Assam Muslim-majority districts up from 6 to 9

* Hindu population in India down by 0.7 per cent to 79.8 per cent * Muslim population increases 0.8 per cent to 14.2 per cent

OUR BUREAU & IANS

New Delhi/Guwahati, August 25: The number of Muslim majority districts in Assam has increased from six in 2001 census to nine as per census 2011. Presently, the nine Muslim-majority districts in the State are Barpeta, Dhubri, Karimganj, Goalpara, Darrang, Bongaigaon, Hailakandi, gaon and Morigaon.

In 2001 census, six Assam districts were Muslim-majority. Ten years later, the new additions are Morigaon, Darrang and Bongaigaon.

The census 2011 data released by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner on Tuesday revealed that Hindus constitute 79.8 per cent and Muslims 14.2 per cent of the population in India, with the proportion of Hindus to total population in 2011 slipping by 0.7 percent.

While the growth rate of population from 2001 to 2011 was the highest among the Muslims at 24.6 per cent, for Hindus it was 16.8 per cent, Christians 15.5 per cent, Sikhs 8.4 per cent, Buddhists 6.1 per cent and Jains 5.4 per cent, the data revealed.

The overall growth rate of population in the country was 17.7 percent.

Of the total population of 121.09 crore in 2011, Hindus were 96.63 crore (79.8 per cent); Muslims 17.22 crores (14.2 per cent); Christians 2.78 crores (2.3 per cent); Sikhs 2.08 crores (1.7 per cent); Buddhists 0.84 crores (0.7 per cent); Jains 0.45 crores (0.4 per cent), other religions and persuasions (ORP) 0.79 crores (0.7 per cent).

The data also showed that 0.29 crore (0.2 per cent) of the population had not stated its religion.

According to a Union Home ministry release, the proportion of Muslim population to total population in 2011 had increased by 0.8 percentage points while there had been no significant change in the proportion of Christians and Jains. "The proportion of Hindu population to total population in 2011 has declined by 0.7 percentage point (PP), the proportion of Sikh population has declined by 0.2 PP and the Buddhist population has declined by 0.1 PP during the decade 2001-2011," the release said.