KVK JAIÑTIA HILLS
Department of Agriculture

West Jaiñtia Hills District Profile

           West Jaintia Hills District one of the eleven Districts of the State of Meghalaya and is located in the eastern most part of the state. It is the home of one of the major tribes of Meghalaya popularly known as “the Jaintias “or the “Pnars” and other sub-tribes like the “Wars”, the “Bhois” and the “Biates”. It is the second largest district in the state in terms of area. It was created on 31st July, 2012 by the bifurcation of the erstwhile Jaintia Hills district into East and West Jaintia Hills Districts.

           Before its conquest and annexation by the British, Jaintia Hills was regarded as a kingdom under the rule of the Jaintia Kings. It comprised the vast hilly tracts of areas under the dominion of the traditional chiefs known as “Daloi” and often referred in the local parlance as“Ka Ri Khadar Dalloi” or “The Kingdom of twelve chieftains” and also lowlands in the Assam valley and Surma Valley(now in Bangladesh) which were under the direct supervision of the “Syiem” or”Rajah”.

           With the annexation, this kingdom was fragmented and its status was reduced to a mere sub-division to form part of the district known as United Khasi and Jaintia Hills. After independence and with the implementation of the Constitution of India in 1950, a number of District Councils were created in the State of erstwhile Assam carving out areas from the then Jaintia Hills. Thus we find the area under Jaintia Hills District which originally was 5462 sq. kms was reduced to 3819 sq.kms.

           Jowai is the head quarter of West Jaintia hills District and is the host of all the heads of important governmental offices and establishments, educational institutions, hospital, banking institutions etc. There is 1(one) Civil Sub-divisions viz., Amlarem Sub-division and 3(three) community and rural development blocks viz., Thadlaskeiñ,Laskeiñ, and Amlarem blocks in the district.The general profile of the district can be seen in table1.

GENERAL PROFILE OF THE DISTRICT