ਚਰਕਚਰਕ

Where is Charak?

Charak is a village in Pathankot tehsil of Pathankot district in Punjab, India. It lies in the Majha region, and the 2011 directory recorded Pathankot, about 24 kilometres away, as its nearest town. The village falls in the Narot Jaimal Singh community development block and has its own gram panchayat. In the census record it carries village code 027722, and it covers 42 hectares.

Population and households

The 2011 census counted 541 people in Charak: 284 men and 257 women, living in 106 households, an average of about 5.1 people per household. Spread over its 42 hectares, the population density works out to about 1,288 people per square kilometre. The sex ratio was 905 women for every 1,000 men. Children up to the age of six numbered 69, about 13 per cent of the village. Scheduled Castes made up 385 people, about 71 per cent of the population, and no Scheduled Tribe population was recorded.

Literacy in 2011 stood at 76.06 per cent among residents aged seven and above, with men at 85.48 per cent and women at 65.62 per cent. The census recorded 148 workers, about 27 per cent of the village. Of the 139 main workers, the largest group, 72, were other workers in trade, transport and services, ahead of 46 cultivators on their own land and 12 agricultural labourers. A further 9 people were marginal workers, employed for only part of the year.

Land and farming

Farming covers most of Charak's land. Of the village's 42 hectares, 38 hectares were net sown area in the 2011 record, and every sown hectare was irrigated. Irrigation came mainly from wells and tube-wells (38 hectares). About 4 hectares were under non-agricultural uses such as the village settlement, roads and ponds. Farm power supply was recorded at 8 hours a day. With 46 cultivators and 14 agricultural labourers in the census, most farm work in the village is done by landholding families themselves.

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 and one government secondary school, so children can study in the village up to Class 10. 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. 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 12 hours a day.

Getting there

Charak is reached by pucca, all-weather roads, and the 2011 directory recorded a private bus service in the village itself. The directory recorded Pathankot, about 24 kilometres away, as the nearest town, and the nearest railway station was more than ten kilometres away. Pathankot, the tehsil headquarters, and Pathankot, the district headquarters, are the practical hubs for administration and onward travel. Neighbouring villages include Kathana, Kolian, Jainpur and Muradpur.

What is the population of Charak?

The population of Charak was 541 at the 2011 census, living in 106 households in Pathankot tehsil of Pathankot district.

What facilities does Charak have?

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