# Gadchiroli district

Gadchiroli district (Marathi pronunciation:) is an administrative district in Maharashtra, India. The city of Gadchiroli is the administrative headquarters of the district.

## Officer
### Members of Parliament

* Namdeo Kirsan (INC) (Gadchiroli–Chimur)

### Guardian Minister
#### List of Guardian Minister

| Name | Term of office |
| R. R. Patil Cabinet Minister | 18 October 1999 – 16 January 2003 |
| R. R. Patil Cabinet Minister | 27 January 2003 – 19 October 2004 |
| R. R. Patil Deputy Chief Minister | 1 November 2004 – 4 December 2008 |
| R. R. Patil Cabinet Minister | 8 December 2008 – 6 November 2009 |
| R. R. Patil Cabinet Minister | 7 November 2009 – 11 November 2010 |
| R. R. Patil Cabinet Minister | 11 November 2010 – 26 September 2014 |
| Raje Ambrishrao Raje Satyawan Rao Atram Minister of State | 31 October 2014 – 24 October 2019 |
| Eknath Shinde Cabinet Minister | 9 January 2020 - 27 June 2022 |
| Vijay Wadettiwar Cabinet Minister Additional charge | 27 June 2022 - 29 June 2022 |
| Devendra Fadnavis Deputy Chief Minister | 24 September 2022 - 26 November 2024 |
| Devendra Fadnavis Chief Minister | 18 January 2025 - Incumbent |

### District Magistrate/Collector
#### list of District Magistrate / Collector

| Name | Term of office |
| Shri. Avishyant Panda (IAS) | 2024 - Incumbent |

## Extent and history

Maharashtra tapers in the east, where this district forms the south-east corner. The district is bordered by Gondia district to the north, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Kanker, Narayanpur and Bijapur districts of Chhattisgarh to the east, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district of Telangana to the south, and Mancherial and Komaram Bheem districts of Telangana and Chandrapur district to the west. Gadchiroli District was created on 26 August 1982 by the separation of Gadchiroli and Sironcha talukas from Chandrapur district.

## Strategic planning

The district is currently a part of the Red Corridor, in the eastern, central and southern parts of India where the Naxalite–Maoist insurgency has the strongest presence.

## Divisions

The district is divided into six revenue sub-divisions:Gadchiroli, Aheri,Chamorshi,Etapalli,Wadsa(Desaiganj),Kurkheda. These are each further divided into 2 taluka. Gadchiroli sub-division consists of Gadchiroli and Dhanora, Chamorshi sub-division consist of chamorshi and Mulchera talukas; Aheri sub-division consists of Aheri and Sironcha.Etapalli sub-division cover Etapalli and Bhamragad talukas; and Desaiganj (Wadsa) sub-division consists of Wadsa and Armori.Kurkheda sub-division consist of Kurkheda and Korchi talukas. There are 557 gram panchayats (village councils) and 1,688 Revenue Villages. The district has 12 panchayat samitis (local development-block governments). Only three municipalities, Gadchiroli, Wadsa (Desaiganj), and Armori exist in the district.
Following the delimitation of the constituencies in 2008, the district had three Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly) constituencies: Gadchiroli, Armori and Aheri. All of these are part of the newly carved Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha constituency.

### Natural geography

Established on 26 August 1982 The main river basin of the district is the Godavari, which flows west-to-east and forms the southern boundary of the district. The major tributaries of the Godavari are the Indravati and the Pranhita, the latter of which is formed by the confluence of the Wainganga and the Wardha near Chaprala village of Chamorshi taluka.
Dhanora, Etapalli, Aheri and Sironcha talukas in the eastern part of the district are covered by forest. Hills are found in Bhamragad, Tipagad, Palasgad and Surjagad area. The eastern part of Gadchiroli, bordering Chhattisgarh state, is mainly hilly and is tribal-dominated, similar to neighbouring Bastar region in Chhattisgarh.

## Demographics

According to the 2011 census Gadchiroli district has a population of 1,072,942, roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus or the US state of Rhode Island. This gives it a ranking of 424th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 74 inhabitants per square kilometre (190/sq mi). Its population growth rate during 2001–2011 was 10.46%. Gadchiroli has a sex ratio of 975 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 70.55%. 11.00% of the population lived in urban areas. Scheduled castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 120,745 (11.25%) and 415,306 (38.71%) of the population respectively. Almost 85% of the tribals are Gonds, in particular the Madia Gonds.
Religions in Gadchiroli district (2011) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 86.44% | 86.44% |
| Buddhism | Buddhism | 7.71% | 7.71% |
| Tribal religion | Tribal religion | 2.80% | 2.80% |
| Islam | Islam | 1.96% | 1.96% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 1.09% | 1.09% |
| Year | Total Population | Male | Female | Change | Religion (%) | Religion (%) | Religion (%) | Religion (%) | Religion (%) | Religion (%) | Religion (%) | Religion (%) |
| Year | Total Population | Male | Female | Change | Hindu | Muslim | Christian | Sikhs | Buddhist | Jain | Other religions and persuasions | Religion not stated |
| 2001 | 970294 | 491101 | 479193 | - | 84.370 | 1.787 | 0.353 | 0.062 | 8.045 | 0.038 | 4.620 | 0.725 |
| 2011 | 1072942 | 541328 | 531614 | 10.579 | 86.436 | 1.963 | 0.361 | 0.063 | 7.707 | 0.042 | 2.800 | 0.626 |

### Languages

Languages in Gadchiroli district (2011)
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 56.08% of the population in the district spoke Marathi, 14.01% Gondi, 9.44% Santali, 8.87% Telugu, 5.12% Bengali, 2.15% Hindi and 1.69% Chhattisgarhi as their first language.
Marathi is the main language in the western and northern parts of the district, while Chhattisgarhi is spoken in Korchi tehsil. Gondi is the dominant language in the eastern parts. Bengali is spoken by refugees in Mulchera tehsil. Telugu speakers are majority in Sironcha tehsil in the far south.
As of 2011 it is the second-least-populous district of Maharashtra (out of 39), after Sindhudurg.

## Economy

The district is categorised as tribal and undeveloped, with farming as the main occupation. Forests cover more than 79.36% of the hilly geographical of the district. The district produces bamboo and Tendu leaves, and paddy is the main agricultural product. Other agriculture includes sorghum, linseed, pigeon pea (tur), and wheat.
The only large-scale industry in the district is a paper mill at Ashti in Chamorshi taluka and the paper pulp factory at Desaiganj. There are many rice mills in the district. The Tussar silk worm centre is in Armori taluka. 18.5 kilometres (11.5 mi) of railway lines pass through the district.
The district is known for activity of Naxalites – the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army – who have taken shelter in the dense forests and hills.
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Gadchiroli among the country's 250 most-backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the twelve districts in Maharashtra currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

## Health

The Lok Biradari Prakalpa (LBP) situated at Hemalkasa in the Bhamragad taluka is one of the major institutions offering healthcare and education services to the local Madia Gond tribals. LBP was envisioned by the late Gandhian, Dr. Murlidhar Devidas Amte, fondly called Baba Amte. His family consisting of Dr. Prakash Amte, Dr. Mandakini Amte and their children currently work at the LBP.

## Education

The government recently established Gondwana University on dated 27 September 2011 in Gadhchiroli district.

### High schools

* Global media Kerala model E/M school,allapalli.
* government English medium school gadchiroli
* Dharmarao High School & Junior College, Allapalli.
* Gondwana Sainiki Vidyalaya, Gadchiroli
* Platinum Jubilee School and Junior College (Science
* Shriniwas High School Ankisa
* Dharmarao High School Sironcha
* Republic English Medium School, Aheri
* School Of Scholars, Gadchiroli
* Rampuri Primary School
* Shri. Shivaji High School, Gadchiroli
* Z.P. High School, Gadchiroli
* Carmel High School, Gadchiroli
* Vasant Vidyalaya High School
* Rani Durgavati High School & Junior College Allapalli
* Netaji Subhash Chandra Jr. College, Sundernagar
* Indira Gandhi Memoriyal High School & Junior College, Subhashgram
* Mahatma Gandhi vidyalaya, Armori
* Dr. Ambedkar vidyalaya, Armori
* Hitakarani high school, Armori
* Swami Vivekanda Vidyalaya, Armori
* Adarsh English High school, Desaiganj (wadsa)
* Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya, Desaiganj (Wadsa)
* Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Vidyalaya, Desaiganj (Wadsa)
* Pushpa Priya Devi High School & Junior science College Jimalgatta
* Vianney Vidya Niketan (ICSE), Navegaon, Gadchiroli

### Model school Aheri

* Platinum Jubilee School & Jr. College (science)
* School Of Scholars, Gadchiroli
* Shriniwas Junior College, Ankisa
* Z. P. Junior College of Science Sironcha
* Shivaji Junior Science College
* Govt ITI Complex, Gadchiroli
* Mahatma Gandhi junior college, Armori
* N.S.C Jr. College Sundarnagar
* Adarsh English High School & Junior College, Desaiganj (Wadsa)
* Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya & Junior College, Desaiganj (Wadsa)

### Senior (degree) colleges

* Bhagvantrao Arts College Sironcha
* Shivaji Science College Gadchiroli
* Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Gadchiroli
* Government Science College, Gadchiroli
* Government Polytechnic, Gadchiroli
* College of Agriculture, Sonapur complex Gadchiroli
* Model College ,Gadchiroli
* Fule-Ambedkar College of Social Work, Gadchiroli
* Mahatma Gandhi college, Armori
* Chanakya Academy, Aheri & Alapalli (Competitive Exam Coaching Center)
* Chanakya Academy, Police Physical Ground, Aheri
* Adarsh Mahavidyalaya Art & Com. Desaiganj (Wadsa)
Sainath Adhayapak vidyalaya, Murkhala Prof.Jogendra kawade college Vairagad Shri govindrao Munghate Art and Science college kurkheda
* Raje Vishweshwarrao Arts-Commerce Senior College, Bhamragad ,Dist
Gadchiroli
* Raje Dharmrao Arts Commerce College, Allapalli,Dist
Gadchiroli
* Raje Dharmarao Science College,Aher Dist gadchiroli
* Shree shankarrao bezalwar arts and science college aheri

## Important places

* Wadadham Fossil Park, tah, Sironcha
* Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary
* Bhamragarh Wildlife Sanctuary
* Lok Biradari Prakalp, Hemalkasa
* Binagunda waterfall, Bhamragad
* Tipagad, tah. Korchi
* Khobramendha, tag dhanora
* Bhandareshwar temple, tag Armori
* Search hospital, Chatgaon
* Desaiganj Wadsa, market place
* Markanda dev, Tah Chamorshi
* Somnur sangam tah, Sironcha
* Pranhita Sangam tah, Sironcha
* Triveni sangam bhamragad