Guma, India

Guma গুমা
Census town
Guma Show map of West Bengal Guma Show map of India Location in West Bengal, India
Coordinates: 22°50′N 88°38′E / 22.83°N 88.63°E / 22.83; 88.63Coordinates: 22°50′N 88°38′E / 22.83°N 88.63°E / 22.83; 88.63
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	North 24 Parganas
Government
• Type	Municipal corporation
• Body	Nagar Palika
Population (2011)
• Total	12,025
Languages
• Official	Bengali, English
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	743704
Vehicle registration	WB
Lok Sabha constituency	Barasat
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Ashoknagar
Website	north24parganas.nic.in

Guma is a census town in Habra II CD Block of Barasat sadar subdivision^[1] in North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Ashokenagar police station serves this town.

Geography

Guma is located in the Ganges Brahmaputra delta region in the district of North 24 parganas, West Bengal state in the eastern India.It is 38 km from Sealdah Station and 15 km from Barasat on the Sealdah-Bangaon branch line of Eastern Railway.^[2] Bidyadhari River runs through Guma.

Demographics

As per 2011 Census of India Guma had a total population of 12,025, of which 6,089 (51%) were males and 5,936 (49%) were females. Population below 6 years was 1,190. The total number of literates in Guma was 9,479 (87.49 % of the population over 6 years).^[3]

As of 2001 India census,^[4] total Guma had a population of 9,297. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Guma has an average literacy rate of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 79%, and female literacy is 69%. In Guma, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Administration

Guma falls under the jurisdiction of Ashokenagar Police Station. Guma I and Guma II gram panchayats are responsible for development of Guma. It falls under the Assembly constituency of Ashoknagar (Vidhan Sabha constituency) and Barasat (Lok Sabha constituency). Headquarters of Habra II (community development block) is at Guma.

Healthcare

North 24 Parganas district has been identified as one of the areas where ground water is affected by arsenic contamination.^[5] Local clubs sometimes conducts health awareness programmes with the help of Department of health and Gram panchayats. Guma Sub-Health Center is situated in the junction of Guma-Rajibpur Road and Kamarpur Road.

Education

Though there are many Government or private schools for primary education in Guma. There are only two Higher Secondary schools in Guma. Student willing to take secondary education, sometimes has to travel to nearby towns or villages for that purpose. Other than that there are two Madrasas at Choto Bamonia and Khosdelpur. There is no college in Guma. Office of the Habra II Sub-Inspector of Schools is also in Guma.

Higher Secondary Schools

• Guma Rabindra Vidyapith
• Najrul Balika Vidyalaya

Transport

Railway

It is 38 km from Sealdah Station and 15 km from Barasat on the Sealdah-Bangaon branch line of Eastern Railway.^[6] It is part of the Kolkata Suburban Railway syatem. Guma railway station has been selected to be constructed as a Model Station in the 2009 rail budget by Mamata Banerjee. Habra local, Gobardanga local, Bangaon local Connects Guma to Sealdah, Bangaon and other stations of Sealdah-Bangaon branch line.

Road

Guma is situated on NH-35. Guma is connected to the nearby villages by Guma-Rajibpur Road, Guma-Prithiba Road and Kamarpur Road. Auto rickshaw and cycle rickshaw are the only mode of public transport in Guma for traveling within the town. Auto rickshaw connects this town to its nearby villages. Guma is connected to Kolkata and Bangladesh though land by Jessore Road(NH-35). Other towns like Habra, Duttapukur, Barasat, Naihati, Madhyamgram, Kalyani, Kolkata, Bagdah etc. are connected to Guma with buses from Habra and Barasat.

References