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J&K’s demographic change in Virtual World; MHA website reduces Valley’s population over 10 times
KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 1/18/2020 4:56:54 PM
The website says the Valley's population is 5.35 lakh, when the actual number is over 69 lakh
NEW DELHI, Jan 17: A news report has pointed out the glaring lapse by the official website of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The website has grossly under-reported the population of the Kashmir valley by more than 10 times.
MHA’s website currently displays incorrect statistics regarding the population of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The website states that the Kashmir Valley houses a total of 5,35,811 residents, while the Jammu region houses 69,07,623 residents, followed by Ladakh with 2,90,492 residents.
“While this adds up to 77,33,926, the website shows the total as 1,25,48,926. Assuming the MHA data entry operators incorrectly typed the information for Kashmir, working back from the total and subtracting the stated populations for Jammu and Ladakh gives us 53,50,811, which is also not the correct population of Kashmir,” a report in thewire.com questioned.
A look at the website reveals the discrepancy. Interestingly, the MHA quotes Census 2011 as its source. However, according to Census 2011, the population of Kashmir is 69,07,623 residents out of the total population of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh which is 1,25,48,926. The Kashmir valley comprises 10 districts – Kupwara, Bandipora, Baramulla, Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag.
The MHA website completely muddles up all the population figures. While it reduces Kashmir’s population to a mere fraction, it puts the population of Jammu region at 69.07 lakhs. The Census 2011, however, states it is only 53.50 lakh.
According to the Census 2011, the population of the three regions are 69,07,623 (Kashmir), 53,50,811 (Jammu) and 2,90,492 (Ladakh).
Screenshot of the website’s incorrect numbers, taken on January 17 at 3:00 pm.
“While the MHA’s website has been updated to reflect the status of J&K as a UT, the “error” about the total population has not been corrected,” thewire.in points out.