Punjab

History|Geography|Administration|Economy|Religion| Health, Welfare & Education|Tourist Attractions

Religion

Punjab is the only Indian state with a majority of Sikhs ( 62.95%). Hindus make up 34.46% of the population. Other minorities in Punjab include Muslims (1.18%), Christians (1.11%), Buddhists (0.12%), and Jains (0.10%). The official and most widely spoken language is Punjabi, followed by Hindi. About one-third of the population lives in cities and towns.

Health, Welfare & Education

Punjab enjoys better health conditions than most states in India. Numerous social services are provided by government and voluntary organizations. These include the care of infirm or handicapped persons, neglected children, widows, and destitute persons. There are government pensions for the elderly who have no means of subsistence and a network of employment exchanges to assist the unemployed. The state also has schemes to aid the Scheduled Castes--more than one-fourth of Punjab's population--through scholarships, recruitment to public services, and help in finding employment.

Schools are maintained largely by the state. Education is compulsory and free for pupils aged 6 to 11. Secondary education is also free in state schools. There are five state universities--the Punjabi University at Patiala, the Guru Nanak University at Amritsar, the Punjab University at Chandigarh (in the Chandigarh union territory), Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar and the Punjab Agricultural University at Ludhiana--and more than 200 colleges and technical institutions. Literacy rate in Punjab is 58.5%.

History|Geography|Administration|Economy|Religion| Health, Welfare & Education|Tourist Attractions

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