Are Konkani speakers declining? No, rising in Konkani states!

Konkani speaking population has increased in Konkani state of Goa as well as other two southern states. That is Karnataka and Kerala. It has reduced only in Maharashtra and few other non-Konkani speaking states.

The major chunk of Konkani speakers is concentrated in Goa and Maharashtra. Over 77 per cent. These are the actual findings of the Census conducted in 2011.

It is true that Konkani speaking population in India has dropped. From around 25 lakhs in 2001 to 23 lakhs in 2011. Almost by 2 lakh 33 thousand. 

And only two languages out of 22 scheduled languages of India are showing such a drop. Konkani and Urdu. Konkani by 9 per cent and Urdu by 1.5 per cent. That is by 7 lakh 64 thousand.

But that does not mean Konkani speaking people are dropping in each and every state of India.  

DECLINE IN LANGUAGE SPEAKERS

STATE	2001	2011	DECLINE
Konkani	2489015	2256502	-          9.34%
Urdu	51536111	50772631	-          1.48%

The rise or fall of Konkani speaking people can be judged only when it is compared to the figures of 2001 census. And look, these are the figures.

The total drop of Konkani people is 2 lakh 33 thousand, that is 9.34 per cent. But in Goa, it has increased by 1 lakh 95 thousand people. This is over 25 per cent.

Also in Karnataka, There is a rise of 20 thousand people, which is nearly 3 per cent. Kerala also shows a rise of 8000 more Konkani speakers. From 61 thousands to 69 thousands.

RISE OF KONKANI SPEAKERS

STATE	2001	2011	DIFFERENCE	GROWTH %
Total	2489015	2256502	-232513	-9.34
Goa	769888	964305	194417	25.25
Karnataka	768039	788294	20255	2.64
Kerala	61376	69449	8073	13.15

The major fall in Konkani speaking people is in other states, which are not Konkani-speaking states.

In Maharashtra, Konkani people had mainly migrated to Mumbai and Pune from Goa and Karnataka. As that generation is dying away, the younger generation perhaps writes their mother tongue as Marathi.

And in other states, most of the Konkani speaking population is a floating population.

But the figures show very clearly that the two major Konkani speaking states – Goa and Karnataka – have shown substantial rise, not a fall in the number.

FALL OF KONKANI SPEAKERS

STATE	2001	2011	DIFFERENCE	GROWTH %
Total	2489015	2256502	-232513	-9.34
Maharashtra	658259	399255	-259004	-39.35
Others	231453	35199	-196254	-84.79

Look at this break-up of Konkani speaking people in the four major states and other 18 states and union territories. Almost 78 per cent Konkani speaking people are today found in Goa and Karnataka. And the number has gone up in both the states.

Also in Kerala.

Maharashtra population of Konkani speaking people was always small. From 26 per cent, it has now gone down to 18 per cent.

And in other 18 states, from 9 per cent to around 2 per cent.

STATE 2001 2011 Goa 30.93 42.73 Karnataka 30.86 34.93 Maharashtra 26.45 17.69 Kerala 2.47 3.08 Others 9.30 1.56