Rajarhat (community development block)

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Rajarhat is a community development block (CD block) in the Bidhannagar subdivision of North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, India. It covers 72.90 square kilometres and forms part of the North Hooghly Plain near the Hooghly River, in the lower Ganges Delta. The block’s headquarters are at Rajarhat.

As of the 2011 census, Rajarhat CD Block had a total population of 189,893, with 89,607 people living in rural areas and 100,286 in urban areas. The literacy rate was 83.13%, with 139,571 literates. The block includes several census towns such as Raigachhi, Rekjuani, Bhatenda, Basina, Bishnupur, Chandpur Champagachhi, Jatragachhi, Ghuni and Sulanggari, along with numerous villages.

Rajarhat CD Block is bordered by Barasat II CD Block to the north, South 24 Parganas district to the east and south, and the Bidhannagar municipalities (Rajarhat-Gopalpur and Bidhannagar) to the west. It is part of one of the district’s physiographic zones where land is raised alluvium along the Hooghly.

Administrative structure: The block has one panchayat samity and five gram panchayats (Chandpur, Rajarhat Bishnupur I, Rajarhat Bishnupur II, Jangrahatiara II, Patharghata). Mahisbathan II, previously part of the block, is now under the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. There are 38 inhabited villages in the block, with Rajarhat police station serving the area.

Demographics: In 2011, Hindus made up about 59.4% of the population and Muslims about 39.9%; others accounted for around 0.7%. Bengali is the dominant first language (about 95.6%), with small minorities speaking Hindi (about 2.0%) and Urdu (about 1.8%).

Economy and livelihoods: About one-third of the population were workers in 2011 (roughly 33.5%), while the remaining 66.5% were non-workers. Among workers, only a small share were cultivators (about 4.7%) or agricultural labourers (about 5.1%); the vast majority were classified as other workers (roughly 86.9%), reflecting a shift away from agriculture toward services, industry, and urban employment. Agriculture still appears in the rural parts, with crops like paddy (Aman, Boro, Aus) and potatoes, along with jute and other crops. The block also has fishery activity, with a significant area under pisciculture and many people employed in it. Banking facilities include commercial and rural banks, and road and bus connections help link Rajarhat with nearby towns; the nearest railway station is about 22 km away. State highway SH 3 runs through the area.

Education and health: In 2010-11, Rajarhat CD Block had 60 primary schools, 3 high schools, 12 higher secondary schools, plus a professional/technical institution and numerous non-formal education facilities. By 2011, most villages had access to schooling, though one village lacked a school. For healthcare, the block had 1 block primary health centre and 2 primary health centres (with a total of 15 beds) and 37 auxiliary family welfare subcentres. Rekjuani Rural Hospital (around 30 beds) is the main medical facility, with additional PHCs in Chandpur and Patharghata.

Infrastructure: All 30 inhabited villages have power and drinking water supply. A majority have postal services, telephones, pucca roads, and transport links, with varying levels of banking and agricultural credit access. The area is well-connected by road, with SH 3 passing through and bus services available; the nearest railway access is some distance from the block headquarters.