CHAPTER - II
Population

2.1.0 Assam is situated in the far, North-East corner of India. The total geographical area of the State is 78,438 Sq. Kms., which accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the country’s total geographical area. The State has two distinct natural regions, viz. the Brahmaputra Valley and the Barak Valley. The Brahmaputra Valley comprising eighteen plains districts and two hill districts has a total area of 71,516 sq. kms. For administration and revenue purposes the 23 districts of the State are divided into 48 Sub-divisions and 149 Revenue Circle.

2.1.1 According to the provisional result of Census of India, 2001 the population of Assam stood of 26,638,407 of which 13,787,799 are males and 12,850,608 females and the decadal growth being 18.85 per cent during the last decade 1991-2001. Table 2.1 highlights some important features of population of Assam and India.

TABLE – 2.1

As per 2001 census, the share of population of Assam to the total population of India is 2.59 per cent. Assam ranks thirteenth in size of population among all the States of India as per 1991 and 2001 censuses. During inter-censal period 1991-2001 a decline of 5.39 per cent and 2.52 per cent of decadal growth rate have been observed in Assam and India respectively. Assam ranks fourteenth among all the States of India in terms of density of population.

2.1.2 The decadal growth rate of population for the State has abruptly come down to 18.85 per cent during 1991-2001. This variation has been observed predominantly in the districts of Nalbari (11.98 per cent), Bongaigaon (12.23 per cent), Dibrugarh (12.43 per cent) Golaghat (14.21 per cent). The districts of Kamrup, North Cachar Hills, Dhubri, Goalpara, Karbi-Anglong and Nagaon have, however, maintained a reasonable increase during the last decade. The table 2.2 shows the annual average growth of population in all the districts of Assam. The density of population has gone up to 340 as against 286 in 1991 census. The density of population is highest in the district of Nagaon (604) followed by Dhubri (584) and Kamrup (579) and the lowest density is seen in North Cachar Hills (38). The sex ratio in the State shows an improvement from 923 in 1991 to 932 in 2001. The highest sex ratio has been recorded in the district of Goalpara (955) and the lowest in the district of North Cachar Hills (883). The growth of literacy in Assam has shown an encouraging sign. The literacy rate for Assam as per Census 2001 comes to 64.28 per cent with 71.93 per cent for males and 56.03 per cent for females. The highest literacy rate at the district level is observed in Jorhat (82.76 per cent) followed by Sivasagar (82.08 per cent) and Kamrup (81.24 per cent) while the lowest is in Dhubri (49.86 per cent)

TABLE – 2.2

ANNUAL AVERAGE GROWTH OF POPULATION AS PER CENSUSES 1991 AND 2001

3.1.3 Classification of population by economic activity according to provisional result of population Census, 2001 reveals that out of total population of 26638407 in the State, 7083046 were main workers, 2474018 were marginal workers and 17081343 were non-workers. Among males 42.35 per cent were main workers, 7.58 per cent were marginal workers and 50.07 per cent were non-workers, while among females 9.68 per cent were main workers, 11.12 per cent were marginal workers and 79.20 per cent were non-workers. Out of a total 9557064 workers in Assam, 3741912 were Cultivators (39.15 per cent), 1289902 were Agricultural labourers (13.50 per cent), 328541 were Household Industries (34.44 per cent) and 4196709 were Other Workers (43.91 per cent). Thus, about 52.65 per cent working population was engaged in Agriculture (i.e. cultivators and agricultural labourers) in the State.

BIRTH AND DEATH RATES:

2.2.0 The data obtained from the Sample Registration Bulletin published by the Registrar General of India depicts some idea about the trend in the birth and death rates and infant mortality rate in the State. According to this source, in most of the years from 1991 to 2002 birth rates, death rates and infant mortality rates were found to be higher in the State than that of the country as a whole. During the year 2002, the birth rates, death rates and infant mortally rates of Assam have been 26.6, 9.2 and 70 per mille as against 25.0, 8.1 and 64 per mille respectively at all-India level. The Table – 2.3 shows the birth, death and infant mortally rates of Assam and India from 1991 to 2002.

TABLE – 2.3

BIRTH, DEATH AND INFANT MORTAILITY RATES OF ASSAM AND INDIA
(PER MILLE)