)1

Panchayat elections

Mukhiya seats won by women
52%2021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar
Candidates per Mukhiya seat
7.82021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar

Women won 94 of the 182 Mukhiya seats in Nawada in the 2021 panchayat election (52%), 17 of them on seats not reserved for women. 2021CalculatedState Election Commission, Bihar

In the 2021 panchayat election, an average of 7.8 candidates stood for each Mukhiya's seat in Nawada, against 8.2 across Bihar.

How Nawada 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
51.3/1002023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

Across its panchayats, Nawada averages 51.3 out of 100 in the Panchayat Advancement Index 2023-24, 25th of 38 in Bihar, about the same as the Bihar average of 51.9. 2023-24CalculatedPanchayat Advancement Index (PAI 2.0)

None of the 182 scored panchayats of Nawada reached the Front Runner band (75+) in 2023-24.

Scores on the nine development themes

Poverty-free and enhanced livelihoods63.3
Healthy panchayat56.4
Child-friendly panchayat45.8
Water-sufficient panchayat45.5
Clean and green panchayat43.6
Self-sufficient infrastructure51.9
Socially just and secured69.1
Good governance55.3
Women-friendly panchayat45.2

Nawada does best on “Socially just and secured” (69.1) and worst on “Clean and green panchayat” (43.6). 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 Nawada

Nawada District has 1,990 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 Nawada

On record in Nawada District: 69 Bank Branches and 172 Post Offices.

Banks with the most branches here: State Bank of India, Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, Indian Bank.

State Bank of India12
Utkarsh Small Finance Bank10
Indian Bank7
UCO Bank6
ICICI Bank5
Canara Bank4
HDFC Bank4
Bandhan Bank3

Facilities at a glance

FacilityCount
🏫 Schools1,990View list
🏦 Bank Branches69View list
📮 Post Offices172View list
🚉 Railway Stations16View list

On average there’s one bank branch for every 32,162 people.

How to reach Nawada

The nearest railway station to the centre of Nawada is Gaya Jn, about 6.0 km away.

The nearest airport is Gaya Airport, about 5.0 km away.

PlaceTypeDistanceDirection
Gaya Jn (GAYA)Railway Station6.0 kmnorth
Shaheed Ishwar Chowdhary Halt (SICY)Railway Station6.6 kmnorth
Bandhua (BNF)Railway Station6.7 kmeast
Gaya AirportAirport5.0 kmwest
Jay Prakash Narayan AirportAirport94 kmnorth

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

How far Nawada 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
5.3 kmCalculatedRBI bank branch list
Nearest railway station
9.9 kmCalculatedDataMeet railways

On average, a gram panchayat in Nawada is 5.3 km from the nearest bank branch (closer than the Bihar average of 7.5 km). CalculatedRBI bank branch list

A typical gram panchayat in Nawada is 9.9 km from the nearest railway station. Gram panchayats in Nawada are, on average, 3.7 km from the nearest post office.

Places near Nawada

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

DistrictDivisionDistanceDirection
GayaMagadh Division0.0 kmnorth
JehanabadMagadh Division0.0 kmnorth
ArwalMagadh Division64 kmnorth-west
AurangabadMagadh Division64 kmwest
NalandaPatna Division72 kmnorth-east
PatnaPatna Division76 kmnorth

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 Nawada, 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

Nawada 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 Nawada

These schemes, from the central government and the Government of Bihar, matter most to households in Nawada. 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 Nawada

Elevation
106 mCalculatedSRTM elevation model
Average annual rainfall
1,013 mm2001-2020CalculatedNASA POWER

The gram panchayats of Nawada lie at an average of about 106 metres above sea level. CalculatedSRTM elevation model

Nawada gets roughly 1,000 mm of rain in an average year. The terrain is rolling, with about 40 m between the highest and lowest ground within 2 km.

Land cover around Nawada

Land cover within about 2 km

  • Cropland 79%
  • Tree cover 11%
  • Built-up land 4.4%
  • Water and wetland 0.6%
  • Grass and scrub 3.8%
  • Bare or sparse land 0.4%

Averaged over its gram panchayats, the land around Nawada's villages is about 79% cropland, 11% tree cover and 4% built-up (ESA WorldCover 2021). 2021CalculatedESA WorldCover 2021

From the blog

Stories from Nawada District

Nawada District: frequently asked questions

Which division is Nawada District in?

Nawada District is part of Magadh Division.

What is the headquarters of Nawada District?

The headquarters of Nawada District is Nawada.

What is the population of Nawada District?

The 2011 Census counted 22,19,146 people in Nawada District, living in 3,38,247 households. About 90% of them lived in villages.

How many gram panchayats are there in Nawada District?

There are 187 gram panchayats in Nawada District.

How many villages are there in Nawada District?

Nawada District has 1,089 revenue villages.

How many blocks are there in Nawada District?

Nawada District has 14 development blocks.

How many anchals are there in Nawada District?

Nawada District has 14 anchals.

How many assembly seats are there in Nawada District?

Nawada District has 5 assembly constituencies: Rajauli, Hisua, Nawada, Gobindpur and Warisaliganj.

Show 18 more questions

Who are the MLAs of Nawada District?

Which Lok Sabha constituency is Nawada in?

Nawada is in the Nawada Lok Sabha constituency.

Who is the MP of Nawada?

The Member of Parliament for Nawada is Vivek Thakur (Bharatiya Janata Party), elected in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. They got 4,10,608 votes (47.2%) and won by 67,670 votes.

What is the literacy rate of Nawada District?

The literacy rate of Nawada District was 59.8% in the 2011 Census (men 70.0%, women 48.9%), against the state average of 61.8%.

What is the sex ratio of Nawada District?

In the 2011 Census, Nawada District had 939 females for every 1,000 males (state average 918).

What is the area of Nawada District?

Nawada District covers about 2,494 sq km, which works out to about 890 people per sq km on its 2011 population.

Which block of Nawada District has the most gram panchayats?

Akbarpur block has the most gram panchayats (20).

How many Mukhiyas in Nawada District are women?

In the 2021 panchayat election, women won 94 of the 182 Mukhiya seats here (52%).

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

In the 2021 panchayat election, an average of 7.8 candidates contested each Mukhiya seat in Nawada District. No Mukhiya seat was won unopposed.

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

The gram panchayats of Nawada average 51.3 out of 100 in PAI 2023-24, about the same as the Bihar average of 51.9.

Is Nawada District an Aspirational District?

Yes. Nawada 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 Nawada District?

We list 69 bank branches and 172 post offices in Nawada District.

Which is the nearest airport to Nawada District?

The nearest airport to the centre of Nawada District is Gaya Airport (GAY), about 5.0 km away as the crow flies. The next nearest is Jay Prakash Narayan Airport (PAT), about 94 km away.

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

Which districts are near Nawada District?

Neighbouring districts of Nawada District: Gaya (0.0 km), Jehanabad (0.0 km), Arwal (64 km), Aurangabad (64 km) and Nalanda (72 km).

What is the altitude of Nawada District above sea level?

The gram panchayats of Nawada District lie at an average of about 106 metres above sea level (SRTM terrain model).

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

On 2001-2020 averages, the gram panchayats of Nawada District get about 1,010 mm of rain a year, 84% 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 Nawada District?

Around the gram panchayats of Nawada District, the land is on average 79% cropland, 11% tree cover and 4% 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)