Infrastructure: Most villages have irregular electricity and lack all-weather roads. Access to safe drinking water is a growing problem.
Agriculture: The land, part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, is more suited to forests than cultivation. It is drought prone and has no irrigation facilities.
Migration: Historically, locals migrated to coal mines for work. After the 1970s, nationalization reduced local employment opportunities, leading to migration to cities and states far afield like Delhi, Kerala, Gujarat, and Bangalore.
Neglected Area: Known as ‘Pandav varjith desh’ (land deserted by the gods), the area has been neglected by the government, missionaries, naxalites, and NGOs.
Employment: Few employment opportunities exist in local industries, and the skilled jobs often go to outsiders.
Education & Healthcare: The health care and education systems reflect the needs of the remaining poor villagers, often of poor quality.
Population: Chas and Chandankiari blocks have a combined population of just over one million.
Urbanization: Chas block is nearly 70% urbanized, while Chandankiari block is 95% rural.
Communities: The villages are primarily inhabited by poor, lower caste families (scheduled and backward castes), tribals (adivasis or scheduled tribes), and Muslims.
