Population growth in J&K declines 6 per cent; literacy rate improves

Joint Director of Census Operations, Jammu and Kashmir, C S Sapru releases the Census data during a press conference in Srinagar on Monday.

Jammu and Kashmir has contained its population growth by around six per cent in the decade from 2001 to 2011, according to figures released by state Directorate of Census Operations here on Monday.

From 29.43 per cent in 2001, the population growth has declined to 23.64 per cent in 2011 in the State.

However, the overall child sex ratio in Jammu and Kashmir has decreased from 941 in 2001 to 862 in 2011.

Literacy rate in the state has improved from 55.5 per cent in 2001 to 67.2 per cent in 2011, however, it is still below the national average of 72.99 per cent.

The data, released by Joint Chief Principal Census Officer, C S Sapru, records the final total population of the state at 1,25,41,302.

The provisional population total that had been released before was 1,25,48,926, Mr. Sapru told reporters here.

He said as many as twelve districts in the state have higher population growth than the state average, with Anantnag district in south Kashmir recording the highest growth rate at 38.58 per cent.

Anantnag’s nearby district Kulgam has the lowest growth rate at 7.73 per cent, he said.

The data suggests that the child population in the state has increased from 14.65 per cent in 2001 to 16.10 per cent in 2011, but the overall child sex ratio has decreased from 941 in 2001 to 862 in 2011.

Pulwama district in south Kashmir has been the worst hit with child sex ratio showing a decline of 217 from 1046 in 2001 to 829 in 2011.