With 40% unmarried population, Haryana still ahead of 19 states

Sat Singh

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Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, July 6

Haryana may have gained infamy for having an army of single men for want of brides in the wake of poor sex ratio, but the data released by the Union Ministry of Rural Development has given the state a thumbs-up on this front.

The ministry has ranked it ahead of 19 other states of the country in this regard.

According to the socio-economic caste census (2011), Haryana has 40.03 per cent “Never Married” (NM) people, lower than the national average of 41.64 per cent and also less than its counter states in north India barring Himachal Pradesh.

Jammu and Kashmir has the largest number of NM youths in northern states with 51.64 per cent, followed by Punjab at 40.10, while Himachal Pradesh has much lesser NM youths at 39.84 per cent.

After state khaps took up the issue of poor sex ratio, it turned out be a serious Assembly poll issue last year with sitting Badli BJP MLA and incumbent state Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar vowing to set up a marriage bureau to help the unmarried youths of the state.

Perturbed over illegal trafficking of girls from other states, Jind-based Avivahit Purush Sangthan (unmarried union) had demand wives in exchange for their votes during the Assembly elections. Several politicians at that time had extended their support to them.

Interestingly, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and north-eastern states, including Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, from where state youths bring girls by paying a huge amount to their parents, have more number of “Never Married” youth.

Nagaland has the highest NM population at 55.88 per cent, followed by Meghalaya 53.33 per cent, Mizoram 50.12 per cent, Manipur 47.96 per cent and Assam 47.09 per cent.

On expected lines, the state has recorded lowest percentage of divorces in northern states at 0.08 per cent, while neighbouring Punjab has 0.15 per cent, HP 0.13 per cent and J&K 0.14 per cent.