Pathankot district

Pathankot district, the northernmost district of Punjab, India, was formed on 27 July 2011, after being carved out from Gurdaspur district. Pathankot serves as the district headquarters. The district shares its borders with Pakistan to the west and lies strategically close to the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the state of Himachal Pradesh, making it a vital trade and transportation hub in the region.

Etymology

The original name of Pathankot was Paithan during Mughal times, which is in turn believed to be a derivative of Sanskrit Pratisthana. Later Paithan was retrieved again by Chandravanshi Rajput clan (Pathania “meaning No Pathans”) and named Pathankot. The suffix 'kot' stands for fort.

Geography

Pathankot is located in the foothills of the Sivalik Hills. It shares international borders with the Narowal District of Pakistan's Punjab. It also shares borders with the Kathua District of Jammu and Kashmir and the Chamba and Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh. Hoshiarpur district shares a boundary with Pathankot in Eastern Punjab. The two main rivers, – the Beas and the Ravi, pass through the district.

Demographics

At the time of the 2011 census, the area that would become Pathankot district had a population of 676,598. Out of these 378,432 were rural and 298,166 urban. Pathankot has a sex ratio of 860 females per 1000 males. Scheduled Castes are 207,032 (30.60%) of the population.

1. Punjabi (89.9%)
2. Hindi (5.30%)
3. Dogri (1.20%)
4. Others (3.64%)

At the time of the 2011 census, 89.86% of the population spoke Punjabi, 5.30% Hindi and 1.20% Dogri as their first language.

Governance and administration

In the past, It was a Tehsil of the district of Gurdaspur. The present district was formed, as the 22nd district of the state on 27 July 2011. Pathankot includes the two sub-divisions of Pathankot and Dhar Kalan and the two sub-tehsil of Narot Jaimal Singh and Bamial

City and towns

There are two statutory Cities Pathankot and Sujanpur in this district. The district also has 12 census towns, according to census 2011 which are listed below:

• Sujanpur (City Municipal Council)
• Pathankot (City Municipal Corporation)
• Jugial (Township)
• Narot Jaimal Singh (Nagar Panchayat)
• Narot Mehra (Town)
• Mamun (Pathankot Urban)
• Manwal (Town)
• Sarna (Pathankot Urban)
• Bungal (Rural Town)
• Malikpur (Pathankot Urban)
• Dunera (Town)
• Dhar Kalan (Town)
• Madhopur (Pathankot Urban)
• Gharota (Rural Town)
• Dhaki (Town)
• Daulatpur (Town)
• Jhakolari (Town)
• Kamini (Settlement)
• Mirthal (Town)
• Taragarh (Rural Town)

Other villages and settlements

• Abadgarh
• Kataruchak
• Mirthal, Near Beas river (Last town of Pathankot district)

Politics

Pathankot district is part of the Pathankot Assembly Constituency.

Healthcare

The table below shows the number of road accidents and people affected in Pathankot district by year.

Notable people

• Ashwani Kumar Sharma (MLA)
• Seema Kumari (Ex MLA)
• Siddarth Kaul (Cricketer)

See also

• Kathlaur Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary, wildlife sanctuary in the district

External links

• , Maps of India, retrieved 31 July 2019