Raniganj

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  ?Raniganj
West Bengal • India
Map indicating the location of Raniganj
Thumbnail map of India with West Bengal highlighted
Location of Raniganj
Coordinates: 23°37′N 87°08′E / 23.62, 87.13
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
Elevation

• 91 m (299 ft)
District(s) Bardhaman
Population 122,891 (2001)
Website: bardhaman.gov.in/

Coordinates: 23°37′N 87°08′E / 23.62, 87.13 Raniganj (Bengali: রাণীগঞ্জ) is a city and a municipality in Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Raniganj is located at 23.62° N 87.13° E[1]. It has an average elevation of 91 metres (298 feet). The city has average summer temperatures in May ranging from lows of 24 °C (75.2 °F)to highs above 42 °C (107.6 °F)and winter lows usually are around 6 °C (42.8 °F). The Asansol-Durgapur region is composed of undulating latterite soil. This area lies between two mighty rivers – the Damodar and the Ajay. They flow almost parallel to each other in the region – the average distance between the two rivers is around 30 km. For ages the area was heavily forested and infested with plunderers and marauders. The discovery of coal led to industrialisation of the area and most of the forests have been cleared. [2]

Nunia, a small stream about 40 km long has its origin near Adra village in the Salanpur area, flows through the Barabani area, past Asansol and joins the Damodar in the Raniganj area. [3]

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census[4], Raniganj had a population of 122,891. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Raniganj has an average literacy rate of 64%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 72%, and female literacy is 56%. In Raniganj, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

[edit] Politics

Raniganj assembly seat was won by Haradhan Jha of CPI (M) in 2006. He defeated his nearest rival Jitendra Tiwari of AITC. In 2001, 1996, 1991 and 1987, Bansa Gopal Chowdhury of CPI (M) won the seat defeating his nearest rivals Sampa Sarkar, Senapati Mondal, Sankar Dutta and Kalyani Biswas (all of INC) in the respective years. In 1982 and 1977, Haradhan Roy of CPI (M) defeated Hare Krishna Goswami and Sarojakshya Mukherjee (both of INC) in the respective years.

Raniganj is part of the Asansol (Lok Sabha constituency). [5]

[edit] Education

Raniganj has some old bengali and hindi medium schools and also some new age english mediums schools. Old bengali medium school like Raniganj High School, Gandhi Memorial Girls School and Hindi medium schools like Marwari Sanatan Vidhyalay, Ramkumar Khaitan Shiksha Sadan and Gyan Bharti School have traditional education systems have good reputation in the locality. It also have one of the largest college in this region named Triveni Devi Bhalotia College. Many notable students are well placed and settled abroad e.g. Rajat Subhra Dutta, Anindya Sarkar, Nishant Daruka etc. They represent the Corporate IT GenX which is changing India at a rapid pace.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Raniganj
  2. ^ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, Bardhaman Jelar Itihas O Lok Sanskriti (History and Folk lore of Bardhaman District.), (Bengali), Vol I, pp 14-15, Radical Impression. ISBN 81-85459-36-3
  3. ^ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, pp 26-27
  4. ^ Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns. (Provisional). Census Commission of India. Retrieved on 2007-09-03.
  5. ^ General election to the Legislative Assembly, 2001 – List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies. West Bengal. Election Commission of India. Retrieved on 2007-02-21.

[edit] See also