, ▁only ▁ 1 . 2 3 % ▁came ▁to ▁Bir b hum . ▁Bak resh war ▁Th erm al ▁Power ▁Station ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁large - scale ▁industry ▁in ▁the ▁district ▁and ▁emp lo ys ▁about ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁people . ▁There ▁are ▁ 4 ▁medium - scale ▁indust ries ▁and ▁ 4 , 7 4 8 ▁registered ▁small - scale ▁indust ries . ▁ ▁The ▁proportion ▁of ▁workers ▁engaged ▁in ▁agricult ure ▁in ▁Bir b hum ▁has ▁been ▁decre asing . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁District ▁Human ▁Development ▁Report , ▁“ more ▁people ▁are ▁now ▁engaged ▁in ▁non - ag ric ult ural ▁activities , ▁such ▁as ▁fish ing , ▁ret ail ▁sales , ▁veget able ▁v ending , ▁s elling ▁milk , ▁and ▁so ▁on . ▁As ▁all ▁these ▁activities ▁are ▁at ▁the ▁lower ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁spectrum ▁of ▁market able ▁skills , ▁it ▁remains ▁doubt ful ▁if ▁these ▁activities ▁generate ▁enough ▁return ▁for ▁their ▁family ’ s ▁su sten ance .” ▁ ▁Back ward ▁Reg ions ▁Grant ▁Fund ▁Bir b hum ▁district ▁is ▁listed ▁as ▁a ▁back ward ▁region ▁and ▁receives ▁financial ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁Back ward ▁Reg ions ▁Grant ▁Fund . ▁ ▁The ▁fund , ▁created ▁by ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁India , ▁is ▁designed ▁to ▁red ress ▁regional ▁im bal ances ▁in ▁development . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁ 2 7 2 ▁districts ▁across ▁the ▁country ▁were ▁listed ▁under ▁this ▁scheme . ▁The ▁list ▁includes ▁ 1 1 ▁districts ▁of ▁West ▁Beng