Rare dip in UP population growth

While the population growth in the country went down,it kept rising in the state since the first Census in 1951,revealed the data released by the Directorate of Census

Operations at Lucknow on Tuesday. In state,the growth rate was 16.38 per cent in 1951-61,19.54 per cent in 1961-71,25.39 per cent in 1971-81,25.61 per cent in 1981-91 and 25.85 per cent in 1991-2001.

The percentage decadal growth rate in five most populous districts of the state has also declined. These districts are Allahabad (26.61 per cent to 20.71 per cent),Moradabad (28.52 per cent to 25.25 per cent),Ghaziabad (47.19 per cent to 40.66 per cent),Azamgarh (25.93 per cent to 17.17 per cent) and Lucknow (32.03 per cent to 25.79 per cent).

Allahabad remains the most populous district in the state with a population of 59 lakh,followed by Moradabad 47 lakh,Ghaziabad 46 lakh and Azamgarh 46 lakh. Lucknow district,with a population of 45 lakh is the fifth.

Four districts of Bundelkhand region,namely Mahoba (8.76 lakh),Chitrakoot (9.90 lakh),Hamirpur (11.04 lakh) and Lalitpur (12 lakh) are among the five smallest districts,the fifth is Shrawasti (11 lakh).

However,even Mahoba,which is the smallest district,has more population than in Sikkim and Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Island,Daman and Diu,Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep.

Among the cities of UP,Lucknow city is the largest with a population of 28 lakh,followed by Kanpur — 27 lakh.

Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad recorded the highest population growth of 51.52 per cent and 40.66 respectively,while Kanpur recorded the minimum of 9.79 per cent.

The total number of children in the age group 0-6 years in the state is 29.7 million,recording a decline of 6 per cent as compared to the 2001 census. A decline of 5.18 per cent in the number of male children and 6.88 per cent in female children has been witnessed. Yet,this is the highest population of children in any state in India.

With an increase of 10 points since 2001,the sex ratio in UP has gone up to 908. Three districts have more women than men; these are Jaunpur (1,018),Azamgarh (1,017) and Deoria (1,013). The sex ratio is the lowest in Gautam Buddha Nagar and Kanpur Nagar — 852 in each.

The literacy rate in UP has gone up by 56 per cent in past one decade to 69.72 per cent. Ghaziabad has the highest (85 per cent ) literacy rate. The highest literacy rate for males was 90.23 per cent in Gautam Buddha Nagar while it was 81.42 per cent for females in Ghaziabad. The lowest literacy rate for males and females was 59.55 per cent and 37.07 per cent respectively in Shrawasti.

Neena Sharma,the state’s Director of Census Operations,said these were provisional figures. She said that a post-enumeration survey would be conducted in 664 sample blocks in UP to find the percentage of errors,if any,which may have occurred in the enumeration process. The Government of India would identify these sample blocks while the Directorate of Economics and Statistics of the UP government would conduct the one-month survey which will begin on April 15.