Search the Internet          Tips

Nagaland may face brunt of
illegal migration from Bangladesh

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.

EXTERNAL LINK
Census of India

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report