PEOPLE

  The projected population (1995) of the State, excluding the illegally occupied areas by Pakistan and China, is 76.77 lakhs.The State with its summer and winter capitals at Srinagar and Jammu, respectively, is divided into 14 districts.

  In population, the State is one of the smallest in the country and accounts for less than one percent of the people enumerated in 1981. Population showed sluggish growth in the first six decades of the present century and the decadal growth rate ranged from 5.75 to 10.42 during 1901 to 1961. The latest two decades have, however, shown growth of 29.65%and 29.69%, which reflects considerable fall in death rate without any substantial fall in birth rate in the post independence years.

• GROWTH OF POPULATION

The State has registered a net addition of 13.71 lakh persons raising the population from 46.16 lakhs in 1971 to 59.87 lakhs in 1981. The state population contributes less than one percent of the country’s population. Nevertheless, the rate of growth observed during the last two decades at 29.65 % and 29.69% has been substantially higher than the national growth rates of 24.80 % and 25% respectively. Thus, the decadal growth rate of population in the state that was around 10% in the proceeding three decades has almost trebled in the last two decades. The annual growth rate of 2.97% during 1971 –81 is the highest the state has ever experienced.



• RURAL AND URBAN POPULATION

As against one third in Maharashtra and West Bengal and one fourth in Karantaka, only one fifth of the population in J&K resides in urban areas. 23.83 % population has been recorded as urban in the state against the National Average of 25.72%. Jammu city has recorded very rapid growth and presently ranks as the 48th bigest city in the country. Besides the cities of Jammu and Srinagar, other important towns are the district headquarters of Anantnag, Pulwama,Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Udhampur, Kathua,Rajouri ,Poonch ,Doda, Leh and Kargil.. The remaining towns continue to have many rural features and pursuits reflecting the state’s predominant Agro-pastoral economy.



• HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT

  Against the All India Level of 36.23 % as per 1981 census, the rate of literacy for the State is indicated as 26.67% with 45.56% for urban areas and 212.63% in the rural areas, 36.29% among males and 15.88% only among females. District Jammu with 42.86% tops the literacy level with male literacy at 52.60% and female literacy at 32.24%. A special emphasis is being laid on development of human resources in the State. There are more than 15000 schools with an enrolment of about 1.5 million. Similarly, there are 32 colleges with an enrolment of about 0.40 lakhs. For higher studies, there are now three universities one in Jammu and others in Kashmir. The total number of students in general education at the university stage is about 0.4 lakhs which includes 14083 females. The number has gone up six fold since 1950-51 when it was 2669 only.