District Profiles of Punjab State

For the administrative convenience Punjab State is divided into 5 divisions and 22 districts :

Pathankot District : The district is carved out of the Gurdaspur district. The Pathankot district is located in the North zone of the state, in the foothills of Shiwalik hills. It internationally borders with the Narowal district of Pakistani Punjab. It also shares borders with the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir and Chamba and Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh. Hoshiarpur district also shares boundary with it in Eastern Punjab.

• The two main rivers, Beas and Ravi, passes through the district.
• It was a part of the Nurpur princely state, which was ruled by the Pathania Rajputs prior to AD 1849. It is the meeting point of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
• Pathankot is the fifth largest city in the state of Punjab in terms of population. It is the last city in Punjab on the national highway that connects Jammu and Kashmir with rest of India.
• Due to its strategic position district is also known as Cock Neck City and a gateway to the Himachal hill stations of Dalhousie, Dharmshala, Kangra valley, Jwalaji and Chintpurni.
• The district has two tehsils-Pathankot and Dharkalan and sub-tehsils of Narot, Jaimal Singh and Bamial and three assembly constituencies.
• Headquarters - Pathankot
• Established - 27th July, 2011
• Total Population (2011) - 148357
• Sex ratio - 802 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 88.60%
• Major industries – Stone Crushing

Gurdaspur District : Gurdaspur district is situated in the North-West part and internationally borders with Pakistan, Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, districts of Amritsar and Hoshiarpur of Punjab and Chamba and Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh. Two main rivers Beas and Ravi passes through the districts.

• It is the third most populous district of Punjab after Ludhiana and Amritsar.
• Gurdaspur was founded by Guriyaji in the beginning of 17th century on his name the city was named as Gurdaspur.
• The Mughal emperor Akbar is said to have been enthroned at Kalanaur, a historically important town in the district.Ravi passes through the districts.
• The district has 3 tehsils-Gurdaspur, Batala and Dera Baba Nanak, 8 sub-tehsils and 11 blocks.
• The famous town is Hargobindpur in the district, founded by 'Guru Arjan Dev'.
• Headquarters - Gurdaspur
• Total population (2011) - 2299026
• Density - 649 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio - 895 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 81.1%

Amritsar District : Amritsar literally a Pool of Neltar derives its name from Amrit Sarovar. The holy tank that surrounds the fabulous Golden Temple. The foundation was laid by Guru Ram Das and the villages was named Ramdaspura. During British period Amritsar was part of Lahore division.

• The city of Amritsar, a showcase of composite culture and secular heritage this most important city of Majha has rightly been called the Mukut Mani of the Punjab, a rich repository of spiritual and national heritage.
• The Golden Temple is by far, the biggest attraction of Amritsar. The Sikhs call it Hari Mandir or Darbar Sahib.
• Amritsar district is the second most populous districts of Punjab after Ludhiana.
• Headquarters - Amritsar
• Total populations (2011) – 2490891
• Density - 932 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio - 884 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 77.2%

Tarn Taran Sahib District : Tarn Taran Sahib district was formed in 2006 from Amritsar district. It is bounded by Amritsar district in the North and Kapurthala district in the East, Pakistan in the West and Firozpur district in the South.

• The district is divided into 3 tehsils, Patti, Khadur Sahib, and Tarn Taran Sahib and further divided into 8 development blocks.
• The fifth guru of the Sikhs founded the city and named it Tarn Taran Sahib. The Gurudwara of Tarn Taran Shaib has the largest Sarovar of all Sikh Sarovars.
• Headquarters - Tarn Taran Shaib
• Total populations (2011) - 1120070
• Density - 464 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio - 898 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 69.4%

Hoshiarpur District : Hoshiarpur district is located in the North-Eastern part of the state. It falls in the Jalandhar revenue division and is situated in the Bist doab, Doaba region of the state. The district is sub-mountainous and stretches of rivers Beas in the North-West.

• It shares common boundaries with Kangra and Una districts of Himachal Pradesh in the North-East, Jalandhar and Kapurthala district in South-West and Gurdaspur district in the North-West.
• The district has four divisions-Hoshiarpur, Dasliya, Mukeriyan and Garhshankar and 8 block and 8 municipal councils.
• Hoshiarpur was formed part of old kingdom of Katoch in Jalandhar, eventually the district was divided between the Rajas of Datapur and Jaswan.
• It is the only district in Punjab receiving funds from the Backward Region Grant Fund Programme (BRGFP).
• The town is known for manufacture of wooden toys, in lay and lacquer finished furniture and musical instruments such as tabla, harmonium, sitar, etc.
• The Vedic Research Institute is situated in the district.
• Headquarters - Hoshiarpur
• Total populations (2011) – 1579160
• Density - 683 inhabitants per sq km
• Literacy – 85.40%
• Sex ratio – 962 females per thousand males

Kapurthala District : Kapurthala district is one of the smallest district of Punjab, in both terms area and population. The district is divided into two non-contiguous parts the main Kapurthala-Sultanpur Lodhi portion and the Phagwara tehsil.

• In North, it is bounded by Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Amritsar district. In the West by the Beas river and Amritsar district and South by the Sutlej river, Jalandhar district and Hoshiarpur district.
• The district has 4 sub-divisions, 1 sub-tehsil and 15 blocks. The major portion of the district lies between the Beas river and the Kali-Bein river and is called the Bet area. The area is prone to floods.
• Industries in Kapurthala are JCT, Jagjit Disttiliers, SSK, Agro mills.
• Major Institutions are Rail Coach Factory, Pushpa Gujral Science City, Punjab Technical University.
• Crops are wheat, rape seed and mustard, sunflower, barseem.
• Kanjli wetland is situated in the Kapurthala district.
• Headquarters – Kapurthala
• Total populations (2011) – 817668
• Density - 501 Inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio - 912 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 80.2 %

Jalandhar District : The district is named after Jalandhar. A Demon king, who finds a mention in Puranas and Mahabharata. Jalandhar literally means, area inside the water is another name of Jalandhar had been Trigartta. As it was drained by three rivers, Sutlej, Beas and Ravi.

• It is located on the intensively irrigated plain between the Beas and Sutlej rivers.
• It is surrounded by Ludhiana district in the East, Kapurthala in the West, Hoshiarpur in North and Firozpur in the South, it is well connected by road and train nearest airport is Raja Sansi Airport, Amritsar.
• The district has 5 tehsiIs, 5 sub-tehsils and 10 development blocks.
• Industry in Jalandhar are Sports goods industry, most of the Indian sports goods are exported to UK, USA, Germany, France and Australia the industry is mainly concentrated in Jalandhar.
• The place is known as Mecca of Indian Hockey.
• Headquarters - Jalandhar
• Total populations (2011) - 2181753
• Density - 831 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio - 913 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 82.4%

Nawanshahr/Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar District : The Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district formerly Nawanshahr was carved out of Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar district of Punjab on 7th November, 1995 as the 16 district of Punjab.

• The Nawanshahr town is said to have been built by Afghan military chief, Nausher Khan, during the region of Ala-ud-din Khilji.
• The district is surrounded by four districts. The West border of the district touches Jalandhar, East border touches with Rupnagar district, the Northern border of the district meets with district of Hoshiarpur and in South, it touches with Ludhiana and Kapurthala district.
• The district is the third least populous district of Punjab after Barnala and Fatehgarh Sahib.
• The district has 2 tehsiIs, 5 blocks and 4 municipalities.
• District enjoys the rare honour of being the nature village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, whose ancestral village Khatkar Kalan falls in it.
• Headquarters – Nawanshahr
• Total populations (2011) – 614362
• Density - 479 Inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio - 954 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 80.3%

Rupnagar District : The district of Rupnagar is named after its district headquarters, formally known as Ropar, said to have been founded by a Raja called Rokeshar, who ruled during the 11th century and named it after his son Rup Sen.

• The district adjoins Nawanshahr, Mohali and Fatehgarh Sahib district of the Punjab. The district comprises 4 tehsils-Rupnagar, Anandpur Sahib, Nangal and Chamkaur Sahib and includes 6 towns and 624 villages.
• The recent excavations carried out at Rupnagar have proved that the town was the seat of well developed Indus Valley Civilisation.
• The major cities in Rupnagar district are Morinda, Kurali, Anandpur Sahib. Morinda is also as known as Baghawala, the city of gardens.It is located at Chandigarh-Ludhiana highway.
• Headquarters - Rupnagar
• Total populations (2011) - 683349
• Density – 488 Inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio – 913 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 83.3%

Firozpur District : The district Firozpur is situated at India-Pakistan border. At the East side of it Moga district and at Southern side Muktsar district is situated. On the North-East the river Sutlej separates it from Firozpur and Kapurthala district and on the South-West side of Fazilka district touches the boundries of Firozpur. Generally the united streams of the Sutlej and Beas separates it from the Amritsar district. In the North-West and farther down from the Pakistan with the exception of some areas of each side of the river.

• The district consists of 3 tehsils-Firozpur, Zira and Guru Harshai and 6 blocks and 689 villages.
• It is one of the oldest cantonments in India.
• Geographically, it is the biggest district of Punjab and has second most rice mills in Punjab.
• Headquarters – Firozpur
• Total population (2011) – 2026831
• Density - 380 Inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio - 893 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 69.8%

Moga District : Moga district is the 17 district of Punjab state, founded in 1995. Before this, Moga was the sub-division of Faridkot district is situated on Firozpur-Ludhiana road. It falls under the jurisdiction of Firozpur division, its boundaries touch the boundaries of Jalandhar district in North, Ludhiana in East, Sangrur in South and Faridkot and Firozpur in West.

• The district consists of 3 tehsils-Moga, Bhagha Purana, Nihal Singhwala and 2 sub-tehsil Dharamkot and Bhadhani.
• Places to visit Moga district has the proud of being the birth place of Lala Lajpat Rai. The religious and historical places as Geeta Bhawan.
• Moga district is among the largest producers of wheat and rice in the state of Punjab.
• Towns of Bagha Purana, Dharamkot and Nihal Singh falls in the Moga district.
• Headquarters - Moga
• Total population (2011) – 992289
• Density – 444 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio – 893 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate – 71.6%
• Industry - Nestle, Moga Adani Agri Logistics Limited

Faridkot District : Faridkot district was part of the Firozpur division, but in the year 1996, Faridkot division has been established with a divisional headquarters at Faridkot, which includes Faridkot, Bathinda and Mansa district.

• It lies in South-West of the State and is surrounded by Firozpur district in the North-West. Moga and Ludhiana district in the North-East and Bathinda and Sangrur in the South.
• Headquarters - Faridkot
• Total population (2011) – 618008
• Density – 424 Inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio – 889 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 70.6%

Muktsar Sahib District : The district is intimately connected with Sikh religion, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, fought his last battle against Mughals in AD 1705 at Mukhtsar Sahib. During fighting 40 disciples of guru known as 40 Muktas sacrificed their lives.

• It is bounded by states of Rajasthan and Haryana on the South, district of Faridkot in North, Firozpur in West and Bathinda in the East.
• The district comprises of 3 tehsils, 4 sub-tehsils and 4 municipal councils.
• Mela Maghi a huge fair is celebrated in January every year at Shri Muktsar Sahib city in the memory of the forty Martyrs.
• Headquarters – Muktsar Sahib
• Total population (2011) – 902702
• Density – 348 Inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio – 895 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 66.8%

Fazilka District : Fazilka was announced as the 21st district of Punjab before that it was included in Firozpur district. It is near the India-Pakistan border, which is 11 km away. It is situated on the rice growing and cotton rich belt of the state and is one of the major rice exporting centres in India. Before partition, the town is the wool market in undivided Punjab.

• It has district of Firozpur to its South, Muktsar Sahib to its East and Rajasthan to the South and Pakistan to its West.
• The district comprises of 3 tehsils and 4 sub-tehsils.
• Fazilka district nearby attractions are Fazilka rocks and Hanuman Mandir.
• Wheat, rice, guava and cotton are the major crops of the district.
• Sahiwali, Lehndi, Mahajani, Bagri, Rajasthani, and Punjabi languages are spoken in the district.
• Headquarters - Fazilka
• Total population (2011) - 67424
• Literacy rate - 68%
• Industries - wool, woven strings.

Bathinda District : Bathinda district is situated in the Southern part of Punjab in the heart of Malwa region. It forms part of newly created division Faridkot Revenue Commissioners Division. The district is surrounded with Sirsa and Fatehabad of Haryana state in the South, Sangrur and Mansa district in the East, Moga in the North-East and Faridkot and Muktsar Sahib in the North-West.

• The district consists of 3 tehsils-Bathinda, Rampuraphul and Talwandisabo and 8 blocks.
• According to Raverty, Bathinda was known as Tabarhindh (Labb-ut-twarikh). According to Ibn Batuta, it was known Batrind.
• Headquarters – Bathinda
• Total Population (2011) - 1388859
• Density – 414 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio – 865 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 69.6%

Ludhiana District : Ludhiana district was founded in the time of Lodhi dynasty, which ruled in Delhi from 1451-1526. Ludhiana is the most centrally located district, which falls in the Malwa region of the state of Punjab. It is bounded on the North by river Sutlej, which separates, it from Jalandhar district.

• The river also forms its Northern boundary with Hoshiarpur district on other sides it shares common boundries with Rupnagar district in the East, Moga district in the West and Sangrur and Patiala districts in the South and South-East respectively.
• The districts consists of 7 sub-division, 8 tehsils, 6 sub-tehsils and 12 blocks and 11 towns.
• Ludhiana is the biggest city of the state.
• The district also known as The Manchestar of India.
• The famous Punjab Agricultural University is situated on the outskirts of Ludhiana.
• Headquarters – Ludhiana
• Total population (2011) – 3487882
• Density – 975 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio – 869 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate – 82.5%
• Industry – Bicycle parts and hosiery

Barnala District : Barnala was the capital of Patiala Riyasat. When Patiala became Riyasat at that time Barnala was declared as district headquarters with Bathinda and Mansa were 2 tehsils of Patiala Riyasat.

• Barnala became a district on 19th November, 2006. With 2 sub-divisions Barnala and Tapa, 3 sub-tehsils-Tapa, Bhadur,Dhanaula and 3 blocks - Barnala Sehna and Mehar Kalan. In addition the district has 5 municipal communities.
• Headquarters – Barnala
• Total population (2011) – 596294
• Density – 419 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio – 876 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate – 68.9%
• Industries - Trident Group of Industries at Dhaula

Mansa District : Mansa district was founded on 13th April, 1992 from the earstwhile district of Bathinda. An small district both in terms of population and area. Mansa is situated in the cotton belt of Punjab and called the Area of White Gold.

• The district comprises of 3 tehsils - Budhlada, Mansa and Sardulgarh and 5 blocks-Bhikhi, Budhlada, Mansa, Jhumir and Sardulgarh with 3 sub-tehsils.
• The district is roughly triangular in shape and is bounded on the North-West by Bathinda on the North-East by Sangrur and on the South by Haryana state.
• The Ghaggar river flows through the Sardulgarh tehsil in the South-Western corner of the district.
• Headquarters – Mansa
• Total population (2011) – 768808
• Density - 350 Inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio - 880 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 62.8%

Fatehgarh Sahib District : The Fatehgarh Sahib district came into existence on 13th April, 1992, named after the youngest son of 10th Guru Gobind Singh. It is the second least populous district of Punjab. The district consists of 4 tehsils-Fatehgarh Sahib, Amlok, Khamanon and Bassi Pathana, 1 sub-tehsil of Gobindgarh and 6 blocks.

• Four major canals passing through the district are Sirhind Canal, Bhakara Canal, Harwana Tranch and Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal.
• Headquarters – Fatehgarh Sahib
• Total population (2011) – 599814
• Density – 508 Inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio – 871 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 80.3%

Sangrur District : The Sangrur district is bounded by Ludhiana district in the North by Barnala district in the West by Patiala in the East and by Fatehbad district (Haryana) in the South. Earlier Barnala was part of Sangrur district but now Barnala is a separate district.

• The district consists of 6 tehsils-Sangrur, Malerkotla, Sunam, Moonak, Dhuri and Lehra and 13-blocks and 13 municipal corporations and municipal councils respectively.
• Headquarters – Sangrur
• Total population (2011) – 1654408
• Density – 449 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio – 883 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate – 68.9%

Ajitgarh District : Ajitgarh District has been carved out of areas falling in Rupnagar and Patiala district as 18th district of Punjab on 4th April, 2006. The district has been formed to achieve growth of development as this area is emerging as major IT Hub of 'Northern India. Big companies like TCS, Quarcks, Dell already in business.

• The district includes Mohali, Kharar and Dera Bassi tehsils.
• The world class cricket stadium of international fame is situated at Mohali. International tournaments are held from time to time and the people get an opportunity to watch the international cricket in action.
• Headquarters – Ajitgarh
• Total population (2011) – 986147
• Density – 830 Inhabitant per sq km
• Sex ratio – 878 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 84.9%

Patiala District : Patiala district is one of the famous princely states of earstwhile Punjab, forming the South-Eastern part of the state it lies between 29°49' and 30°47'N Latitude 75°58'-76°54'E longitude.

• It is surrounded by the district of Fatehgarh Sahib and Rupnagar and Union Territory of Chandigarh in the North, Sangrur district in the West, Ambala and Kurukshetra district of Haryana in the East and Kaithal district of Haryana in the South.
• The district comprises of sub-divisions/tehsiIs 5 namely-Patran, Nabha, Patiala, Rajpura and Samana, 4 sub-tehsils - Bhadson, Dudhan, Sadhan and Ghanaur and 6-blocks.
• The district forms a part of the Indo-Gangetic plains and consists of three types of region : (a) The upland plains, (b) The co-infested foot hill plains and (c) the flood plain of the Ghaggar river.
• Headquarters - Patiala
• Total population (2011) – 2892282
• Density - 596 inhabitants per sq km
• Sex ratio - 888 females per thousand males
• Literacy rate - 76.3%
   

By: Harman Sandhu