Introduction
Toba Tek Singh emerged as separated district on the map of Punjab with effect from its July 1982 after detaching it from Faisalabad district. It derives its name from the headquarters town named Toba Tek Singh. This town
was founded some times in the beginning of the colonization era. It was named after a Sikh saint. Tek Singh who maintained
a pond and used to serve drinking water to the passers-by. He thus rendered a great humanitarian service throughout his life
to the community around him. He carried good name through his selfless services rendered to the people and gradually the pond
came to be called as Toba Tek Singh meaning thereby the pond of Tek Singh. There was a small Mandi (market) nearby this pond,
which subsequently flourished and also named after this pond.
AREA
The district
consists of an area of 3,259 square kilometers. It is divided into three sub-divisions and the area of each sub-division is
as under:
Name of Sub Division
Total
Area (in sq.km)
Toba Tek Singh
1,293
Kamalia 1,115
Gojra 851
The district comprises three municipal committees namely Toba Tek Singh, Gojra and Kamalia, a town committee Pir Meehal
and 539 villages.
History
The area now
comprising the new district of Toba Tek Singh was originally a part of Jhang District. As a result of reclamation proceeds
fresh administrative problems naturally presented themselves and the boundaries of the old district had to undergo extensive
modifications and new administrative units were set-up. Lyallpur (Faisalabad) Tehsil in Jhang district was set- up in 1896. Two new Tehsils also in Jhang district
were set-up in 1900 with headquarters at Toba Tek Singh and Samundari. The district of Lyallpur (now called Faisalabad) was
constituted during 1904 comprising Tehsil Lyallpur, Sammundri and Toba Tek Singh with a sub- Tehsil at Jaranwala. Toba Tek
Singh Tehsil was raised to the status of a sub-division in 1930.
Education
The educational
facilities available are less than the requirements. The break-up is given below.
T.T. Singh Kamalia
Gojra Total
Institution Male
Female Male Female Male Female
College
3 1 1 1 1 1
8
Commercial
1 1 1 - 1 -
4
College
High School
31 26 24
6
26 17 130
Middle School
33 67 13
46
7 30
196
Primary
243 168 295
125
18 139
1,153
School
Total
311 263 334 178
218 187
1,491
Industry
District Toba
Tek Singh is lagging behind in industrial growth. The break up of industrial units is as under:
Sugar Mills
2
Ice Factory 36
Ginning Factory 45
Cold Storage 12
Oil Expeller 13
Flour Mill 19
Poultry Feed
6
Population Size
and Growth
The total population
of Toba Tek Singh district was 1,621,593 as enumerated in March 1998 with an interregnal percentage increase of 42,9 since
March 1981 when it was 1,134,572 souls. The average annual growth rate was 2.1 per cent during this period. The total area
of district is 3,252 square kilometer
as against 349 persons observed in 1981 indicating a fast growth rate of the district.
Religion
As emerge from
1998 Census the population of district is predominantly Muslims i.e. percent. The next higher percentage is of Christians
with 2.8 poinsts, followed by Ahmadis 0.1 per cent. While other minorities like Hindu (Jati). Scheduled Castes etc. are very
small in number. The proportion of populations of Muslims is equal in rural and urban areas Christians are mostly living in
urban areas representing 2.9 per cent as compared to 2.8 per cent in rural areas. Ahmadis are equal in proportion in urban
and rural areas. The following table gives percenting of population by religion in rural and urban areas in 1998.
Literacy
A person was
treated as literate in 1998 Census if he could read newspaper of a journal of same standard and could write a simple letter
in any language. The literacy is measured as the ration, in percentage, of literate populations to corresponding population
aged 10 and over. The literacy ratio in the district has increased from 30.3 per cent in 1981, to 50.5 per cent in 1998. The
literacy ratio for males is 61.3 per cent as against 39.1 per cent for females. The ratio is much higher in urban when compared
with rural areas both fro male and female.
Economically Active Population
The economically
active population is defined here as the persons working, most of the time during the year preceding the census date i.e.
5th March 1998, looking for work, laid off and un-paid family helpers assisting their family. The comically
active population as enumerated in the last census was 22.3 per cent of the total population or 31.1 per cent of the population
10 years and over i.e. the population exposed to the risk of entering the economically active life at any time. The formal
percentage is known as Crude Activity Rate (CAR) while the latter is known as Refined Activity Rate (RAR). Of the total male
population 41.8 per cent were economically active, while 58.2 per cent not economically active, 28.4 per cent children under
10 years, 15.6 per cent students, 2.0 per cent domestic workers while 12.2 per cent were land lords, property owners, retired
persons, disabled etc. The participation rate is much higher in urban areas as compared to people living in rural areas. Further
detail can be seen in Table2.11
Unemployment
Unemployment rate is measured
as ratio of looking for work and laid off in total economically active population comprising employed, looking for work, laid
off and un-paid family helpers. Generally representing in percentage. The unemployment rate in the district was 17.3 per cent,
which was mainly due to unemployment amongst male representing 17.6 small proportion in their total economically active population.
The unemployment rate higher in urban as compared to rural areas representing 18.6 and 17.0 per cent respectively.
Employed Population by Occupation
In 1998 of the total employed persons, 36.5 per
cent had skilled agricultural and fishery works. Same percent had elementary occupations, followed by service workers; shop
and market sales workers represented 9.1 per cent, craft and related trade workers, 6.3 per cent. In rural areas people having
skilled agricultural and fishery works were again in majority, followed by elementary occupations and service workers, shop
and market sales workers, represented 43.0,1 35.3 and 6.7 per cent respectively. The highest percentage in urban
area is of elementary occupations, followed by service workers, sshop and market sales workers having 42.0 and 19.8 per cent
respectively.
