# Poonch District, India

Poonch or Punch is a district of the Jammu division of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. With headquarters in the town of Poonch, 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 the earlier district into two parts. One went to Pakistan and the other became part of the then-Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

## Geography

Poonch district has a total area of 1,674 square kilometres (646 sq mi). The district is bordered by Kulgam district, Shopian district and Budgam district in the east, Rajouri district to the south and Baramulla district and Haveli district, Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir to the north and Poonch district, Pakistani administered Kashmir to the west.
The district also de-jure includes the areas of Poonch Division under Pakistani control (Bagh District, Haveli District, Poonch District, Sudhanoti District).

## Administration

The district headquarters is in the Poonch city. Presently, district Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir is divided into six tehsils:
* Haveli Tehsil
* Mandi Tehsil
* Mendhar Tehsil
* Surankote Tehsil
* Mankote Tehsil
* Balakote Tehsil
Each tehsil has its Tehsildar, who is the administrative head. The district is further divided into eleven. blocks: Poonch, Mandi, Loran Sathra Mendhar, Mankote 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.

## 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. On 19 November 2018, the assembly was dissolved by Governor Satya Pal Malik. Poonch district comes in Anantnag-Rajouri constituency. The present MP of Anantnag-Rajouri constituency is Mian Altaf Ahmed Larvi of JKNC.
The current MLAs of Poonch Haveli and Mendhar are Ajaz Ahmed Jan and Javed Ahmed Rana of the JKNC. While Surankote is represented by Independent politician Choudhary Mohammad Akram.

## Demographics

Religion in Poonch district (2011)
Religion
Percent
Islam
90.45%
Hinduism
6.84%
Sikhism
2.35%
Other or not stated
0.36% :
Languages of Poonch district (2011)
According to the 2011 census Poonch district, India has a population of 476,835, 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 893 females for every 1000 males (which varies with religion), and a literacy rate of 68.69%. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes account for 0.1% and 36.9% of the population of the district. The district is 90.45% Muslim.

### Religion

As of 2011, the proportions of different religions in the district were as follows: Islam (90.45%), Hinduism (6.84%), Sikhism (2.35%), Christianity (0.20%), not stated (0.15%), and others (0.02%).
Only 8.1% of the district's population lived in urban areas. The proportions of religions in urban areas differed from the district as a whole, being: Islam (51.38%), Hinduism (32.82%), Sikhism (14.62%), Christianity (0.96%), not stated (0.20%), and others (0.03%).
Poonch district: religion, gender ratio, and % urban of population, according to the 2011 Census. :
| | Hindu | Muslim | Christian | Sikh | Buddhist | Jain | Other | Not stated | Total |
| Total | 32,604 | 431,279 | 958 | 11,188 | 83 | 10 | 2 | 711 | 476,835 |
| Total | 6.84% | 90.45% | 0.20% | 2.35% | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.15% | 100.00% |
| Male | 23,684 | 220,636 | 614 | 6,497 | 76 | 5 | 1 | 386 | 251,899 |
| Female | 8,920 | 210,643 | 344 | 4,691 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 325 | 224,936 |
| Gender ratio (% female) | 27.4% | 48.8% | 35.9% | 41.9% | 8.4% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 45.7% | 47.2% |
| Sex ratio (no. of females per 1,000 males) | 377 | 955 | 560 | 722 | – | – | – | 842 | 893 |
| Urban | 12,677 | 19,848 | 371 | 5,647 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 76 | 38,630 |
| Rural | 19,927 | 411,431 | 587 | 5,541 | 75 | 7 | 2 | 635 | 438,205 |
| % Urban | 38.9% | 4.6% | 38.7% | 50.5% | 9.6% | 30.0% | 0.0% | 10.7% | 8.1% |
Sex Ratio in Poonch District in 2011 Census. (no. females per 1,000 males) :
| Religion (and population) | Religion (and population) | Sex Ratio | Sex Ratio |
| Muslim (pop 431,279) | Muslim (pop 431,279) | 955 | 955 |
| Hindu (pop 32,604) | Hindu (pop 32,604) | 377 | 377 |
| Sikh (pop 11,188) | Sikh (pop 11,188) | 722 | 722 |
| Other (pop 1,764) | Other (pop 1,764) | 630 | 630 |
| Total (pop 476,835) | Total (pop 476,835) | 893 | 893 |
Major clans and ethnicities include Muslim Gujars, Bakerwals, Jats, Mughals, Syeds, Punjabi Jats, Paharis, Kashmiris and Muslim Rajputs. mostly reside on the slopes of mountains. The inhabitants typically cultivate small plots of land, and own some cattle. Muslim Gujjars and Bakerwals (nomadic tribes) speak Gojri, apart from Kashmiris who speak Kashmiri the rest of the population speak Pahari, Poonchi, Kaghani besides Punjabi and only a minuscule population may be speaking Dogri.

## Transportation
### Air

The Poonch Airport is a non-operational airstrip located in Poonch which is mainly used by the Indian Army. The nearest airport is Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in Srinagar which is located around 180 kilometres from Poonch town.

### Rail

There is no railway connectivity to Poonch yet. There are plans to build the Jammu–Poonch line in the near future to connect Poonch with Jammu. The nearest major railway station is Jammu Tawi railway station which is located 235 kilometres from district headquarters Poonch.

### Road

Poonch district is connected to the summer capital Jammu by the NH 144A alongside other intra-district roads. It also has road connectivity with Srinagar through the picturesque Mughal Road. There are plans to upgrade the existing NH 144A to four-lane for faster movement of traffic. A bus across the LOC, the Poonch–Rawalakot Bus has helped to re-establish ties across the border.

## Education

The urban area has both govt and private schools but the no of govt schools is significantly higher in rural areas.Most of the govt schools have a MDM(MID DAY MEAL) of nutritious food on a regular basis.The city also has a college named Shri Krishan Chander degree college Poonch offering bachelour courses in fields of humanities, science, commerce, languages, etc.Most schools are affiliated to JKBOSE, whereas schools having CBSE, and ICSE boards are also there.

## Tourism

Poonch is well known for its tourism across the country.It has the famous Budda amarnath temple located in Mandi zone.Other places which are well known are- Shree darshnami Akhada Mandir, Nangali Sahib, Navgrah temple, Noori chhamb waterfall, Shiv Khori temple, Poonch view(Mountain Top).Every year in the month of august, a yatra known as chhadi yatra takes place in which people from all over india travel to the city and join the yatra to seek blessings.

## Food

The city is known for its delicious vegetarian, non-vegetarian and vegan cuisines. Most people here follow a non-vegetarian diet, followed by lacto-ovo-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian diet.People here follow diet due to personal, cultural, or religious reasons. Various non-vegetarian restaurants serve finger-licking delicious meat dishes and of kashmir cuisine.People here eat a variety of meat like poultry, mutton, lamb, pork(few), beef(only rural areas), fish and lean meats. The city also serves vegetarian and vaishnav food in various restaurants.Most fast foods are vegetarian. People following Islam strictly restrict to meat made in halal manner whereas most non-muslims and sikhs restrict to jhatka way.

## Gallery

* By Naeem