Overview
Gondia district is an administrative district located in the Vidarbha region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The district headquarters is the city of Gondia. It lies in the eastern part of Maharashtra, sharing borders with the states of Madhya Pradesh to the north and Chhattisgarh to the east, which makes it a frontier district of the state. Gondia is widely known as the "Rice City" because of the extensive paddy cultivation and rice milling activity in the region.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Maharashtra |
| Region | Vidarbha |
| Division | Nagpur Division |
| Headquarters | Gondia |
| Formed | 1999 (carved out of Bhandara district) |
| Common name | Rice City |
Formation and administration
Gondia was constituted as a separate district on 1 May 1999, when it was bifurcated from the erstwhile Bhandara district. It forms part of the Nagpur revenue division. The district is administratively divided into tahsils including Gondia, Tirora, Goregaon, Amgaon, Salekasa, Deori, Sadak Arjuni and Arjuni Morgaon.
Geography
The district lies on the eastern edge of Maharashtra and is characterised by undulating plains, low hills and a significant area under forest cover. The Wainganga river system drains parts of the district, and there are numerous tanks and small reservoirs that support paddy agriculture. The forests of the district are part of the larger central Indian forest belt and are home to wildlife including tigers, leopards and a notable population of the Sarus Crane, for which Gondia is one of the few habitats in Maharashtra.
Protected areas
- Navegaon National Park
- Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary
- New Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary
Economy
The economy of Gondia is predominantly agrarian. Paddy is the principal crop, and the district hosts a large number of rice mills, giving the headquarters town its sobriquet of Rice City. Forest produce, including tendu leaves used in bidi manufacture, and bamboo are important secondary contributors. Industrial activity includes manufacturing units in and around Tirora, where a major thermal power station operated by Adani Power is located.
Transport
Gondia is an important railway junction on the Howrah–Mumbai line of the Indian Railways and lies on the route connecting Mumbai with Kolkata via Nagpur. It is also connected to Jabalpur and Chandrapur by rail. National Highway 543 (formerly NH-6) and other state highways provide road connectivity to Nagpur, Raipur and adjoining districts. Birsi Airport, located near Gondia town, hosts the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) flight training facility.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Census of India, Gondia district had a population of around 1.32 million. The district has a relatively high literacy rate by Vidarbha standards. Marathi is the official and predominant language, while Hindi, Chhattisgarhi and tribal languages are also widely spoken given the district's proximity to Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Scheduled Tribes, including the Gond community after which the region is named, form a significant share of the population.
Culture and tourism
The district's cultural life reflects a blend of Marathi, tribal Gondi and adjoining Chhattisgarhi traditions. Notable points of interest include the Navegaon and Nagzira protected areas, the Itiadoh Dam, Pratapgarh, Kachargadh caves associated with Gond tribal heritage, and the Hazra Falls near Salekasa. Annual fairs and tribal festivals are observed across the rural tahsils.