For the northeastern district of Jhunjhunu, which boasts of having the fourth highest number of graduates in Rajasthan, the fall in the number of students enrolling in senior secondary classes, and the shifting of coaching institutes to neighbouring Sikar have rung alarm bells. Worse, delay in the completion of infrastructure projects in the district are causing investments to leave for Bikaner and Sikar.
As another assembly poll comes closer, residents of Jhunjhunu district recall how the place was for long considered a land of business barons and an education hub.The district now lacks enough industrial and commercial activities to engage its educated workforce. The RIICO phase II project is cited as a testament to the lack of political will for Jhunjhunu’s growth.
“Three financial institutions, including a bank, and at least eight manufacturing units showed interest in setting up businesses in the RIICO project in the past five years. But the local administration was unable to remove the slums in the area, which put off investors. They have now moved to neighbouring Sikar or shelved their plans,” said Vijendra Choudhary, a hoteliercum-investor based in Jhunjhunu. “The civil society should take up such issues with the candidates in the assembly elections and support only those who show interest in local issues,” he added.
The under-construction flyover at the entrance to Jhunjhunu city, on Nawalgarh Road, is another example of political and administrative apathy. “This flyover was proposed adecade ago to facilitate the entry of traffic from Sikar and Jaipur. Construction began seven years ago, but less than 10% of it has been completed so
far. The under-construction pillars and the railway crossing cause traffic bottlenecks for kilometres every day,” said Intiyaz Bhati, a resident.
The closure of coaching institutes and the drop in enrollment rates in senior secondary schools have sparked concern among the residents. The rise of Sikar as a coaching hotspot has led to children from Jhunjhunu leave for the neighbouring town as prepare for competitive exams after class X.
“The decline in student numbers is marginal, but it will increase in the coming years. Students are now looking for options to have school education and coaching for competitive exams in an integrated manner. We do not offer such a system here, which is why we are losing students,” said Dinesh Modi, director of a group of schools in Jhunjhunu.
Veteran leader Ram Nath Sharma of Congress blamed Jhunjhunu’s derailed development on the apathy of the civil society. “The people here hardly stage protests to get their demands fulfilled,” he said.
As another assembly poll comes closer, residents of Jhunjhunu district recall how the place was for long considered a land of business barons and an education hub.The district now lacks enough industrial and commercial activities to engage its educated workforce. The RIICO phase II project is cited as a testament to the lack of political will for Jhunjhunu’s growth.
“Three financial institutions, including a bank, and at least eight manufacturing units showed interest in setting up businesses in the RIICO project in the past five years. But the local administration was unable to remove the slums in the area, which put off investors. They have now moved to neighbouring Sikar or shelved their plans,” said Vijendra Choudhary, a hoteliercum-investor based in Jhunjhunu. “The civil society should take up such issues with the candidates in the assembly elections and support only those who show interest in local issues,” he added.
The under-construction flyover at the entrance to Jhunjhunu city, on Nawalgarh Road, is another example of political and administrative apathy. “This flyover was proposed adecade ago to facilitate the entry of traffic from Sikar and Jaipur. Construction began seven years ago, but less than 10% of it has been completed so
far. The under-construction pillars and the railway crossing cause traffic bottlenecks for kilometres every day,” said Intiyaz Bhati, a resident.
The closure of coaching institutes and the drop in enrollment rates in senior secondary schools have sparked concern among the residents. The rise of Sikar as a coaching hotspot has led to children from Jhunjhunu leave for the neighbouring town as prepare for competitive exams after class X.
“The decline in student numbers is marginal, but it will increase in the coming years. Students are now looking for options to have school education and coaching for competitive exams in an integrated manner. We do not offer such a system here, which is why we are losing students,” said Dinesh Modi, director of a group of schools in Jhunjhunu.
Veteran leader Ram Nath Sharma of Congress blamed Jhunjhunu’s derailed development on the apathy of the civil society. “The people here hardly stage protests to get their demands fulfilled,” he said.
