Budgam district

Budgam district is an administrative district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. Created in 1979 with its headquarters at the town of Budgam, it is the district with the largest population of Shia Muslims in the Kashmir valley. Administration Budgam district is the closest district to the union territory capital Srinagar . Budgam district came into existence in 1979, prior to which it was part of Srinagar district. In former times, Budgam was a part of Baramulla district, when Srinagar itself was a constituent of the Anantnag district. It was then known as tehsil Sri Pratap. Historical records suggests that Budgam was also referred to as Pargana Deesu. According to the well-known chronicler Khawaja Azam Demari, the area was also known as Deedmarbag. Budgam district borders the districts of Baramullah and Srinagar in the north, Pulwama in the south and Poonch in the south west. In 2008, Budgam district consisted of eight blocks. Currently, the district consists of seventeen blocks: Beerwah, Budgam, B.K.Pora, Chadoora, Charari Sharief, Khag, Khansahib, Nagam, Narbal, Pakherpora, Parnewa, Rathsoon, Soibugh, Sukhnag, Surasyar, S.K.Pora and Waterhail. Each block consists of a number of panchayats. The district is subdivided into the nine tehsils of Charari Sharief Tehsil, Magam tehsil, Beerwah Tehsil, Budgam Tehsil, Chadoora Tehsil, Khansahib Tehsil, Khag Tehsil, BK Pora Tehsil and Narbal Tehsil.