Kurnool

Kurnool district is one of the eight districts in the Rayalaseema region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in the North western part of the state and is bounded by Nandyal district in the east, Anantapur district in the south, Raichur district of Karnataka in the northwest, Bellary district of Karnataka in the west, and Jogulamba Gadwal district in the north. The city of Kurnool is the headquarters of the district. It has a population of 2,271,686 of which 28.35% were urban as of 2011.

History

The Ketavaram rock paintings are dated back to the Paleolithic era (located at a distance of from Kurnool). Jurreru Valley, Katavani Kunta and Yaganti in the district have some important rock arts and paintings in their vicinity, which are dated back to 35,000 to 40,000 years ago.

Belum Caves are geologically and historically important caves in the district. There are indications that Jain and Buddhist monks were occupying these caves centuries ago. Many Buddhists relics were found inside the caves. These relics are now housed in Museum at Anantapur. Archaeological survey of India (ASI) found remnants of vessels and other artifacts of pre-Buddhist era and has dated the remnants of vessels found in the caves to 4500 BC.

Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy (Anantapur District), the sixth President of India has served as Member of Parliament from Nandyal constituency. He previously served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, serving as an MLA from the Dhone assembly constituency. In 1970, part of Kurnool district was split off to become part of Prakasam district. Kurnool District is a part of the Red Corridor.

Geography

Kurnool district occupies an area of approximately . Kurnool is surrounded by districts of Anantapur district, to south, Nandyal district to east and Bellary of Karnataka to the west and Jogulamba Gadwal district to the north. The district includes the Srisailam Dam and a part of the Nallamala Hills, the rest of it lying in Prakasam district, Nandyal district, Kadapa district, and Nellore district.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Kurnool district has a population of 4,053,463, roughly equal to the nation of Liberia or the US state of Oregon. This gives it a ranking of 54th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 14.65%. Kurnool has a sex ratio of 984 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 59.97%.

After bifurcation the district had a population of 22,71,686, of which 764,101 (33.64%) lived in urban areas. Kurnool district has a sex ratio of 990 females per 1000 males. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 4,15,120 (18.27%) and 30,047 (1.32%) of the population respectively.

At the time of the 2011 census, 79.39% of the population spoke Telugu, 13.62% Urdu and 4.77% Kannada as their first language.

Household indicators

In 2007–2008 the International Institute for Population Sciences interviewed 1247 households in 38 villages across the district. They found that 94% had access to electricity, 89.7% had drinking water, 34.6% toilet facilities, and 51.6% lived in a pucca (permanent) home. 30.6% of girls wed before the legal age of 18 and 85.1% of interviewees carried a BPL card.

Governance

Legislative Assembly constituencies

Courts

Administrative divisions

Kurnool district has three Revenue divisions viz. Kurnool, Adoni and Pattikonda. The district has 26 mandals and 53 Panchayat Samitis (Blocks) under these revenue divisions. There are 899 gram panchayats that include 7 notified and 862 non-notified, alongside 920 revenue villages and 615 hamlets. Sri P Koteswara Rao, I.A.S., is the current Collector & District Magistrate

Mandals

The mandals are listed with respect to their revenue divisions in the following table

Kurnool district chronicle

• During Independence, Kurnool District was without Adoni, Yemmiganur, Alur Talukas. But It had Markapuram, Giddalur, Yerragondapalem Talukas.
• Later in 1953 Andhra State was formed and Talukas of Adoni, Alur, Yemmiganur were merged with Kurnool District form Bellary District. Remaining Rayalaseema district of Bellary was merged with Karnataka.
• In 1970, new Prakasam District was formed carving out, Markapuram, Giddalur, Yerragondapalem talukas from Kurnool District. Then Kurnool district was remained with 13 Talukas.

Before Formation of Mandal System in 1985, Administration was done through Taluka system. 13 Talukas were present in Kurnool district in 1985 viz.,

These 13 were the erstwhile Talukas in Kurnool district in 1985 before the formation of mandal systems.

Cities and towns

It also has a Municipal Corporation of Kurnool and 3 municipalities namely, Adoni, Yemmiganur, Gudur.

Kurnool District has 10 Urban Local Bodies, which are divided into 1 Municipal Corporation, 7 Municipalities, 2 Nagar Panchayats.

Tourism

Kurnool District has many pilgrimage centers

1. Srisailam
2. Mantralayam
3. Orvakal Rock Gardens
4. City Forest [ Gargeyapuram ]
5. Yaganti
6. Banaganapalli Nawab Bungalow
7. Belum Caves
8. Kolanu Bharathi Temple
9. Adoni Lakshmamma avva Temple
10. Urukunda Eranna Swamy Temple
11. Maddileti Swamy Temple
12. Velugodu Reservoir
13. Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary
14. Nandavaram Temple
15. Sanjeevaiah Sagar(Gajuladinne Project)

Sources

Population of towns in 1941 were taken from 1991 census book from page no.132,133 and 2011 Census hand book page no.919.

Population of every town is mentioned with proof from census books given below.

1951 census kurnool district - http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/6419/1/50120_1951_KUR.pdf

1961 census kurnool district - http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2721/1/21648_1961_KUR.pdf

1971 Census kurnool district - http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2841/1/39378_1971_KUR.pdf

1981 census kurnool district - http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2915/1/27365_1981_KUR.pdf

1991 census kurnool district - http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2935/1/39295_1991_KUR.pdf

2001 census kurnool district - http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2992/1/37985_2001_KUR.pdf

2011 census kurnool district - h…