UpdateBot at 15:24, 20 June 2022

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{{Short description|Town in Jammu and Kashmir}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Handwara
| other_name = 
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Town
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Jammu and Kashmir#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
| coordinates = {{coord|34.406|N|74.265|E|display=inline,title}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Handwara+193221/@34.4060475,74.2652281,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x38e11cede799fc8d:0x37953ecde7a3233c!8m2!3d34.3996158!4d74.2817479!5m1!1e4|title=Handwara (Google Maps)|work=Google Maps|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref>
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and union territories of India|Union Territory]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of Jammu and Kashmir|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Kupwara district|Kupwara]]
| subdivision_type3 =
| subdivision_name3 =
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = Municipal Committee
| governing_body = Government of Jammu and Kashmir
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 291.47
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 13600<ref name="Handwara Population">{{cite web|url=https://www.censusindia2011.com/jammu-kashmir/Handwara/handwara/handwara-mc-population.html|title=Handwara Town population|work=Census India|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref>
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Demographics
| demographics1_title1 = [[Literacy in India|Literacy]]<ref name="Handwara district Census 2011"/>
| demographics1_info1 = 64.39%
| demographics1_title2 = [[Human sex ratio|Sex ratio]]<ref name="Handwara district Census 2011">{{cite web|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/01/0101_PART_A_DCHB_Handwara.pdf|title=Kupwara district Census 2011|work=Govt of India Census|access-date=12 July 2021}}</ref>
| demographics1_info2 = 843 [[female|♀]]/ 1000 [[male|♂]] 
| demographics1_footnotes =
| demographics_type2 = Languages
| demographics2_title1 = Official
| demographics2_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], English<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=30 May 2021}}</ref>
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 193221
| registration_plate = JK-09
| website = {{url|kupwara.nic.in}}
| footnotes =
}}
'''Handwara''' is a sub-district and a town in [[Kupwara district]] of the Indian [[States and union territories of India|union territory]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. It was known as '''Uttar Machipora''' until the division of [[Baramulla district]] in the 1980s resulting in the formation of two new districts: [[Kupwara district|Kupwara]] and [[Bandipore district|Bandipora]]. It is located on Baramulla-Handwara [[National Highway 701 (India)|National Highway NH-701]] and is governed by a municipal committee.

==Geography==
Handwara is located at {{coord|34.40|N|74.28|E|}} at an average elevation of 1,582 metres (5,190 feet) above [[sea level]].

==Demographics==
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Handwara Town (2011)<ref name="Handwara Town population">{{cite web|url=https://www.censusindia2011.com/jammu-kashmir/kupwara/handwara/handwara-mc-population.html|title=Handwara Town Population|work=Census India|access-date=12 July 2021}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Islam]]
|value1 = 90.29
|color1 = Green
|label2 = [[Hinduism]]
|value2 = 8.25
|color2 = Orange
|label3 = [[Sikhism]]
|value3 = 0.54
|color3 = Yellow
|label4 = [[Christianity]]
|value4 = 0.51
|color4 = Blue
|label5 = [[Buddhism]]
|value5 = 0.02
|color5 = Gold
|label6 = [[Jainism]]
|value6 = 0.01
|color6 = Maroon
|label7 = Others
|value7 = 0.04
|color7 = Grey
|label8 = Not stated
|value8 = 0.34
|color8 = Black
}}

According to the 2011 Indian [[census]], Handwara has a population of 13,600.<ref name="Handwara Town population"/> Males constitute 54.26% of the population and females 45.74%.<ref name="Handwara Town population"/> Handwara has an average literacy rate of 64.39%.<ref name="Handwara Population"/> The dominant religion in the town is [[Islam]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-valign=top
|| {{Historical populations
|title =
|type =
|align =
|direction =
|width =
|state =
|shading =
|pop_name =
|percentages = pagr
|footnote =
|source = <ref name=Census2011-town_pop>{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A4.html |title=A-4 Towns And Urban Agglomerations Classified By Population Size Class In 2011 With Variation Since 1901 |work=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India}}<br />{{cite report |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/CLASS%20II.xlsx |title=Class - II Population of 50,000 and 99,999}}</ref>
|1911 | 792
|1971 | 5,025
|1981 | 6,616
|2001 | 10,638
|2011 | 13,600
}}
|-
|}

===Literacy===
The Census of 2011 showed the literacy rate of Handwara at 64.39%, lower than the national average of 67.16%.<ref name="Handwara Population"/> There is a gender difference in literacy, with a male literacy rate of 75.62% and a much lower female literacy rate of 51.88%.

==Educational Institutions==
* [[Government Degree College, Handwara]]
* [[Shaheen Public Sec. School Handwara|Shaheen Public Secondary School, Handwara]]

==Politics==
Handwara is in a politically volatile area of Handwara. It was the home constituency of the late separatist leader [[Abdul Ghani Lone]] and of Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzaan. The former [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] for Handwara was [[Sajjad Gani Lone]] of the [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference]], who defeated Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzaan of the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] by more than 5000 votes in the 2014 assembly elections.<ref>{{cite web|title=Election Results: Sajjad Lone, Former Separatist with Pakistani Wife, Wins in Kashmir|url=http://m.ndtv.com/assembly/election-results-sajjad-lone-former-separatist-with-pakistani-wife-wins-in-kashmir-716953|website=m.ndtv.com|access-date=5 December 2016}}</ref> The current MLA seat of Handwara is vacant due to the dissolving of the [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/jk-assembly-dissolved-amid-claims-for-power/articleshow/66739283.cms|title=Jammu and Kashmir Assembly dissolved|work=Economic Times|access-date=22 November 2018}}</ref>

Municipal Committee Handwara is an [[Urban Local Body]] with 13 elected members, which administers the town.<ref>http://ceojammukashmir.nic.in/pdf/municipal%20Election/Result_Notifi_Corp.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!#
!Name
!Municipal Ward
!Reservation Status
!Party
|-
|1
|Iram Amin Banday
|Banday Mohalla
|Women Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|2
|Farooq Ahmad Bhat
|Herpora
|Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|3
|Masroor Ah. Banday
|Jamia Jadeed
|Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|4
|Dilshada Jan
|Jamia Qadeem
|Women Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|5
|Gh. Mohd. Ganie
|Khunabal Maqboolabad
|Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|6
|Bashir Ah. Khan
|Khunabal Umerabad
|Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|7
|Zoona Behum
|Durishpora
|Women Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|8
|Mumtaza Begum
|Baghatpora
|Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|9
|Ateeqa Begum
|Kachiwari
|Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|10
|Zamrooda Begum
|Chotipora
|Women Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|11
|Mushtaq Ahmad Hanji
|Tootigund
|Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|12
|Nazir Ahmed Bhat
|Zalipora
|Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|-
|13
|Ab. Majid Pandith
|Wani Mohalla
|Open
| bgcolor="#146B23" |''Independent''
|}

==Transportation==
===Air===
The nearest airport is [[Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport]] in [[Srinagar]] located 78.8 kilometres from Handwara. There are plans to construct an airport in Panzgam near Kupwara.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kashmirlife.net/centre-plans-to-build-11-new-airports-in-jk-2-in-ladakh-220098/|title=Centre plans to build 11 new airports in J&K, 2 in Ladakh|work=Kashmir Life|access-date=17 March 2020}}</ref>

===Rail===
Handwara is not yet connected to railways. The nearest railway station is [[Baramulla railway station]] located 30 kilometres from Handwara.

===Road===
Handwara is well-connected with roads and highways. The [[National Highway 701 (India)|NH 701]] passes through Handwara alongside other intra-town roads.

==Notable people==
* [[Ali Mohammad Shahbaz]]
* [[Abdul Ghani Lone|Abdul Gani Lone]]
* [[Sajjad Gani Lone|Sajad Gani Lone]]
* [[Engineer Rashid]]
* [[vistra mohd shafi dar]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://kupwara.nic.in/}}

{{Jammu and Kashmir topics}}
{{Kupwara district}}
{{Kashmir Valley}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Kupwara district|Handwara]]
[[Category:Kupwara district|Handwara]]

Handwara - Revision history

UpdateBot at 15:24, 20 June 2022