Megha Raiਮੇਘਾ ਰਾਏ

Where is Megha Rai?

Megha Rai is a village in Guru Harsahai tehsil of Ferozepur district in Punjab, India. It lies in the Malwa region, and the 2011 directory recorded Guru Har Sahai, about 11 kilometres away, as its nearest town. The village falls in the Guru Har Sahai community development block and has its own gram panchayat. In the census record it carries village code 034806, and it covers 439 hectares.

Population and households

The 2011 census counted 3,569 people in Megha Rai: 1,836 men and 1,733 women, living in 634 households, an average of about 5.6 people per household. Spread over its 439 hectares, the population density works out to about 813 people per square kilometre. The sex ratio was 944 women for every 1,000 men. Children up to the age of six numbered 480, about 13 per cent of the village. Scheduled Castes made up 3,365 people, about 94 per cent of the population, and no Scheduled Tribe population was recorded.

Literacy in 2011 stood at 60.38 per cent among residents aged seven and above, with men at 70.78 per cent and women at 49.57 per cent. The census recorded 1,887 workers, about 53 per cent of the village. Of the 938 main workers, the largest group, 349, were cultivators on their own land, ahead of 332 agricultural labourers and 250 other workers in trade, transport and services. A further 949 people were marginal workers, employed for only part of the year.

Land and farming

Farming covers most of Megha Rai's land. Of the village's 439 hectares, 395 hectares were net sown area in the 2011 record, and every sown hectare was irrigated. Irrigation came mainly from canals (323 hectares) and wells and tube-wells (72 hectares). About 43 hectares were under non-agricultural uses such as the village settlement, roads and ponds. Farm power supply was recorded at 8 hours a day. The census recorded 512 cultivators and 966 agricultural labourers, so farming supports many labouring families as well as landholders.

Schools and facilities

The Census 2011 Village Directory gives the fullest picture of village facilities. Education in the village runs through one government primary school, one government middle school, one government secondary school and one government senior secondary school, so children can study in the village up to Class 12. The village also had an anganwadi centre and an ASHA health worker.

No health facility was recorded inside the village in 2011. Drinking water came from untreated tap water supplies. It also had a PDS ration shop and mobile phone coverage. It had no bank branch or ATM in the 2011 record; the nearest bank was within five kilometres. Domestic electricity supply was recorded at 12 hours a day.

Getting there

Megha Rai is reached by pucca, all-weather roads, and the 2011 directory recorded a private bus service in the village itself. The directory recorded Guru Har Sahai, about 11 kilometres away, as the nearest town, and the nearest railway station was more than ten kilometres away. Guru Harsahai, the tehsil headquarters, and Ferozepur town, the district headquarters, are the practical hubs for administration and onward travel. Neighbouring villages include Chak Megha Rai, Baje Ke, Chhanga Rai Hithar and Chak Kandhe Shah.

What is the population of Megha Rai?

The population of Megha Rai was 3,569 at the 2011 census, living in 634 households in Guru Harsahai tehsil of Ferozepur district.

What facilities does Megha Rai have?

According to the Census 2011 Village Directory, Megha Rai has government schools from primary to senior secondary school level and an anganwadi centre. It had no bank branch inside the village in that record.