Poonch district, India

For Poonch district administered by Pakistan, see Poonch District, Pakistan.

Poonch district, India پونچھ
District
Poonch district, India Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
Coordinates:
Country	India
State	Jammu and Kashmir
Headquarters	Poonch
Languages
• Official	Urdu
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	185101
Telephone code	911965
Website	www.poonch.nic.in

District Poonch or Punch (Urdu: ضلع پونچھ‎ Hindi: पुंछ) is one of the remotest districts of Jammu and Kashmir. It is bounded by the Line of Control (boundary between Indian and Pakistan-administered Kashmir) on three sides (north, west and south). The 1947-48 war between India and Pakistan divided it into two parts. One went to Pakistan and the other became part of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir.

Administration

Poonch District shown with Jammu & Kashmir state

The District headquarters is in the Poonch city. Presently District Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir is divided into eight tehsils:

• Haveli Tehsil
• Mandi Tehsil
• Mendhar Tehsil
• Surankote Tehsil
• Chandak Tehsil
• Mankote Tehsil
• Balakote Tehsil
• Bufliaz Tehsil

Each tehsil has its Tehsildar, who is the administrative head. The district is further divided into six blocks: Poonch, Mandi, Mendhar, Balakote, Surankote and Buffliaz. The administrative head of each block is the Block Development Officer (BDO). Each block consists of a number of panchayats.Recently added One Sub Division(Surnkote),other is Mendhar. Poonch district has a total of 179 villages including Seri Khawaja.

Economy

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Poonch one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the three districts in Jammu and Kashmir currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

Politics

Poonch District has 3 assembly constituencies: Surankote, Mendhar and Poonch Haveli. The present M.L.A of Haveli is Shah Mohammed Tantray of PDP, Surankote- Mohammed Akram of INC and Mendhar- Javid Rana of JKNC.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Poonch district, India has a population of 476,820, roughly equal to the nation of Suriname. This gives it a ranking of 548th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 285 inhabitants per square kilometre (740/sq mi) . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 27.97%. Poonch has a sex ratio of 890 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 68.69%. The district is 87% Muslim.

Resident ethnicities include Gujjars, Bakerwals, Paharis, Punjabis, Kashmiris and Rajputs. Gujjars mostly reside on the slopes of mountains. They have small pieces of land for cultivation, and cattle for supplementing their economy. Bakerwals are nomadic tribes. Gujjars and Bakerwals speak Gojri whereas rest of the population (excluding Kashmiris) speak Pahari/Poonchi. The mother tongue is a great cementing factor of the Pahari speaking people because they remain closely associated with each other despite differing faiths.

Peace

With the recent developments between India and Pakistan, the divided people are again coming into contact with each other. The opening of the Poonch-Rawalakot bus is an important step in this direction.

Transport

There is a small airstrip located which is mainly used by Indian Army. There is no railway connectivity to Poonch yet. A bus across the LOC, the Poonch-Rawalakot bus has helped to re-establish ties across the border.

Gallery

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See also

• Poonch District, Pakistan
• Moghul road
• Pir Panjal

External links

• Official website of District Poonch – Administered by India.
• The entire list of rulers starting from Raja Moti Singh
• [1] List of places in Poonch