Author: Nitin Gogoi in Guwahati
Publication: Rediff on Net
Date: March 27, 2001
After Assam, it may be the turn
of Nagaland to face the brunt of illegal migration from Bangladesh, figures
compiled in the latest census operation indicate.
According to provisional figures
released by the Census Commissioner of India, the decadal growth rate of
Nagaland's population has shown a jump from 56.08 per cent in the years
between 1981-1991, to 64.41 per cent in the decade between 1991 and 2001.
According to latest figures, Nagaland's
population now stands at 1,988,636. The 1981 figure of population in Nagaland
was 12.09 lakh. The density of population per square km in Nagaland has
also recorded an increase to 120, from 73 persons in the previous decade.
The figures support the fear expressed
by Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir about a year back that Nagaland will
be the next state to be hit by large-scale illegal migration by Bangladeshis
after Assam.
In a speech at a meeting of north-eastern
chief ministers with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Shillong in
February 2000, Jamir had warned: "Unless steps are taken to prevent the
entry of people of dubious nationality into our state, Nagaland may face
the same problem as that of Assam."
The latest figures support what
Jamir had said.
Another significant revelation in
the census figures is that Tripura, one of the worst infiltration-affected
state, has shown a decadal decrease in population growth rate from 34.30
per cent to 15.74 per cent in the 2001 census.
The state's density of population
per square km, however, continued to increase from 263 to 304 persons.
The other states in the north-east recorded the following population: Arunachal
Pradesh (1,091,117), Manipur (2,388,634), Mizoram (891,058), Mehgalaya
(2,306,069).
Their respective figures for 1981
were: 8.64 lakh (Arunachal Pradesh), 18.37 lakh (Manipur), 6.89 lakh (Mizoram)
and 1.75 lakh (Meghalaya).
It is significant that all north-eastern
states (barring Nagaland) have shown a decline in population growth rate.
Contrary to widespread apprehension that the population of Assam may again
show a sharp growth, it has been revealed by the census report that the
population of Assam has reached 2.66 crore (26,638,407) marking a growth
of 13.85 per cent.
This marks a decrease in growth
rate, which was recorded at 24.24 per cent, according to the 1981-1991
census.
The male population reached 13,787,799,
while the female population reached 12,850,608.
The population density of Assam
has, however, shown an increase and recorded at 340 persons per square
km from 286 per sq km in 1991.
The state's literacy rate has increased
to 64.28 per cent, with more male literates (77.58 per cent) than females
(56.03 per cent).
Mizoram in the north-east is the
second highest literate state, with 88.49 per cent of its population being
literate and it is next only to Kerala, which has a literacy rate of 90.92
per cent.
Significantly, West Bengal, another
state seriously affected by infiltration, has been declared the most densely-populated
state in the country, with 904 persons living per square km, followed by
Bihar with 808 persons.
