Makum

Makum
—  city  —
Makum Location of Makum in Assam and India
Coordinates	27°30′N 95°27′E / 27.5°N 95.45°E / 27.5; 95.45Coordinates: 27°30′N 95°27′E / 27.5°N 95.45°E / 27.5; 95.45
Country	India
State	Assam
District(s)	Tinsukia
Population	15,058 (2001[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 122 metres (400 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 786170 • Telephone • +Police Station -03742345557

Makum or Makum Junction is a town and a town area committee in Tinsukia district in the Indian state of Assam. It should not be mistaken for Makum Pathar, (the place near Digboi where, crude oil was first struck in Asia). The word Makum is of Chinese origin literally means "meeting point". It is the meeting point of three premier towns of upper Assam namely Tinsukia Digboi and Doomdooma. The National Highway-37 and National Highway-38 meet at Makum. The railway junction of Makum is the easternmost railway junction of the Indian Railways.

It falls under the Dibrugarh loksabha constituency and under the Digboi legislative assembly.

Location

It is located only around 7 km east of Tinsukia town. It is well connected with all the major surrounding places by roads and railways. Passenger autorickshaws for around 16 hours a day from Makum to Tinsukia and from Makum to Doomdooma. The Tata Magic service from Doomdooma to Tinsukia also benefits Makum.

Geography

Makum is located at 27°30′N 95°27′E / 27.5°N 95.45°E / 27.5; 95.45.^[1] It has an average elevation of 122 metres (400 feet).

Demographics

As of 2001^[update] India census,^[2] Makum had a population of 15,058. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Makum has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 73%, and female literacy is 62%. In Makum, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Economy

Makum is basically an industrial town. There were a large number of plywood factories in makum,but now, most of these have been closed down. There are a large number of tea factories in makum. Other industries include flour industry, candle industry spice grinding industry, etc. There is also a timber treating plant in Makum. There are a large number of small tea growers in and around the town who supply their produce to these factories. However most of the people of Makum are making ther livelihood from services of different kinds and small businesses.

Education

There are a large number of schools located in Makum, like Ganga Bishan Chowkhani Higher Secondary School, Gopalkrishna Balika Vidyalaya, Railway School etc. A college, (Makum College) was established in makum in 1997, which provides higher secondary and degree education in arts and commerce.And From September 2005,Makum College has been providing education with very effective career guiding courses like computer education free of cost to its students with Internet Facilities. An educationist Dr Jyotimoyee Barooah, M.Sc, M.Phil, M.Ed, Ph.D, after serving the Department of Education of Dibrugarh University since 1999, joined in Makum College as its Principal in the month of September, 2010.

AIT Computer Education & Research Instiute was established in the year 1999 with a mission to provide quality computer education. AIT opened its branches at Doomdooma Town in the year 2009 and also likely to open its other branches in Digboi, Margherita, Duliajan & at Tinsukia in recent years. AIT Computer Education & Research Institute launches their Website : www.aitindia.net in the year 2011. the first ever website hosted and design by AIT in this region.

A forest's guards training school is located in makum which is the only one in Assam.

'File:A Mahadev Internet Cafe is newly open with modern technology, which is the only one Internet cafe in Makum Town.'Bold text

Recent events

In July 2009, a branch of the State Bank Of India, was opened in Makum, being only the second commercial bank to open up a branch in this town (the first one being United Bank Of India). JATIYA VIDYALAYA MAKUM, is the best school with outstanding result. the teachers are hardworking and dedicated. guardians can send their child.

Popular saying

There is a popular saying about Makum that whosoever has lived here, ultimately becomes a permanent resident of this place. However there is no specific fact regarding this. Makum has always been proud of its sons and daughters.

Chinatown

Makum once had a thriving community of Chinese, who settled down in the area in the 1830s. The Chinatown was closed in 1962, on the outbreak of the Sino-Indian War, as Assam was within close proximity to the border region. The Chinatown has now become a godown. Author Rita Choudhury wrote a book on the ordeal of the Chinese community called Makam itself.^[3]

References

1. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Makum
2. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 
3. ^ The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | 7days | India’s shame