terracotta, village pottery and bamboo craft in the Goalpokhar-1 and Kaliaganj regions are notable.” Banking In 2012–13, Goalpokhar II CD Block had offices of 4 commercial banks and 4 gramin banks. Backward Regions Grant Fund Uttar Dinajpur district is listed as a backward region and receives financial support from the Backward Regions Grant Fund. The fund, created by the Government of India, is designed to redress regional imbalances in development. As of 2012, 272 districts across the country were listed under this scheme. The list includes 11 districts of West Bengal. Transport Goalpokhar II CD Block has 4 originating/ terminating bus routes. The nearest railway station is 13 km from CD Block headquarters The Howrah–New Jalpaiguri line passes through Goalpokhar II CD Block and there are stations at Hatwar, Kanki and Surja Kamal. In the early 1960s, when Farakka Barrage was being constructed, a far reaching change was made. Indian Railways constructed a new broad-gauge rail link from south Bengal to connect North Bengal. National Highway 27 passes through Goalpokhar II CD Block. Education In 2012–13, Goalpokhar II CD Block had 130 primary schools with 30,301 students, 14 middle schools with 2,136 students, 3 high schools with 1,393 students and 13 higher secondary schools with 21,821 students. Goalpokhar II CD Block had 422 institutions for special and non-formal education with 36,663 students. As per the 2011 census, in Golpokhar II CD Block, amongst the 169 inhabited villages, 20 villages did not have a school, 106 villages had 1 or more primary schools, 42 villages had at least 1 primary and 1 middle school and 16 villages had at least 1 middle and 1 secondary school. The mid-day meal programme for rural school children was launched in 2005 in Uttar Dinajpur district. As on 30 April 2015, 602,557 children in 3,006 schools were covered under this programme. Healthcare In 2013, Goalpokhar II CD Block had 1 block primary health centre and 2 primary health centres, with total 46 beds and 4 doctors (excluding private bodies). It had 35 family welfare subcentres. 2,965 patients were treated indoor and 215,332 patients were treated outdoor in the hospitals, health centres and subcentres of the CD Block. Chakulia rural hospital at Chakulia (with 30 beds) is the main medical facility in Goalpokhar II CD block. There are primary health centres at Kanki (with 10 beds), Toryal (with 2 beds) External links References Community development blocks