Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Mar 12: In a strange revelation, the State Government has admitted irregular increase in population of some districts in the Jammu and Kashmir during the last one decade.
While the rise in population of several areas is much higher than the average increase, a vice-versa has been witnessed in Jammu, Kathua (including Samba) and Udhampur (including Reasi) districts of the State.
According to the Government, the reasons behind irregular increase in population of some districts in the State are that there have been fewer acceptances of family planning methods among the people in these areas.
As per the official figures, the total population of Jammu and Kashmir increased from 10069917 to 12548926 from the year 2001 to 2011 thus registering a decadal increase of total 24.61 percent.
Even as population rise in both Leh and Kargil was almost in conformity with the average increase at State level, seven out of 12 districts of J&K registered much higher decadal increase in population.
With 36.80 percent increase in the population, Kupwara was on top of all the districts in this respect. The population of this district increased from 640013 to 875564 during the decade.
Kupwara was followed by erstwhile Doda district and Srinagar districts registering decadal increase in their population from 33.80 percent and 32.38 percent, respectively.
In 2001, the total population of erstwhile Doda district (including Ramban and Kishtwar) was 690474, which increased to 923926 while in Srinagar district, the population increased from 1183493 to 1566754 during the same period.
Similarly, the population of other districts like Anantnag, Pulwama, Poonch and Rajouri also increased above the average rise from 2001 to 2011. The percentage increase in population of Anantnag, Pulwama, Poonch and Rajouri districts in the decade, was 27.60, 28.86, 28.32 and 29.39, respectively.
However, on the other hand, the population rise in Jammu and erstwhile districts of Kathua and Udhampur was considerably lower than the average increase at State level during the same period of one decade.
From 2001 to 2011, the total population of Jammu district increased from 1571911 to 1845017 registering a rise of only 17.37 percent while the population increase in Udhampur (including Reasi) and Kathua (Samba) districts was 17.74 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
In 2001, the population of erstwhile Udhampur and Kathua was 738965 and 544206, respectively, which increased to only 870071 and 615711, respectively by 2011.
The official data therefore makes it clear that there was much higher increase in population of some districts of the State during the last one decade while the percentage rise in a few districts was lower than the State average thus indicating a trend of ratio imbalance.
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