DR BANARSI LAL
Reasi district of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is situated in the Shivalik hills and is about 72 km away from Jammu. This district is located at 1528 meters above mean sea level and is predominantly a hilly district. It is one of the oldest towns of J &K UT. It was the seat of the erstwhile Bhimgarh state, said to have been established by Bhim Dev somewhere in the 8th century. It remained an independent principality till 1822 when Gulab Singh, the then King of Jammu consolidated small states. Up to 1948 Reasi was the district of Jammu province but in the first administrative reorganization of the state undertaken in 1948 major part of the district Reasi was merged with Udhampur district, while some area became part of district Poonch (now Rajouri). The name Reasi is derived from the town’s old name “Rasyal”. Reasi is one of the most important places in terms of tourism in the Union Territory of J&K. Religious places like Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Shiv Khori Shrine, Dera Baba Banda Bahadur, Baba Aghar Jitto Ji, Siarh Baba, Nao Devian, Deva Mai, Dhansar Baba etc. are in Reasi district and pilgrims from across the globe visit these spots throughout the year and pay homage. Bhimgarh Fort and Sulla Park are also important tourists’ destinations in the district. Throughout the year the Salal Hydro Electric Project located at Dhayangarh, world highest Chenab Rail Bridge, Kauri, Bakkal, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVD), Karkayal, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tanda are important centres in the district which added glory to the district. The proposed train to Kashmir passes through this district and makes it an important place in the national atlas. Banganga, Anji. Ans, Rudd, Plassu, Pai etc. are the tributaries of the Chenab River.
According to 2011 census total population of the district is 3, 14,714 and is at 570th rank out of 640 districts in India. Total literacy rate of Reasi district is 59.42%. Its population density is 184 persons/sq.km. Its population growth over decade 2001-2011 was 27.06% and has a sex ratio of 891 females for 1000 males. The district lies between 33005″ N latitude and 74050″ E longitude. The headquarter of district Reasi is situated at Reasi town. The district comprises presently of nine tehsils and twelve blocks as per new statistics. There are 255 villages and 147 Panchayats in the district. Total geographical area of the district is about 1719 Sq. Km. It is the 13th largest district in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.The primary occupation of the people of Reasi is agriculture and allied activities.
Various ethnic communities viz. Hindu, Muslim & Sikhs are the inhabitants of the district. It was carved out from Udhampur district on 1st April, 2007. Udhampur, Rajouri, Jammu, Ramban and Shopian are the adjoining districts of Reasi. This district of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is worldwide famous because of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine where lakhs of devotees visit every year and pay homage to this holy shrine. The Chenab River flows through this district and added glamour to it. The district has an immense potential of hydel electricity generation and has one of the largest hydel projects in the country. Salal Power Project has been constructed over the Chenab River and this generates about 690 MW power. Through this project electricity is provided to Uttar Pradesh, J&K, Punjab, Harayana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Rajasthan.1315 meters long Chenab Railway Bridge is the highest bridge (383.10 meters’ height) in the world. The Jammu-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line is in progress and passes through Reasi district. This railway line will bring Reasi on the rail map of the country. Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir is said to an abode of Mata Vaishno Devi and blessed with vast biodiversity.
Reasi district of Union Territory of J&K has a variable climate ranging from sub-tropical to temperate. Reasi district comprises of three main agro climatic zones. The lower Hills of Katra, Painthal, Reasi, Pouni, Talwara fall in the sub-tropical belt. Intermediate zone comprises of Arnas, Kanthan, Thanpal, Judda, Dharmari etc. Higher hills zone comprises of Buddan, Mahore, Chasana, Lar, Deval etc. Mean annual rainfall of the district varies from 1000-1100mm with intensity ranging from the drizzling to the torrential rain. Rainfall is heavy and well distributed from June-September. Rainfall is moderate in other months. Sometimes dry spell also prevails in the district. Mountainous terrain and high peaks in the district are the main factors for the climate variation in the district. Summers are generally warm and winters cold with snowfall in higher altitudes. Most part of the district is rain fed and around 7 per cent area is irrigated. Major crops of the districts are maize, wheat, paddy, mustard and black gram. Vegetables production and fodder have an immense potential in the district. There is an ample potential of mushroom cultivation, sericulture, apiculture, organic and natural farming, backyard poultry and dairy farming in the district.
Horticulture is an important sector in the district. Citrus and mango are important crops in Reasi area while temperate fruits like apple, apricot and walnut have tremendous potential in higher elevations. The district has an immense potential for growing spices namely onion, garlic, ginger and turmeric in specific pockets of the district. Floriculture is a new emerging industry in the district and many new farmers are coming forward for the commercial floriculture production. The district is gifted with the world famous religious spots where is demand of flowers.
The Gujjars and Bakarwals are the predominant tribal communities in the hilly district Reasi of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In order to sustain the livelihood, the tribes of Reasi distt. of Jammu & Kashmir primarily function as cultivators, maintaining an essential agrarian livelihood. Gujjars and Bakerwals continue to be a unique community with their own social, cultural and linguistic identities. Gujjars are mostly herdsmen of buffaloes, many of them possessing minor pieces of land on the mountain foothills. Bakerwals, who belong to the same ethnic stock, largely depend on sheep and goats for their livelihood. They are predominantly rural as 95.3 per cent of them reside in villages. Adverse terrain conditions, inaccessibility of the areas, lack of all-weather roads, lack of infrastructure facilities and unsteady agricultural economy added to the backwardness of the tribal population living in far-flung and difficult areas.
These factors have affected their cultural, economic and political empowerment. Keeping this in view, the Central Government notified the Gujjars and Bakerwals in Jammu and Kashmir as Scheduled Tribes in 1991. The total population of the district living in rural areas is 84.32 percent and only 15.68 percent population is urban. The scheduled tribes’ population of the district is more than 25 percent of total population of the erstwhile district.
Many attempts have been made for the upliftment of this section of people. They are trained to improve the land base available at their disposal for integrated farming and allied income generating activities. The government has been prioritizing the education of these nomadic communities at the grass-roots level to arm their children with education and knowledge.
The tribal community in the district is being acquainted with the scientific and sustainable crop and animal husbandry practices. KVK, Reasi creates awareness, imparts trainings and lays Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) at farmer’s fields and efforts are made to generate the employment and income. Efforts are synergised by the allied sectors deptts. Farmers are also facilitated in popularizing scientific and mechanized agriculture.Although the major part of the district is rainfed but still the district is having an immense potential of diversified agriculture.
The floriculture of Kanjli and Bhagta villages, the organic farming of Talwara and Kundkandayarian villages, fruits production in Pouni, Sirah and Laiter villages, poultry farming of Tanda village, vegetables of Granmore and Mari, lemon grass of Sirah and Sudheen, Self Help Groups (SHGs) of Kheral, Malad, Serwad etc, beekeeping in Dub Khalsa and Sudheen, Walnut of Sungdi (Mahore), dairy farming of Mansoo and Kansi Patta, turmeric and ginger of Pouni and Chamyara etc. are well known. These villages have their own identities and are known for the production of special commodities. As the district is bestowed with the world famous Vaishno Devi Shrine where lakhs of devotees visit from every nook and corner of the country, the agricultural commodities have the marketing potential. Farmers’ zeal towards the scientific agriculture is bringing the district on the frontline. Value addition in agriculture can open some new avenues of income and employment among the farmers of Reasi distt. of J&K.
(The writer is Sr. Scientist & Head of KVK, Reasi (Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu).
