commerce, teachers, entertainment artistes and so on. Infrastructure There are 63 inhabited villages in Bagodar CD block. In 2011, 50 villages had power supply. 6 villages had tap water (treated/ untreated), 62 villages had well water (covered/ uncovered), 61 villages had hand pumps, and all villages had drinking water facility. 22 villages had post offices, 13 villages had a sub post office, 9 villages had telephones (land lines) and 21 villages had mobile phone coverage. 63 villages had pucca (paved) village roads, 9 villages had bus service (public/ private), 10 villages had autos/ modified autos, and 14 villages had tractors. 8 villages had bank branches, 3 villages had agricultural credit societies, 2 villages had cinema/ video halls, 2 villages had public library and public reading rooms. 24 villages had public distribution system, 13 villages had weekly haat (market) and 25 villages had assembly polling stations. Agriculture Hills occupy a large portion of Giridih district. The soil is generally rocky and sandy and that helps jungles and bushes to grow. The forest area, forming a large portion of total area, in the district is evenly distributed all over. Some areas near the rivers have alluvial soil. In Bagodar CD block, the percentage of cultivable area to total area is 47.51%. It is the highest amongst all CD blocks in the district. The percentage of cultivable area to the total area for the district, as a whole, is 27.04%. Irrigation is inadequate. The percentage of irrigated area to cultivable area in Bagodar CD Block is 1.76%, the lowest amongst all CD blocks in the district. May to October is the Kharif season, followed by the Rabi season. Rice, sown in 50% of the gross sown area, is the main crop in the district. Other important crops grown are: maize, wheat, sugar cane, pulses and vegetables. Mica and coal mines Mica and coal are mined in Bagodar CD block. Backward Regions Grant Fund Giridih district is listed as a backward region and receives financial support from the Backward Regions Grant Fund. The fund created by the Government of India is designed to redress regional imbalances in development. As of 2012, 272 districts across the country were listed under this scheme. The list includes 21 districts of Jharkhand. Transport NH 19 (old numbering NH 2)/ Grand Trunk Road and the Hazaribag town-Hazaribagh Road railway station road passes through this CD block. The Asansol-Gaya section,