| Ganjam district | |
| Settlement Type: | District of Odisha |
| Coordinates: | 19.383°N 85.05°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Odisha |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Seat Type: | Headquarters |
| Seat: | Chhatrapur |
| Leader Title1: | Collector & District Magistrate |
| Leader Name1: | Dibya Jyoti Parida, IAS[1] |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 8206 |
| Population Total: | 3,529,031 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Demonym: | Ganjami |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 761 xxx / 760 xxx |
| Registration Plate: | OD-07(for Ganjam) OD-32 (for Bhanjanagar) |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Nearest city |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Brahmapur |
| Blank4 Name Sec1: | Precipitation |
| Blank4 Info Sec1: | 1295.6mm |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Odia |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Sex ratio |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | 0.981 ♂/♀ |
| Blank3 Name Sec1: | Literacy |
| Blank3 Info Sec1: | 83.86% |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Lok Sabha constituency |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | Berhampur Aska Kandhamal (part) |
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | Vidhan Sabha constituency |
| Blank2 Info Sec2: | 13 |
Ganjam district is a district in the Indian state of Odisha. Ganjam's total area is 8,206 km² (3,168 mi²).The district headquarters is Chhatrapur. Ganjam is divided into three sub-divisions Chhatrapur, Berhampur, and Bhanjanagar. The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908 lists Ganjam, along with the Thanjavur and South Canara districts, as the three districts of the Madras Presidency where Brahmins were most numerous.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Odisha (out of 30).[2]
Ganjam was a part of ancient Dakshina Kalinga.[3] The Mauryan emperor Ashoka inscribed his message at Jaugada near the banks of the Rushikulya, in the present-day Ganjam district. Scholars thus conclude that a significant part of Ganjam was under the rule of Ashoka. There are multiple theories regarding the name 'Ganjam'. During the 7th century, the region was known as Kangoda or Kongoda. Some scholars believe the word evolved from this ancient name while others suggest the name of the region likely derives from the Persian word "Ganj", meaning 'granary' or 'market' thus signifying the importance of historical ports and being the respective center of trade and commerce.[4]
Ganjam district is one of the oldest administrative units of Odisha. It was part of Madras presidency during British rule.[5]
The 23 Tahasils in Ganjam district under three sub-divisions[6] are listed in the following table.
| + 23 Tahasils[7] | Bhanjanagar Sub-Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bhanjanagar | |||
| 2 | Asika | |||
| 3 | Sheragada | |||
| 4 | Dharakot | |||
| 5 | Surada | |||
| 6 | Bellaguntha | |||
| 7 | Jagannath Prasad | |||
| 8 | Buguda |
The 22 Blocks in Ganjam district under three sub-divisions are listed in the following table.[8]
| + 22 Blocks | Bhanjanagar Sub-Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rangeilunda | Bhanjanagar | ||
| 2 | Asika | |||
| 3 | Sheragada | |||
| 4 | Dharakot | |||
| 5 | Surada | |||
| 6 | Bellaguntha | |||
| 7 | Jagannath Prasad | |||
| 8 | Beguniapada | Buguda |
There are 39 Police Stations under the two Police Districts in Ganjam Administrative district are listed in the following table.
| + 39 Police Stations | Berhampur Police District | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berhampur Town P.S., Berhampur | ||
| 2 | Chamakhandi P.S. | Baidyanathpur P.S., Berhampur | |
| 3 | Bada Bazar P.S., Berhampur | ||
| 4 | Rambha P.S. | Gosaninuagaon P.S., Berhampur | |
| 5 | Mahila P.S., Berhampur | ||
| 6 | Marine P.S., Arjyapalli | Sadar P.S., Berhampur | |
| 7 | Energy P.S., Chhatrapur | Gopalpur P.S. | |
| 8 | Golanthara P.S. | ||
| 9 | K. Nuagaon P.S. | ||
| 10 | Jarada P.S. | ||
| 11 | Digapahandi P.S. | ||
| 12 | Energy P.S., Berhampur | ||
| 13 | Cyber P.S., Berhampur | ||
| 14 | Pattapur P.S. | Traffic P.S., Berhampur | |
| 15 | Beguniapada P.S | ||
| 16 | |||
| 17 | |||
| 18 | |||
| 19 | |||
| 20 | Gangapur P.S. | ||
| 21 | |||
| 22 | |||
| 23 | Tarasingi P.S. | ||
| 24 | |||
| 25 | Energy P.S., Bhanjanagar | ||
| 26 | Kotinada Police Station,Kotinada(Aska) |
• Municipal Corporation: Brahmapur
• Municipality : Hinjilicut, Asika, Chhatrapur, Bhanjanagar
• Notified Area Council's : Surada, Belaguntha, Buguda, Polasara, Gopalpur, Ganjam, Rambha, Kabisuryanagar, Khallikot, Purusottampur, Kodala, Digapahandi, Chikiti, Sheragada, Kukudakhandi etc.
•Small Urban Area's: Dharakot, Sanakhemundi(Patapur)B.D.Pur, Jagannath Prasad, Badagada, Balipadar, Babanpur, Mundamarai, Patrapur, Humma.
An important contributor to the local economy is production of extracts from Ganjam Kewda Rooh, which are used in perfumery.
Since Ganjam is a coastal district, it is well equipped with Port facilities. Port at Gopalpur and nearby industries cater economic activities of the district and Odisha state.[9]
According to the 2011 census Ganjam district has a population of 3,529,031,[2] roughly equal to the nation of Lithuania[10] or the US state of Connecticut.[11] This gives it a ranking of 83rd in India (out of a total of 640).[2] The district has a population density of 430PD/sqkm.[2] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 11.37%.[2] Ganjam has a sex ratio of 983 females for every 1000 males,[2] and a literacy rate of 71.88%. 21.76% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 19.50% and 3.37% of the population respectively.[2]
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 91.29% of the population in the district spoke Odia, 7.17% Telugu, 0.44% Kui and 0.42% Sora as their first language.[12]
See main article: List of constituencies of Odisha Vidhan Sabha. The following is the Vidhan Sabha constituencies[13] [14] of Ganjam and the elected members[15] of the area
| No. | Constituency | Reservation | Extent of the Assembly Constituency (Blocks) | Member of 16th Assembly | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 | Bhanjanagar | None | Bhanjanagar (NAC), Bhanjanagar, Jagannathprasad | Shri Pradyumna Nayak | BJP | |
| 124 | Polasara | None | Buguda (NAC), Polasara (NAC), Buguda, Polasara | Shri Gokulananda Mallik | BJP | |
| 125 | Kabisuryanagar | None | Kabisuryanagar (NAC), Kodala (NAC), Beguniapada, Kabisuryanagar (part), Purusottampur (part) | Shri Pratap Chandra Nayak | BJP | |
| 126 | Khalikote | SC | Khalikote(NAC), Purusottampur (NAC), Khalikote, Purusottampur (part) | Shri Purna Chandra Sethi | BJP | |
| 127 | Chhatrapur | SC | Chhatrapur (NAC), Ganjam (NAC), Rambha (NAC), Ganjam, Chhatrapur | Shri Krushna Chandra Nayak | BJP | |
| 128 | Aska | None | Aska (NAC), Aska, Kabisuryanagar (part) | Shri Saroj Padhi | BJP | |
| 129 | Surada | None | Surada (NAC), Bellaguntha (NAC), Surada, Bellaguntha, | Shri Nilamani Bisoyi | BJP | |
| 130 | Sanakhemundi | None | Sanakhemundi, Dharakote | Shri Ramesh Chandra Jena | INC | |
| 131 | Hinjili | None | Hinjilicut (Municipality), Hinjilicut, Hinjili Sheragada | Shri Naveen Patnaik | BJD | |
| 132 | Gopalpur | None | Gopalpur (NAC), Rangailunda, Kukudakhandi (part), Berhampur (M) (part) | Shri Bibhuti Bhusan Jena | BJP | |
| 133 | Berhampur | None | Berhampur (Municipal Corporation) (Part), | Shri K Anil Kumar | BJP | |
| 134 | Digapahandi | None | Digapahandi (NAC), Digapahandi, Kukudakhandi (Part) | Shri Sidhant Mohapatra | BJP | |
| 135 | Chikiti | None | Chikiti (NAC), Chikiti Block, Patrapur Block | Shri Manoranjan Dyan Samantara | BJP |
Since 2008, Ganjam district is represented in Berhampur (Lok Sabha constituency) and Aska (Lok Sabha constituency).
Berhampur seat earlier Ganjam (Lok Sabha constituency) exist in 1952 and 1957 general elections as two seat constituency and Chatarpur (Lok Sabha constituency) exist in 1962, 1967 and 1971 general elections and later Berhanpur seat exist since 1977 general elections.
The Aska seat existed since the 1977 general elections and earlier as Bhanjanagar (Lok Sabha constituency) seat in 1962, 1967 and 1971 general elections.[16]