Dhaniakhali (community development block)

Dhaniakhali
—  community development block  —
Dhaniakhali Location of Dhaniakhali in West Bengal and India
Coordinates	22°58′N 88°06′E / 22.97°N 88.10°E / 22.97; 88.10Coordinates: 22°58′N 88°06′E / 22.97°N 88.10°E / 22.97; 88.10
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District(s)	Hooghly
Parliamentary constituency	Hooghly, Arambag
Assembly constituency	Dhanekhali, Tarakeswar
Population • Density	293,305 (2001[update]) • 830 /km2 (2,150 /sq mi)
Literacy	48.55%
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area	353.44 square kilometres (136.46 sq mi)
Codes • Pincode • 712302 • Telephone • ++91 3213
Website	hooghly.gov.in/

Dhaniakhali (community development block) (Bengali: ধনেখালি সমষ্টি উন্নয়ন ব্লক) (also spelt Dhanekhali) is an administrative division in Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Dhaniakhali police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Dhaniakhali.^[1][2]The place has lent its name to the tant (handloom) sari it produces.

Geography

Dhanekhali is located at 22°58′N 88°06′E / 22.97°N 88.10°E / 22.97; 88.10.

Dhanekhali community development block has an area of 353.44  km².^[2]

Gram panchayats

Gram panchayats of Dhaniakhali block/ panchayat samiti are: Belmuri, Bhanderhati I, Bhanderhati II, Bhastara, Dasghara I, Dasghara II, Dhaniakhali I, Dhaniakhali II, Gopinathpur I, Gopinathpur II, Gurap, Gurbari I, Gurbari II, Khajurdaha-Milki, Mandra, Parambua-Sahabazar, Somaspur I and Somaspur II.^[3]

Demographics

As per 2001 census, Dhaniakhali block had a total population of 293,305, out of which 148,265 were males and 145,040 were females. Dhaniakhali block registered a population growth of 13.86 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for Hooghly district was 15.72 per cent.^[2]Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.^[4]

Literacy

As per the 2001 census, Dhaniakhali block had a total literacy of 48.55 per cent. While male literacy was 68.42 per cent, female literacy was 46.07 per cent.^[5]

Economics

Agriculture

This is a rich agricultural area with several cold storages.^[6] Though rice is the prime crop of the district, the agricultural economy largely depends on potato, jute, vegetables, and orchard products. Vegetable is a prize crop in the blocks of Haripal, Singur, Chanditala, Polba and Dhaniakhali being grown in a relay system throughout the year. Though potato is cultivated in all the blocks of this district Dhaniakhali, Arambagh, Goghat, Pursurah, Haripal, Polba-Dadpur, Tarakeswar, Pandua and Singur contributed much of its production of this district.^[7]

Some of the primary and other hats or markets in the Dhaniakhali bloc area are at: Belmuri, Gopinagar, Hazipur, Kananadi, Bhastara, Chowghata, Sahabazar, Dashghara, and Gurap.^[8]

Industry

Pailan Group’s Ascon Agro has set up a Rs 50 crore potato flakes plant at Dhaniakhali. The potato plant, built on 65 acres (260,000 m²), has a capacity of 3,600 tons per annum. The project, with Export Oriented Unit-Special Economic Zone status, used machinery imported from The Netherlands and would employ 1500 people.^[9][10]

Textiles

According to The Hindu Business Line, "The Bengal cotton sari is a fashion statement, wherever it is worn" and have a market all over the country.^[11] The Times of India says that Dhaniakhali, Shantipur and Phulia are well–known for the traditional handloom saris of West Bengal. "In Dhaniakhali block every household has at least one loom. The sari produced here is named after the place".^[12] The material for the Dhaniakhali sari is somewhat coarse and heavier than other textiles from Bengal but suits the middle class budget and as such is popular.^[13][14] An ordinary Dhaniakhali sari takes a minimum of two days (10–12 hours each day), to be woven, and the weaver collects Rs. 50 for it. It sells for Rs. 100 in the market. The most exotic ones take four to five days to weave, fetches the weaver Rs. 450, and is sold for Rs. 800.^[12]

The weaving of Jamdani saris originated in Dhaka in Bangladesh. Dhakai jamdani was famous among the aristocratic ladies in olden days. Places like Shantipur, Dhaniakhali, Begampur and Farasdanga started producing the jamdani saris, after the partition of India.^[15][16]

In earlier days Dhaniakhali also produced superfine dhotis but has switched over to saris as per changes in market demand.^[17] Now, they also want to weave material for salwar-kurtas in order to cater to the needs of the changing market.^[12]

The Times of India reports that the weavers of Dhaniakhali have been facing financial problems. More than half are members of a co-operative, Dhaniakhali Union Tant Silpi Samabaya Samity. The rest who operate through mahajans (middlemen or money-lenders) have a tough time. It is not that the saris are not selling, but the trouble is that they are not being paid in time by the state government-run emporia, who are the main buyers. It is difficult to function without cash since the raw material provided by the cooperative to the weavers cannot be bought on credit.^[12]

Transport

Dhaniakhali station on the Howrah–Bardhaman chord line was inaugurated in December 2003.^[18] It is 49 kilometres (30 mi) from Howrah Station^[19] and is part of the Kolkata Suburban Railway system.

Communication

Dhaniakhali area exchange with code 3213 serves: Belmuri, Bhandarhati, Boinchi, Dasghara, Dhaniakhali, Gajinadaspur, Guptipara, Gurup, Jirat, Khejurdaha, Khannan, Kuliapara, Mahanad, Pandua, Puinan, Rameshwarpur.^[20]

Education

Dhaniakhali panchayat samiti area had 190 primary schools, 23 secondary schools, 6 higher secondary schools and one degree college.^[5] Sarat Centenary College was established at Dhaniakhali in 1978.^[21]An Educational Institution for the poor and needy students named Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Sikhsatirtha established in 2006 by Sri Ramakrishna Chaitanya Seva Pratisthan in the village Parul under Dhaniakhali block.

Little magazine-Lipika is one of the oldest little magazines published from Somospur.Another magazine named CHAITANYA in published from Sri Ramakrishna Chaitanya Seva Pratisthan in the village Parul.

External links

• Map of Hooghly district
• Sri Ramakrishna Chaitanya Seva Pratisthan

References

1. ^ "Contact details of Block Development Officers". Hooghly district. West Bengal Government. http://wbprd.gov.in/html/asp/bdo_contact.asp?cd=DJ. Retrieved 2011-04-10. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Provisional population totals, West Bengal, Table 4, Hugli district". Census of India 2001. Census Commission of India. http://web.cmc.net.in/wbcensus/DataTables/02/Table4_12.htm. Retrieved 2011-04-10. 
3. ^ "No. 229 (Sanction)-PN/P/II/1G-5/2005(Pt.II) dated 02.02.09". Allotment No. 5 for five districts – Cooch Behar, Burdwan, Uttar Dinajpur, Hooghly and Bankura. Government of West Bengal - Department of Panchayats & Rural Development. http://wbprd.nic.in/html/asp/writereaddata/Notifications/01120055.doc. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
4. ^ "Provisional Population Totals, West Bengal. Table 4". Census of India 2001. Census Commission of India. http://web.cmc.net.in/wbcensus/DataTables/02/FrameTable4_1.htm. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Dhaniakhali". Local Self-government. Hooghly Zilla Parishad. 
6. ^ "List of functioning Cold Storage of West Bengal District wise as on 18.01.07". West Bengal State Marketing Board. http://wbagrimarketingboard.gov.in/cold%20storage-ok/Cold%20storage11.html. Retrieved 2009-01-28. 
7. ^ "Intensive cropping with remarkable feature of Hooghly District". http://hooghly.nic.in/AGRI-INTEN.HTM. Retrieved 2009-01-28. 
8. ^ "Primary Hats/Markets of District". Hooghly. West Bengal State Marketing Board. http://wbagrimarketingboard.gov.in/bazar/hooghly.html. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
9. ^ "Pailan potato flakes unit launched". Business Standard, 8 October 2007. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/pailan-potato-flakes-unit-launched/02/51/300584/. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
10. ^ "SPS Group acquires 55% of Pailan arm". The Telegraph, 9 April 2008. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080409/jsp/business/story_9112927.jsp. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
11. ^ "The itinerant saree seller". The Hindu Business Line, 5 November 2004. http://www.blonnet.com/life/2004/11/05/stories/2004110500070100.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
12. ^ ^{a b c d} "Bengal govt spins a woeful pattern for weavers". Times of India, 18 May 2001. 2001-05-18. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/42349490.cms. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
13. ^ "Indiwo.in.com For the Indian woman Buying the Right Cotton ...". http://indiwo.in.com/india/guides/apparel-beautyfashion/buying-the-right-cotton-saree/11531/1. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
14. ^ "Bengal saree expo in the Capital". The Hindu Business Line, 26 March 2007. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/03/26/stories/2007032603191500.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
15. ^ "World Of The Indian Woman: Jamdani: The gorgeous saris of Bengal". http://worldoftheindianwoman.blogspot.com/2008/12/jamdani-gorgeous-saris-of-bengal.html. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
16. ^ "Jamdani Sarees". http://www.indianwomenclothing.com/indian-sarees/jamdani-sarees.html. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
17. ^ "Textiles of West Bengal, Craft and Artisans of India". http://www.craftandartisans.com/textiles-of-west-bengal.html. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
18. ^ "After fog, frenzy stalls trains - Mob blocks rail tracks with halt demand, schedules thrown awry". The Telegraph, 9 January 2004. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040109/asp/calcutta/story_2765623.asp. Retrieved 2009-01-28. 
19. ^ Eastern Railway local time table
20. ^ "Adjacent Area Dialling Schemes". BSNL. http://kolkata.bsnl.co.in/stdadjacent.shtml. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
21. ^ "Colleges". University Grants Commission. http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/alphareco_college.php?resultpage=4&st=S. Retrieved 2009-01-29.