Pace of population increase in Punjab slower: Data

The pace of population increase in Punjab is comparatively slower, an official data revealed here today.
During the period of 110 years from 1901-2011, population of Punjab has recorded about four-fold increase from 75 lakh in 1901 to 277 lakh in 2011 and the state's population grew by 16 lakh during 1901-51 and by 152 lakh during 1951-2001.
On the eve of World Population Day, Seema Jain, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Director Census, Punjab released the 'Primary Census Abstract (PCA) - Data Highlights of Punjab, providing final data of the 2011 census.
The decade of 2001-11 has added another 34 lakh at a decadal growth rate of 13.9 per cent which is the lowest ever since 1961, the data said.

During 2001-10, birth rate in Punjab has declined from 21.2 per 1,000 in 2001 to 16.6 per 1,000 in 2010 by 4.6 points; the decline in birth rate at national level during this period is of 3.3 points, from 25.4 to 22.1 per 1,000.
Highlighting some salient features of the data, Jain said Punjab ranks 15th in terms of population and accounts for 2.3 per cent of total population of India and Ludhiana, with a population of 34.99 lakh, is the most populous district.

Barnala, with a population of 5.96 lakh, is the least populous district in Punjab.
Punjab is experiencing rapid urbanisation as the increase in urban population at 25.9 per cent is more than thrice the increase of rural population by 7.8 per cent, the date says.

The state has a sex ratio of 895 compared to 876 in 2001 which is a gain by 19 points and all districts have registered an increase in the ratio, except Bathinda which recorded a marginal decline of two points from 870 to 868.