Athani taluk

Athani Taluk
Taluk
Athani Taluk is located in Karnataka
Athani Taluk
Athani Taluk
Location in Karnataka, India
Coordinates: 16°44′N 75°04′E / 16.73°N 75.07°E / 16.73; 75.07
Country India
StateKarnataka
DistrictBelgaum
Regions of KarnatakaBayaluseeme
Government
 • TypeTaluk administration
Area
 • Total
2,070.54 km2 (799.44 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
548,832
 • Density270/km2 (690/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialKannada
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
591xxx
Vehicle registrationKA-23

Athani Taluk is the largest taluk in Belgaum District, Karnataka, India. It has a total area of 2,070.54 square kilometres (799.44 sq mi),[1] of which 70% is cultivated. This includes 4 towns, 115 inhabited villages and hamlets with a rural population of 4,07,485, according to the 2011 census. The total population of the taluk is 5,25,832. It is bounded by Sangli District of Maharashtra in the north, Bijapur District in the east, and Bagalkot District in the southeast. Geologically the area is covered by Deccan Trap formations. The average annual rainfall is 582 millimetres (22.9 in). Two rivers flow through the taluk: the Krishna River and the Agrani.

The four largest towns of Athani Taluk (in decreasing order of population) are Athani, Ugar, Ainapur and Shedbal. Five sugar industries are in this taluk, located in the towns of Athani, Kagwad, Kokatnur, Ugar and Kempwad. There are four hobalis in the taluk: Athani, Kagwad, Telsang and Antapur.

Educational institutions

Athani has government and primary schools for boys and girls in Kannada, Urdu and Marathi Medium.

Agriculture

Agriculture is the mainstay of Athani's economy. The main crops are jawar, wheat, sunflower, toor dal, green moong and kushbi. The commercial crops include grapes, cotton and sugarcane. Athani is one of the largest sugarcane cultivation taluks in Karnataka.

The Krishna River flows 85 kilometres (53 mi) around the southern part of the taluk. The irrigation facilities of the Upper Krishna Project's Hipparagi dam are in Athani taluk. As part of the Hipparagi project, canals were constructed in Athani, assisting the cultivation of sugarcane, grapes and other crops. 70% of the land in the taluk is fertile.

Industries

The first sugar industry in Athani taluk was started by Ugar Sugars in Ugar, followed by Krishna Co-operative Sugars in Athani and Renuka Sugars in Kokatnur.

Ugar Sugars produces the most sugar in Karnataka, more than 12,000 tonnes. All the industries in the taluk together produce more than 35,000 tonnes of sugar.

Athani Taluk is home to five of the twenty sugar companies and cooperatives in Belagavi District.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "Karnataka Information Centre's profile on Athani Taluka". Archived from the original on 18 April 2007.