Chain (caste)
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The Chain is a agrarian caste, found mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. They have traditionally been associated with cultivation and fishery.[1]
West Bengal
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In West Bengal, although the Chain community is widely dispersed through the state, the Government granted Scheduled Castes (SC) status only to Chain members in four districts: Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and Dakshin Dinajpur.[2] Accordingly, the Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 specifically reported the Chain only in these locations.[3] The total Chain population in West Bengal is more than thirty-five lakhs (3,500,000). And the Chain population in India is estimated to be around one crore (10,000,000). The National Commission for Scheduled Castes was reported in 2015 to be initiating a process to extend SC status to the community throughout West Bengal.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Mitra, A.; Census Operations and Joint Development Commissioner, Indian Civil Service Superintendent (1953). Land and Land Revenue Department (ed.). The Tribes and Castes of West Bengal (PDF). Census 1951: WEST BENGAL. Alipore, West Bengal: West Bengal Government Press. p. 77. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ a b Indo-Asian News Service, (IANS) (10 March 2015). "Panel wants SC status for Chain community across Bengal". Business Standard India. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment Plan Division (2018). Handbook on social welfare statistics (PDF). New Delhi: Government of India. p. 101. Retrieved 19 September 2021.