Budgam
Budgam is a district in the State of Jammu and Kashmir in India which derived its name from the district headquarter town Budgam. This is smallest district of the state that covers only an area of 1,371 sq. km. The district has nearly 1 % of the total area of the state and 6 % of its population. It is bounded by the districts of Baramulla and Srinagar in the north, Pulwama in the south and the Poonch border in the south-west. This district was carved out from the erstwhile District Srinagar in 1979. Situated at an average height of 5,281 ft above sea-level and at 75 degree E longitude and 34 degree N latitude, the district was known as Deedmarbag in ancient days.The topography of the district is mixed. There are mountainous regions (southern and south-western parts) as well as plains (eastern and northern parts). The climate is temperate, however, the upper-reaches receive heavy snowfall in winter. The average annual rainfall of the district is 585 mm. The average height of the mountains is 1,610 m and the total area under forest cover is 721 sq. km. The soil is loose and mostly denuded karewas dot the landscape.
This district is comprised of one sub Division Khansahib, six Tehsils namely Budgam, Beerwah Chadoora, Khansahib, Khag, and Charar-i-sharief, and eight blocks - Budgam, Chadoora, Nagam, B.K. Pora, Beerwah, Khag, Narbal and Khansahib. There are six Municipal Committees - Budgam, Khansahib, Charar-i-sharief, Chadoora, Beerwah and Magam. Budgam has 283 panchayats comprising 509 revenue villages.
As per 2001 census, the district had a population of 5,93,768, out of them 3,09, 574 were males (52.1 %) and 2,84,194 were females (47.9 %). The population density has been recorded at 433 persons per square kilometer, as compared to 99 persons per square km for the entire state. The decadal growth rate of the district is 26.5 per cent, which is slightly less than 29.04 per cent for the State as a whole. Sex-Ratio in the district is 918 females per 1,000 males. The overall literacy rate has been recorded at 39.54 %, which is considerably less than the figure of 54.46% for the J&K State. While the male literacy rate is 51.23% as compared to 65.25% for the state, the female literacy rate trails at 26.60 % as against the state figure of 41.82 %.
Life pattern
With a predominantly rural outlook, 86 % of the population in Budgam district live in its villages and are primarily involved in agricultural operations. The total road length in the district is 11,152.70 kms, which includes 398 kms of blacktopped roads. The net area irrigated stands at nearly 60% of the total against the state average of 40 %. The area under fruit and vegetable cultivation is about 11 % of gross area sown against the state average of about 6 %. Budgam leads Valley in cultivation of vegetables while a good quantity of fruit is also grown in selected pockets.Prominent saint of the district include Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani (RA) of Charisharief, Hazrat Saeed Ali Aali Balkhi (RA) of Pakherpora, Hazrat Shamas Fakir (RA) of Shamasabad, Hazrat Saeed Soliha Khansahib (RA) of Khansahib, Ab Samad Mir Nambalhar (RA) of Nambalhar, Hazrat Gaffar Sahab (RA) of Waterhail and Mir Shamas-U-Din Iraqi of Chadoora.
Politics
Assembly constituencies and their areas after the delimitation order of 2008The above Order for the State of Jammu and Kashmir is as per the details given in Order No. 1 of the Delimitation Commission, Jammu and Kashmir notified in the Central and the State Gazettes on 27th April, 1995.
26 Chadoora Vidhan Sabha Constituency - The following Patwar Circles of tehsil Chadoora, 16-Chadoora, 24-Chattergam, 25- Wagora, 26-Wathura, 27-Khanda, 28-Bugam Batapora, 29-Kralpora, 30-Hayatpora, 31-Pohroo, 32-Rakh Shalina, 33-Bagati-Kanipora, 34-Nowgam 35-Kanihama, 36-Daulatpora, 38-Natipora rural area outside Srinagar Municipal limits in ward 4 and 39-Lasjan and Aramwari, Gund, Chandal Stengoo, Suthoo, Kirtherbagh and 40-Kursu Padshahibagh.
27 Budgam Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 1-Soibugh, 2-Dhrmana, 3-Wahabpora, 4-Arth, 5-Wadwan, 6-Bemina, 7-Pallar, 8- Garriend Kalan, 9-Sholipora, 10-Nassar-Ullah-pora, 11-Jahama, 12-Water-Wani, 28- Chune, 29-Budgam, 30-Ompora, 31-Narkara, 32-Humhama, 35-Karewa Damodar, 36- Gund-Sathu, 37-Ichakoot, 38-Ichgam, 33-Rawalpora (rural), 34-Hyderpora (rural) in Budgam tehsil.
28 Beerwah Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 1-Suzeth-Gooripora, 2-Kawoosa Khalisa, 3-Kawoosa Jagir, 4-Batapora Kanihama, 5-Sanoor-Kalipora, 6-Hardu Malpora, 7-Bandagam, 8-Utligam, 9-Mula-Shulla, 10-Sonapah, 12-Gondipora, 21-Shanglipora, 22-Khag, 23-Malpora Khag, 24-Himchipora, 25-Lalpora, 26-Beerwah, 27-Chewdara, 28-Peth Mukahama, 29-Rathusun, 30-Bona Makhama, 31-Nagam, 32-Iskanderpora, 33-Aripanthan, 34-Palpora, 36-Hardua- Shersh in tehsil Beerwah.
29 Khansahib Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 11-Hokhalatri, 13-Pharthan, 14-Kandoora, 15-Drang, 16-Sita-haran, 17- Zogikharian, 18-Arizal, 19-Qamroo, 20-Rawalpora-Beerwah ; and PC 35-Sail in Tehsil Beerwah ; and PCs 13- Waterhail, 14-Jawalapora, 15-Sondipora, 16-Dalipora, 17- Yari Khah, 18-Talapora, 19-Parnawah, 20-Drayagram, 21-Frestwar Khasipora, 22-Arigam, 23-Khan Sahib, 24-Raithan, 25-Kachwari, 26- Gurwait Kalan, 27-Falchall in tehsil Budgam.
30 Charar-i-sharief Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 1-Gogji Pathari, 2-Brinja, 3-Hafroo Batapora, 4- Branawar,5-Surasyar, 6-Dada- Ompara, 7-Hanjura, 8-Nowpora, 9-Pakharpora, 10-Hardu Dalwan Fuktipora, 11-Teelsarah, 12-Charar-i-Sharief, 13-Watkaloo, 14-Darawan Nowgam, 15-Chrawan, 17- Nagam, 18-Badipora, 19-Yarikalan, 20-Ropora Namtihal, 21-Kanir, 22-Ranger, 23- Sogam, 37-Nowhar in tehsil Chadoora.