Raniganj
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Raniganj
Town in the Asansol subdivision of Burdwan District, Bengal, situated in 23 36' N and 87 & E , on the north bank of the Damodar river. Population (1901), 15,841 The town, which has a station on the East Indian Railway and was the head-quarters of the subdivision until 1906, owes its importance to the development of the coal industry and is one of the busiest places in Bengal. Exten- sive potteries give employment to 1,500 hands, the value of the out-turn in 1903-4 being estimated at 6-45 lakhs. Paper-mills employ nearly 800 hands, and 2,884 tons f p^per \alued at 8-65 lakhs were manu- factuied in 1903-4, 3 oil-mills are also at work. There is a consider- able trade m rice and oil. Ramganj was constituted a municipality in 1876. The income during the decade ending 1901-2 averaged Rs. 19,000, and the expendituie Rs. 16,000 In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 22,000, of which Rs. 12,000 was derived from a tax on houses and lands; and the expenditure was Rs. 20,100. A Wesleyan Methodist mission maintains a leper asylum 3 an orphanage, and day schools.
