Dhaniakhali | |
|---|---|
Village | |
| Coordinates:22°58′1″N88°5′26″E / 22.96694°N 88.09056°E /22.96694; 88.09056 | |
| Country | |
| State | West Bengal |
| District | Hooghly |
| Government | |
| • Type | Panchayati raj (India) |
| • Body | Gram panchayat |
| Elevation | 16 m (52 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 373,800 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Bengali,English,Hindi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 712302 (Dhaniakhali) |
| Telephone/STD code | 03213 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-WB |
| Vehicle registration | WB |
| Literacy | 80.73% |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Hooghly |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Dhanekhali |
| Website | hooghly |
Dhaniakhali (Bengali : ধনিয়াখালি) is a village inDhaniakhali CD Block inChinsurah subdivision ofHooghly district in theIndianstate ofWest Bengal. The place has lent its name to the popularDhaniakhali Sari.

Dhaniakhali is located at22°58′1″N88°5′26″E / 22.96694°N 88.09056°E /22.96694; 88.09056.[1]
The area is composed of flatalluvial plains that form a part of theGangetic Delta.[2]
Dhaniakhali police station has jurisdiction over a part ofDhaniakhali CD Block.[3][4]
The headquarters of Dhaniakhali CD Block are located at Dhaniakhali.[5]
In Chandannagore subdivision 58.52% of the population is rural and the urban population is 41.48%. Chandannagore subdivision has 1 municipal corporation, 3 municipalities and 7census towns. The single municipal corporation isChandernagore Municipal Corporation. The municipalities areTarakeswar Municipality,Bhadreswar Municipality andChampdany Municipality.[6] Of the three CD Blocks in Chandannagore subdivision, Tarakeswar CD Block is wholly rural, Haripal CD Block is predominantly rural with just 1 census town, and Singur CD Block is slightly less rural with 6 census towns. Polba Dadpur and Dhaniakhali CD Blocks of Chinsurah subdivision (included in the map alongside) are wholly rural.[7] The municipal areas are industrialised. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
As per2011 Census of India Dhaniakhali had a total population of 3,738 of which 1,755 (47%) were males and 1,983 (53%) were females. Population below 6 years was 302. The total number of literates in Dhaniakhali was 2,744 (80.73% of the population over 6 years).[7]
According toThe Hindu Business Line, "The Bengal cottonsari is a fashion statement, wherever it is worn" and have a market all over the country.[8]The Times of India says that Dhaniakhali,Shantipur andPhulia are well–known for the traditional handloom sarees of West Bengal.
The weaving ofJamdani saris originated inDhaka in Bangladesh. Dhakai jamdani was famous among the aristocratic ladies in olden days. Places like Shantipur, Dhaniakhali,Begampur and Farasdanga started producing the jamdani sarees, after the partition of India.[9][10]
Mamata Banerjee, the West Bengal chief minister, generally wears only Dhaniakhalitant sari and has become a popular 'brand ambassador'.[11]
Ascon Agro Products Limited, jointly owned by the SPS Group and the Pailan Group, produces potato flakes at Dhaniakhali. Initially set up as a fully export-oriented unit, it has subsequently acquired permission to sell in the domestic market also. It is locally marketed using the POTO brand. Potato flakes are used to make snacks and are also used as a thickening agent in soups and bakery products. The plant was inaugurated byBuddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the West Bengal chief minister, in 2007. West Bengal produces around 80 lakh tonnes of potatoes annually and local consumption is around 45 lakh tonnes. The rest is sold outside the state. Ascon Agro Products Limited is diversifying in a big way.[12][13][14][15][16]
Tarakeswar - Dhaniakhali - Chuchura road passes through Dhaniakhali. Busses available forTarakeswar,Chuchura,Haripal, Dasghara,Kolkata etc. Tarakeswar - Dhaniakhali - Magra new railway line is on progress.
Sarat Centenary College was founded in 1976 (the birth centenary year of Bangla novelistSarat Chandra Chattopadhyay) as a junior college and was subsequently upgraded to an undergraduate degree college with affiliation from The University of Burdwan in 1978. The college offers undergraduate Honours and General degree courses in Arts (Literature & Language, Humanities & Social Sciences), Commerce, and Science (Physical and Biological) streams. The college is aided by the Government of West Bengal under its Grants-in-Aid scheme. In 2016 the college was reaccredited (2nd cycle) by NAAC with a CGPA of 2.33 (grade B). The college is also recognised by UGC under Section 2F & 12B Act of 1956.[17]
There is a rural hospital (with 30 beds) at Dhaniakhali.[18]
Jannedra Memorial Child Health Care Hospital, set up by Lions Club (with 25 beds), is located at Dhaniakhali.[19]