|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Today's News |
|
ABOUT THE STATE OF AZADKASHMIR
[ History | General | Government | Administration | Physical Infrastructure | Social Infrastructure ]
History
When, in 1947 the British granted independence to India, the people had already revolted against their Dogra ruler of the state. He was defeated by the Kashmir Liberation Army on 24th October 1947 and a provisional government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (Free Kashmir) was established. Subsequently, the Indian army moved in to occupy 2/3 of the state which has been under Indian occupation since. The remainder of the state still exists as Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
General
The state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir lies between longitude 73o – 75o and latitude 33o – 36o and comprises of 5,134 square miles or 13,297 square kilometers of area.
The topography is mainly hilly and mountainous with valleys and stretches of plains. The area is full of natural beauty with thick forest, fast flowing rivers and winding streams. The main rivers are Jehlum, Neelum and Poonch. The climate is sub-tropical highland type with an average yearly rainfall of 1300 mm. The elevation ranges from 360 meters in the south to 6325 meters in the north. The snowline is in winter is around 1200 meters above sea level while in the summer it rises to 3,300 meters.
The total population of 2.973 million according to the Population Census of 1998 is estimated to be 3.271 million in 2002. Almost 100% population is Muslim. Out of the total population, 87.5% are living in rural areas while 12.5% are urban residents. The population density is 246 persons per square kilometer. The literacy rate was reported as 55% in the 1998 census, is estimated to be 60% in 2002.
According to the most recent available survey by the Northern Resources Management Program with the assistance of Overseas Economic Research Institute, the average household income is around Rs. 101,900. Of the total Rs. 60,834 (59.7%) is income from the off-farm and other activities while Rs. 41,065 (40.3%) is termed as the farm income, which implies that Rs. 14,557 per capita is the total family income.
The area under cultivation is around 170,787 hectares which is about 12.8% of the total area of AJK. According to the agricultural census of 1990, the average farm size is only 1.2 hectares, half of which is cultivated. A large proportion of farm land is uncultivable waste, including forest. Per Capita land holding is 0.159 hectares. The major crops are Maize followed by Wheat and Rice while the minor crops include Grams, Pulses, Oil-Seeds and Vegetables.
The area under fruit cultivation is about 14,460 hectares. The most important fruits are Apples, Pears, Apricots, Walnuts and Plums. The area controlled by the Forest Department is about 5669,969 hectares, which is 42.6% of the total geographical area. Deodar, Kail, Fur, Spruce and Cheer are some of the most important species of trees under forests.
Government
Azad Kashmir has a parliamentary form of Government. The President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is the constitutional Head of the State, while the Prime Minister, supported by a council of ministers, is the Chief Executive. Azad Kashmir has its own Supreme Court, High Court, and Legislative Assembly comprising of 48 members, out of which 40 are directly elected and 8 are indirectly elected - a member each from the technocrats, Mashaikh, Overseas Kahmiris and 5 females.
The Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Affairs serves as a link between the Government of Pakistan and the Government of Azad Kashmir. Since Azad Kashmir inherited a backward and underdeveloped economy, the major objective of the Pakistani Government has been to promote its economic development and provide it with grants-in-aid for the purpose, and also to cover the deficits in its revenue budget.
Administration
Azad Kashmir is divided into 2 divisions (Muzaffarabad and Mirpur) and seven administrative districts with Muzaffarabad City as the capital of the state. The Muzaffarabad division includes Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Poonch, and Sudhnuti districts whereas the Mirpur division comprises of Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber districts.
The people’s participation in the political process is ensured through the elected institutions of local bodies. There are 202 Union Councils, 10 Town Committees, 50 Markaz Councils, 2 Municipal Corporations and 11 Municipal Committees with 19 sub-divisions (Tarakhel as a proposed subdivision) and 1646 Villages.
Economic Development
At the time of partition in 1947, the economy in Azad Jammu and Kashmir was on sustenance level but the determination to develop the area was there. It was the early 70’s when economic development of the area started in earnest. Despite financial constraints, planners made good efforts in laying down a proper path for the rapid development of the area.
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Roads.
Roads and air transport are the only two modes of transportation into Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The present road length position and it’s comparison with the position in 1947 is given below:
Road Length (Kilometers)
|
Year |
Metalled |
Fair-weather |
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1947 |
100 |
165 |
265 |
|
2002 |
3104 |
5547.5 |
8651.5 |
Power.
At present the installed Grid capacity is 250 MVA. The transmission lines have been extended to 1444 out of 1646 villages (15,313 kilometers), and about 45,817 consumers have been provided with connections. The per capita electricity delivered for consumption in Azad Kashmir is 276 KWH. At the time of independence, power facility was practically non-existent in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The Government lays great emphasis on generating electricity in order to meet the growing domestic need as well as the industrial requirements. It was planned to launch a program for constructing a number of small Hydel stations and six hydel stations have been completed as a result.
Piped Water Supply
At the time of independence, availability of piped water supply was non-existent and significant progress has been made in this regard so far. Presently 77% of the urban population and 62% of the rural population have been provided with a piped water supply through house connections and public stands.
SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Health Facilities.
There are approximately 1572 hospital beds available in the area averaging 0.49 beds per 1000 population. The total number of Doctors including Admin. Doctors and Dentists is 572 out of which there are 330 Medical Officers, 47 Dental Surgeons, 135 Specialists and 60 Health Managers giving an average of 0.179 per 1000 population in respect of Doctors, 0.1033 per 1000 population in respect of Medical Officers, 0.0147 per 1000 population in respect of Dentists, 0.038 per 1000 population in respect of Specialists and 0.0188 per 1000 population in respect of Health Managers.
Education.
The participation rate of the primary age group (5-9 years) in public sector is 80% for boys and 74% for girls. The figures for the private sector are yet to be finalized. A careful estimate of the overall enrollment would be more than 95%.
Airports.
The Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan has constructed two small airports at Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot cities in the recent past in order to provide an easy and fast mode of travel (presently suspended). The facility is also expected to be extended to the cities of Mirpur and Kotli, later on.
|
|
