North Garo Hills is one of the administrative districts of the state of Meghalaya in north-east India. It lies within the Garo Hills region, which is inhabited predominantly by the Garo community. The district headquarters is located at Resubelpara.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| State | Meghalaya |
| Region | Garo Hills |
| Headquarters | Resubelpara |
| Created | 2012 |
| Parent district | East Garo Hills |
| Country | India |
Background
The Garo Hills, historically administered as a single district under Assam before the formation of Meghalaya in 1972, have been progressively reorganised into smaller administrative units. North Garo Hills was carved out of the existing East Garo Hills district to bring the administration closer to the population and improve the delivery of public services in remote rural areas.
Formation
The district was created in 2012 as part of a wider reorganisation of districts in Meghalaya, in which the state government created several new districts by bifurcating older ones. Resubelpara, previously a sub-divisional headquarters under East Garo Hills, was upgraded as the district headquarters of the new unit.
Geography
North Garo Hills lies in the northern part of the Garo Hills plateau. The terrain is largely hilly and forested, with the landscape descending towards the plains of Assam in the north. The district shares boundaries with neighbouring districts of Meghalaya, including East Garo Hills to the south, and with the state of Assam to the north. The area falls within the catchment of rivers that drain northwards into the Brahmaputra system.
Administration
The district is administered by a Deputy Commissioner and is part of the law-and-order set-up of the Meghalaya Police. For traditional and customary matters, areas of the district fall under the jurisdiction of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Economy and society
The economy is largely agrarian, with shifting cultivation (locally known as jhum) and settled farming both practised. Rice, ginger, areca nut, and a range of fruit and vegetables are commonly grown. Christianity is the dominant religion among the Garo population, alongside elements of indigenous tradition. The Garo language, written in the Roman script, is widely spoken, with English serving as an official medium of administration and education.
Significance
The creation of North Garo Hills reflects the broader policy of decentralised district administration in Meghalaya, aimed at improving governance in tribal-majority and geographically remote regions. The district plays a role in linking the interior Garo Hills with neighbouring Assam and forms part of the cultural heartland of the Garo people.
Related topics
- Meghalaya
- Garo Hills
- East Garo Hills district
- West Garo Hills district
- South Garo Hills district
- Garo people
- Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India
- Districts of Meghalaya
References
- Government of Meghalaya, official portal.
- Wikidata entity Q7055466.