| Prakasam district | |||||||
| Settlement Type: | District of Andhra Pradesh | ||||||
| Coordinates: | 15.3333°N 112°W | ||||||
| Coor Pinpoint: | Ongole | ||||||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||||||
| Subdivision Name: |  India | ||||||
| Subdivision Type1: | State | ||||||
| Subdivision Name1: | Andhra Pradesh | ||||||
| Subdivision Type2: | Region | ||||||
| Subdivision Name2: | Coastal Andhra | ||||||
| Established Title: | Established | ||||||
| Established Date: | 1970 | ||||||
| Named For: | Tanguturi Prakasam | ||||||
| Established Title2: | Reorganized | ||||||
| Established Date2: | 2022 | ||||||
| Seat Type: | Headquarters | ||||||
| Seat: | Ongole | ||||||
| Parts Type: | Mandalas | ||||||
| Parts Style: | para | ||||||
| P1: | 39 | ||||||
| Area Total Km2: | 14322 | ||||||
| Population As Of: | 2011 | ||||||
| Population Total: | 2288026 | ||||||
| Population Urban: | 19.44% | ||||||
| Population Density Km2: | auto | ||||||
| Demographics Type1: | Demographics | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title1: | Literacy | ||||||
| Demographics1 Info1: | 63.53% | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title2: | Sex ratio | ||||||
| Demographics1 Info2: | 981 | ||||||
| Leader Title: | Collector | ||||||
| Leader Name: | A S Dinesh Kumar, IAS[1] | ||||||
| Leader Title3: | Lok Sabha constituencies | ||||||
| Leader Name3: | Ongole,Bapatla | ||||||
| Leader Title4: | Assembly constituencies | ||||||
| Leader Name4: | 08 | ||||||
| Leader Title1: | Superintendent of Police | ||||||
| Leader Name1: | Mallika Garg, IPS | ||||||
| Registration Plate: | AP-27 (former) AP–39 (from 30 January 2019)[2] | ||||||
| Blank Name Sec1: | Major highways | ||||||
| Blank Info Sec1: | NH-16 | ||||||
| Total Type: | Total | ||||||
| Image Map1: |
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| Map Caption1: | Interactive map outlining district | ||||||
Prakasam district is one of the twelve districts in the coastal Andhra region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It was formed in 1970 and reorganised on 4 April 2022. The headquarters of the district is Ongole. It is located on the western shore of Bay of Bengal and is bounded by Bapatla district and Palnadu districts in the north, Nandyal district in the west, Kadapa and Nellore districts in the south. A part of north west region also borders with Nagarkurnool district of Telangana.[3] It is the largest district in the state with an area of 14322km2 and had a population of 22,88,026 as per 2011 Census of India.[4]
The district was named after the patriot and first Chief Minister of Andhra State Tanguturi Prakasam, also known as Andhra Kesari, who was born in the village of Vinodarayunipalem. It was accordingly renamed as Prakasam District in the year 1972.[5]
Prakasam district was originally constituted on 2 February 1970, carved out of Guntur, Nellore and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh.[6] It was carved out of three taluks of Guntur district, i.e. Addanki, Chirala, and Ongole, four taluks of Nellore district, i.e. Kandukur, Kanigiri, Darsi and Podili and three taluks of Kurnool district i.e. Markapur, Yarragondapalem and Giddaluru. It is one of the nine districts in the Coastal Andhra region of undivided Andhra Pradesh.
Naxalite activity in Prakasam district used to be high during 2000s.[7]
Prakasam district occupies an area of 14322km2. This district is bounded by Nagarkurnool district of Telangana state in the north, SPSR Nellore district in the south, Nandyal district in the west, Palnadu and Bapatla districts in the east, and the Bay of Bengal in the southeast.
The Nallamalas and the Veligondas are the major hill ranges in the district. The Nallamalas consist of a range of continuous fairly steep hills with an average elevation of about 620 meters above sea level. There are two passes in the Nallamalas namely, the Nandi Kanuma and Manbala Kanuma. The Nandi Kanuma passes from Bellary (in Karnataka) via Kurnool, Dornala, and Yerragondapalem to Markapur. The portions of Veligondas stand prominently as two continuous parallel ranges of fairly steep hills running in a north-south direction with a wide valley in between. The water from the eastern range of hills drains in a northerly direction to the Gundlakamma river.
The district has 50 kilometres of coastline. Kothapatnam of Kothapatnam Mandal and Pakala of Singarayakonda Mandal are prominent beaches. Gundlakamma, Musi and Paleru are the major rivers in the district. Smaller rivers such as the Thammileru, Sagileru and Gudisileru and streams like Ogeru vagu, Nallavagu and Vedimangala Vagu also flow in the district. The Gundlakumma river flows for a length of 220 kilometres in the district. Thippayapalem Reservoir, Duvvaleru Project, Cumbum tank and Bhavanasi tanks are constructed on this river.
The district has a moderate climate in the coastal areas and a hot climate in the non-coastal areas. The normal maximum and minimum temperatures recorded in the district are 40.20 C and 20.30 C respectively. The maximum temperature is usually recorded in the months of April - June. The district receives its rainfall mostly from South West and North-East monsoon. The normal rainfall is 366.2 mm and 384.7 mm respectively.
The total forest area is 4,42,073 Ha. which forms 30.86% of the total geographical area. Orchids, casuarinas and cashew plantations are common in the coastal areas. The Nallamalla forest has wildlife including tigers.
Nagarjuna Sagar Project and Krishna Western Delta are major irrigation projects. Mopadu Reservoir, Paleru-Bitragunta Anicut, and Cumbum Tank are major sources of medium irrigation. 798 minor irrigation tanks support an ayacut of 89,267 Hectares .
Chimakurthi is known for its granite reserves. Markapur is India's main slate-manufacturing town. The minerals found in the district are Baryte, iron ore, quartz, and silica sand.
As of the 2011 census of India, the undivided district had a population of 3,397,448 with a density of 193 persons per sq.km. The total population constitute 17,14,764 males and 16,82,684 females –a ratio of 981 females per 1000 males. The total urban population is 664,582 (19.56%).[8] There are 19,04,435 literates with a literacy rate of 63.08%.
After bifurcation, the district had a population of 22,88,026, of which 444,865 (19.44%) lived in urban areas. Prakasam district had a sex ratio of 971 females per 1000 males. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 537,159 (23.48%) and 88,209 (3.86%) of the population respectively.[9]
At the time of the 2011 census, 93.88% of the population spoke Telugu and 5.05% Urdu as their first language in the undivided district[10]
The Gross District Domestic Product (GDDP) of the undivided district is and it contributes 6.9% to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). For the FY 2013–14, the per capita income at current prices was . The primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the district contribute, and, respectively.[11] The major products contributing to the GVA of the district from agriculture and allied services are, tobacco, paddy, chillies, batavia, milk, meat and fisheries. The GVA to the industrial and service sector is contributed from construction, minor minerals, unorganised trade and ownership of dwellings.
The district has many service industries such as industrial testing, electrical appliance repair, clinical laboratories, servicing of computer hardware, tourism, and hospitality. Major exports from the district include seafood, processed tobacco, granite blocks, granite monuments and yarn.[12] There are many industries of food and agriculture, mineral, chemical, leather, plastic and rubber, engineering, cotton and textiles, electronic products. All these industries deal with prawn and fish processing and canning, dairy products, the granite industry, pharmaceuticals, tanning, fishing nets, surgical cotton, etc. Forest-based industries produce Ayurvedic medicines, essential oil (Palm Rose Oil), wooden furniture, wooden toys, bamboo products, etc.
The district leads in granite mining in the state with discovery of Galaxy Granite in the Chimakurthy area of the district. [13]
Ongole (Lok Sabha constituency), Bapatla (Lok Sabha constituency)(partial)
Ongole and Bapatla Lok Sabha constituency presently comprises the following Legislative Assembly segments:[14]
| Constituency number | Name | Reserved for (SC/ST/None) | Parliament |
|---|---|---|---|
| 107 | Santhanuthalapadu | SC | Bapatla |
| 102 | Yerragondapalem | SC | Ongole |
| 103 | Darsi | None | |
| 108 | Ongole | None | |
| 110 | Kondapi | SC | |
| 111 | Markapuram | None | |
| 112 | Giddalur | None | |
| 113 | Kanigiri | None |
See also: List of mandals in Andhra Pradesh and List of revenue divisions in Andhra Pradesh. The District comprises three revenue divisions viz., Ongole, Kanigiri and Markapur. There are a total of 38 mandals, with 12 in Ongole division, 13 in Kanigiri division and 13 in Markapur division. Ongole mandal is proposed to be divided into Ongole Urban and Ongole Rural mandals in 2023.
Urban administrative divisions of Panchayatraj include Ongole (Municipal Corporation), Markapur (Municipality) and 5 Nagar panchayats for Chimakurthy, Giddalur, Podili, Darsi and Kanigiri.
The rural administrative divisions of Panchayatraj include 715 Gram Panchayats. There are about 769 Inhabited Revenue villages in the district.
The list of 39 mandals in Prakasam district under three revenue divisions are listed in the following table:[15]
| Ongole | Municipal corporation | Ongole | 2,08,344 | |
| Markapuram | Municipality | Markapuram | 72,573 | |
| Kanigiri | Nagara Panchayathi | Kanigiri | 55,500 | |
| Giddaluru | Nagara Panchayathi | Markapuram | 35,150 | |
| Darsi | Nagara Panchayathi | Kanigiri | 33,418 | |
| Podili | Nagara Panchayathi | Kanigiri | 52,100 | |
| Chimakurthy | Nagara Panchayathi | ongole | 30,279 |
The total road length of state highways in the undivided district is 1184km (736miles).[16] The district is well connected by national highways, state highways and district roads as well. The NH 16 passes through Ongole which is the major highway connecting the cities of Howrah and Chennai, a part of Asian Highway Network AH45.
The district has a rail network of 406km (252miles). The entire rail network is under the South Central Railway zone. is one of the main stations of this district and most of the stations are under Vijayawada railway division.
The primary and secondary school education is imparted by government, aided and private schools, under the state's School Education Department.[17] [18] As per the school information report for the academic year 2015–16, there are a total of 4,311 schools. They include, 33 government, 2,949 mandal and zilla parishads, 1 residential, 1079 private, 10 model, 37 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), 50 municipal and 152 other types of schools.[19] The total number of students enrolled in primary, upper primary and high schools of the district are 562,510.[20] The total number of students enrolled in primary, upper primary and high schools of the district are 461,065.
Rajeev Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies, Ongole campus is at Santhanuthalapadu.[21] Andhra Kesari University was approved in 2021.[22]
The Bhairavakona cave temples in the district are 8th-century single rock-cut cave temples (similar to Mahabalipuram) for Lord Shiva.[23] [24] Other religious places include the Sri Bala Tripuranthakeswara and Sri Bala Tripurasundaridevi temples at Tripuranthakam and the Chenna Kesava temple in Markapur.[25]
Cumbum tank is one of the oldest man-made lakes in Asia. The anicut was built by the Vijayanagar Princess Varadharajamma (also known as Ruchidevi), wife of Sri Krishna Devaraya. The length of this tank is 7km (04miles) and width is 3km (02miles). It has received World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS) tag in the year 2020 by UNESCO.[26]
Book: CPO. District Handbook of Statistics -2020 (Updated for district reorganisation in 2022) . 2022 . Ongole . English.