Shopian district

Shopian district (Urdu pronunciation: [ʃoːpɪjɑ̃ː]), known as Shupyan^[4] (Kashmiri pronunciation: [ʃupʲjan]) in Kashmiri, is an administrative district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.^[1] It is a hill district with its administrative headquarters in Shopian town.^[5] As it is situated on the historical road commonly known as Mughal Road, most of its area is occupied by forests. Shopian district comes under the Pir Panjal Range which makes it very cold in winter.^[6] After partition of India, it was a tehsil of Pulwama district. In March, 2007, the district status was granted by the Government of India.^[7][8] The economy of the district depends on agriculture, particularly apple growing.^[9]

Shopian district Shupyan
District of Jammu and Kashmir administered by India[1]
From the top: Historical Jamia Masjid, Shopian, Historical Aliabad Saria and Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary
Interactive map of Shopian district
Shopian district is in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region[1] It is in the Kashmir division (bordered in neon blue).
Coordinates (Shopian): 33.72°N 74.83°E / 33.72; 74.83
Administering country	India
Union Territory	Jammu and Kashmir
Headquarters	Shopian
Area
• Total	612.9 km2 (236.6 sq mi)
• Rank	537th in India & 17th in Jammu & Kashmir
Population  (Census 2011)
• Total	266,215
• Density	430/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English[2][3]
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	JK-22
Website	http://shopian.nic.in

Shopian district is called "the apple bowl of Kashmir".^[10]

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, the Shopian district has a population of 266,215.^[11] This gives the Shopian district a ranking of 577th in India (out of a total of 640).^[11] The district has a population density of 852 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,210/sq mi) .^[11] Its population growth rate over the 2001–2011 decade was 25.85%.^[11] Shopian has a sex ratio of 951 females for every 1,000 males^[11] (this varies with religion), and a literacy rate of 62.49%.^[11]

Religion in Shopian district (2011)[12]
Religion			Percent
Islam			98.52%
Hinduism			1.17%
Other or not stated			0.31%

Sex Ratio in Shopian District in 2011 Census.[12] (no. females per 1,000 males)
Religion (and population)			Sex Ratio
Muslim (pop 262,263)			968
Hindu (pop 3,116)			122
Other (pop 836)			779
Total (pop 266,215)			951

Languages of Shopian district (2011)^[13]

  Kashmiri (87.99%)

  Gojri (8.80%)

  Pahari (1.78%)

  Others (1.43%)

Shopian (Shupiyan) district: religion, gender ratio, and % urban of population, according to the 2011 Census.[12]
	Hindu	Muslim	Christian	Sikh	Buddhist	Jain	Other	Not stated	Total
Total	3,116	262,263	429	178	6	1	6	216	266,215
	1.17%	98.52%	0.16%	0.07%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.08%	100.00%
Male	2,777	133,233	229	100	2	1	3	135	136,480
Female	339	129,030	200	78	4	0	3	81	129,735
Gender ratio (% female)	10.9%	49.2%	46.6%	43.8%	66.7%	0.0%	50.0%	37.5%	48.7%
Sex ratio (no. of females per 1,000 males)	122	968	–	–	–	–	–	–	951
Urban	2,146	14,060	67	56	2	0	0	29	16,360
Rural	970	248,203	362	122	4	1	6	187	249,855
% Urban	68.9%	5.4%	15.6%	31.5%	33.3%	0.0%	0.0%	13.4%	6.1%

At the time of the 2011 census, 87.99% of the population spoke Kashmiri, 8.80% Gojri and 1.78% Pahari as their first language.^[13]

Education

In 1988, The Government of Jammu and Kashmir established a college namely Government Degree College, Shopian which provides higher education infrastructure to the people of Shopian district. The Government Polytechnic college was established recently in the Shopian town, which provides technical engineering diploma level education.

Some of the other notable educational institutions are:

• Jamia Sirajul Uloom Imam Sahab, Shopian
• Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Shopian
• Government higher secondary, Shopian
• And also various private higher secondary and high schools

Economy

The local economy depends on agriculture. Apple growing "provides employment to about 60% of the population and is the main source of livelihood of many households."^[9] Apple growing is more profitable than other crops, partly because the hilly nature of the land makes it harder to cultivate other crops than apples.^[9] The apple orchards in District Shopian cover an extensive area of 26,231 hectares, establishing it as the second-largest apple producer in the region after district Anantnag, which holds the distinction of being the top apple producer with its vast apple orchards spanning 33,768 hectares. ^[14] District Shopian produces around 3 to 3.5 lakh metric tonnes of apple annually.^[15]

Apple Cluster

To enhance apple production in Shopian district, the Union government has granted approval for an "Apple Cluster" under the Cluster Development Programme. The project aims to boost Shopian apple's competitiveness globally by focusing on three key areas: pre-production-production, post-harvest management and value addition, and logistics, marketing, and branding. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 135.23 crore, with the Ministry providing around Rs 37.05 crore as grant-in-aid.^[16]

Healthcare

The district has a number of hospitals and healthcare facilities, some of which include its adjoining areas they are:^[17]

• Government District Hospital Shopian
• Sub District Hospital Zainapora,
• Sub District Hospital Keller
• NTPHC Wachi
• Primary Health centre Aglar
• NTPHC Ramnagri
• PHC Herman
• PHC Pinjura
• PHC DK Pora

Places of interest

Shopian district has many places with tourism potential: Arshi Pora Lahanthour, Sedow, Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, Dubijan - 6 km (3.7 mi) from Heerpora Village; Peer Marg/Peer Gali - 20 km (12 mi) away from Heerpora on the historical Mughal Road; Lake Nandansar - 2 km (1.2 mi) away from the Peer Ki Gali; Hash Wang Bagam Pather, Sok Saray, and Mughal Saray at Jajinar. The Jamia Masjid in Shopian is one of the famous historical monuments built during the Mughal reign resembling that of jamia Masjid Srinagar. The Aasar-i-Sharief Dargah at Pinjura, attracts thousands of devotees on the occasion of Eid-i-Milad-un- Nabi and Shab-i-Mehraj. Darul Uloom Islamia Pinjura where large people gather to seek (spiritual and moral) knowledge and propagate to others.Another famous muslim seminary called Jamia Sirajul Uloom is situated at Imamsahib.

On the outskirts of Shopian town near Nagbal area, there is a Siva temple called Kapalmochan Mandir with three natural springs and a unique Shivling with small Rudraksh shaped knots spread all over it.

Transport

The major roads connecting Shopian with neighbouring districts are:

• Shopian-Pulwama-Srinagar Road
• Shopian-Anantnag Via Chitragam
• shopian to Aglar via heff turkuwangam
• Shopian -Anantnag via Kaider
• Shopian Anantnag Via Kulgam khudwani Wanpoh khanabal
• shopian to sangam via Aglar
• Shopian-Rajouri-Poonch via Mughal Road
• Shopian-Zawoora-Keller
• Shopian-Sedow-Aharbal
• Shopian-Hirpora
• Shopian-Bijbehara via Malik Gund Imamsahib,
• Shopian-Pinjoor
• Shopian-Zainapora( Babapora)- Frisal- khudwani
• Shopian-Zainapora( Babapora)- wachi - Sangam
• Shopian to Kulgam Kachdoora, Sehpora Mohan Pora or Okay
• Shopian to Reshnagri via Narwaw, Saidpora
• Shopian to Nehama via Vehil Nowgam, Kanjiullar
• Shopian to Ramnagri via Narwaw, Saidpora, Amshipora.
• Shopian to Kangiullar via Ramnagri and Gadiporahir
• Shopian to Kheer Bhawani at Mamzam via Ramnagri, Kanjiuller Nihama
• Shopian to Aharbal via Ramnagri, Gadipora and Nihama
• Shopian to Zawoora via Rambiara.
• Shopian to Shadab Karewa Via Zowoora.
• Shopian to Narapora, keller via Zawoora
• Shopain to Aharbal via Saidow
• Shopian Arshi pora road to link Via Herman Kadder Road
• Shopian to Manzimpara via Kundalan.
• Shopian to Anantnag via Manihall and Yaripora
• Shopian to Toolihalan
• Shopian to Aharbal via Ramnagri, Reshnagri, Bridge Completed in Last year.

.

References

1. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary sources (a) through (d), reflecting due weight in the coverage. Although "controlled" and "held" are also applied neutrally to the names of the disputants or to the regions administered by them, as evidenced in sources (f) through (h) below, "held" is also considered politicized usage, as is the term "occupied," (see (i) below).
   (a) Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 15 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories.";
   (b) Pletcher, Kenneth, Aksai Chin, Plateau Region, Asia, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 16 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "Aksai Chin, Chinese (Pinyin) Aksayqin, portion of the Kashmir region, at the northernmost extent of the Indian subcontinent in south-central Asia. It constitutes nearly all the territory of the Chinese-administered sector of Kashmir that is claimed by India to be part of the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir state.";
   (c) "Kashmir", Encyclopedia Americana, Scholastic Library Publishing, 2006, p. 328, ISBN 978-0-7172-0139-6 C. E Bosworth, University of Manchester Quote: "KASHMIR, kash'mer, the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, administered partlv by India, partly by Pakistan, and partly by China. The region has been the subject of a bitter dispute between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947";
   (d) Osmańczyk, Edmund Jan (2003), Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: G to M, Taylor & Francis, pp. 1191–, ISBN 978-0-415-93922-5 Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir: Territory in northwestern India, subject to a dispute betw een India and Pakistan. It has borders with Pakistan and China."
   (e) Talbot, Ian (2016), A History of Modern South Asia: Politics, States, Diasporas, Yale University Press, pp. 28–29, ISBN 978-0-300-19694-8 Quote: "We move from a disputed international border to a dotted line on the map that represents a military border not recognized in international law. The line of control separates the Indian and Pakistani administered areas of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir.";
   (f) Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 15 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "... China became active in the eastern area of Kashmir in the 1950s and has controlled the northeastern part of Ladakh (the easternmost portion of the region) since 1962.";
   (g) Bose, Sumantra (2009), Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace, Harvard University Press, pp. 294, 291, 293, ISBN 978-0-674-02855-5 Quote: "J&K: Jammu and Kashmir. The former princely state that is the subject of the Kashmir dispute. Besides IJK (Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir. The larger and more populous part of the former princely state. It has a population of slightly over 10 million, and comprises three regions: Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh.) and AJK ('Azad" (Free) Jammu and Kashmir. The more populous part of Pakistani-controlled J&K, with a population of approximately 2.5 million. AJK has six districts: Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Bagh, Kodi, Rawalakot, and Poonch. Its capital is the town of Muzaffarabad. AJK has its own institutions, but its political life is heavily controlled by Pakistani authorities, especially the military), it includes the sparsely populated "Northern Areas" of Gilgit and Baltistan, remote mountainous regions which are directly administered, unlike AJK, by the Pakistani central authorities, and some high-altitude uninhabitable tracts under Chinese control."
   (h) Fisher, Michael H. (2018), An Environmental History of India: From Earliest Times to the Twenty-First Century, Cambridge University Press, p. 166, ISBN 978-1-107-11162-2 Quote: "Kashmir’s identity remains hotly disputed with a UN-supervised “Line of Control” still separating Pakistani-held Azad (“Free”) Kashmir from Indian-held Kashmir.";
   (i) Snedden, Christopher (2015), Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris, Oxford University Press, p. 10, ISBN 978-1-84904-621-3 Quote:"Some politicised terms also are used to describe parts of J&K. These terms include the words 'occupied' and 'held'."
2. "The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
3. "Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020". Rising Kashmir. 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
4. Kashir Encyclopedia (in Kashmiri). Vol. 2. Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Arts Culture and Languages. 1989. p. 151.
5. "Shupiyan District : Census 2011-2018 data". census2011.co.in. 2011 Census of India.
6. "J&Ks Shopian dist to get new tourism development authority". indiatoday.in. India Today.
7. "Granted district status 11 years ago, Shopian still craves for facilities". greaterkashmir.com. Greater Kashmir.
8. "Brief Industrial Profile of Shopian District" (PDF). dcmsme.gov.in. Development Commissioner Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
9. Bhat, Tariq Ahmad (May 2014). "Economic of Apple Industry; A Primary Survey in District Shopian (Kashmir)". Journal of Business Management & Social Sciences Research. 3 (5): 127–131. ISSN 2319-5614. S2CID 166638356. Al
10. Ashiq, Peerzada (13 June 2020). "How did Shopian, Kashmir's apple bowl, turn into a battleground district?". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
11. "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
12. C-1 Population By Religious Community – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
13. C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
14. "Apple Town Shopian".
15. Bhat, Gulzar (15 October 2021). "High quality apple production brings cheer to farmers in Shopian". Greater Kashmir. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
16. "J&K: Centre approves 'Apple Cluster' in Shopian district | News - Times of India Videos". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
17. "Health setup in District Shopian".

External links

• Official website