Mairaਮੈਰਾ

Where is Maira?

Maira is a village of Garhshankar tehsil in Hoshiarpur district, Punjab, in the Doaba region of the state. The 2011 directory recorded Garhshankar, about 11 kilometres away, as its nearest town. The village falls in the Garhshankar community development block and has its own gram panchayat. In the census record it carries village code 032030, and it covers 350 hectares.

Population and households

The 2011 census counted 608 people in Maira: 310 men and 298 women, living in 123 households, an average of about 4.9 people per household. Spread over its 350 hectares, the population density works out to about 174 people per square kilometre. The sex ratio was 961 women for every 1,000 men. Children up to the age of six numbered 60, about 10 per cent of the village. Scheduled Castes made up 533 people, about 88 per cent of the population, and no Scheduled Tribe population was recorded.

Literacy in 2011 stood at 80.47 per cent among residents aged seven and above, with men at 87.41 per cent and women at 73.33 per cent. The census recorded 219 workers, about 36 per cent of the village. Of the 133 main workers, the largest group, 64, were cultivators on their own land, ahead of 36 agricultural labourers and 31 other workers in trade, transport and services. A further 86 people were marginal workers, employed for only part of the year.

Land and farming

Farming covers most of Maira's land. Of the village's 350 hectares, 223 hectares were net sown area in the 2011 record, and 75 hectares of it were irrigated. Irrigation came mainly from wells and tube-wells (75 hectares). About 98 hectares were under non-agricultural uses such as the village settlement, roads and ponds. Farm power supply was recorded at 10 hours a day. The census recorded 70 cultivators and 111 agricultural labourers, so farming supports many labouring families as well as landholders.

Schools and facilities

For village facilities, the Census 2011 Village Directory is the fullest record available. Education in the village runs through one government primary school, so children can study in the village up to Class 5. The village also had an anganwadi centre and an ASHA health worker.

No health facility was recorded inside the village in 2011. Treated tap water was available in the village. The village had its own post office. 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 five to ten kilometres away. Domestic electricity supply was recorded at 10 hours a day.

Getting there

Maira is reached by pucca, all-weather roads, and the 2011 directory recorded a private bus service in the village itself. The directory recorded Garhshankar, about 11 kilometres away, as the nearest town, and the nearest railway station was five to ten kilometres away. Garhshankar, the tehsil headquarters, and Hoshiarpur city, the district headquarters, are the practical hubs for administration and onward travel. Neighbouring villages include Dalewal, Barapur, Gaddiwal and Kunail.

What is the population of Maira?

The population of Maira was 608 at the 2011 census, living in 123 households in Garhshankar tehsil of Hoshiarpur district.

What facilities does Maira have?

According to the Census 2011 Village Directory, Maira has a government primary school, an anganwadi centre and a post office. It had no bank branch inside the village in that record.