Krishnagiri district is one of the 38 districts (a district in the north western part) of the state of Tamil Nadu, in India. This district is carved out from Dharmapuri District by 2004. The municipal town of Krishnagiri is the district headquarters. In Tamil Nadu, e-Governance was first introduced at Krishnagiri district under the National e-Governance Project (NEGP) in revenue and social welfare departments on a pilot basis.[2][3] The district is one of the largest producers of mangoes in India.[4] As of 2011, the district had a population of 1,879,809 with a sex-ratio of 958 females for every 1,000 males. Hosur is the most populous city in the district.
History
Krishnagiri district was formed as the 30th district of Tamil Nadu on 9 February 2004. It was formed by carving out five taluks and ten blocks of the erstwhile Dharmapuri district. The first collector of Krishnagiri was Mangat Ram Sharma.
A district collector heads the district administration. Krishnagiri district is divided into two divisions and eight taluks for the purpose of revenue administration. A Revenue Divisional Officer heads each division and a Tahsildars are in charge of taluk level administration. Development administration in this district is coordinated by panchayats (or blocks) in rural areas. There are about ten panchayat unions, seven town panchayats, 352 village Panchayats and 874 revenue villages in this district. The two revenue divisions are Krishnagiri and Hosur.
It basically has a mountainous terrain. The flatlands are irrigated by the South Pennar River. The eastern part of the district experiences a hot climate and the western part contrastingly has a pleasant climate. The average rainfall is 830 mm per year. March - June is the summer season. July - November is the rainy season and during December - February winter prevails.
Year
Rainfall (in mm)
2001–2002
825.700
2002–2003
521.600
2003–2004
1075.600
2004–2005
230.620
2005–2006
1262.800
Net cultivated, irrigated, double, multiple cropped, cultivable wasteland, water land and forest
Classification
Geo.
Extent (ha)
Forest
202409
39%
Banner and uncultivable waste
24194
5%
Land put to non-agricultural uses
21466
4%
Cultivable waste
6341
1%
Permanent pastures and other grassing lands
7378
1%
Transportation
The following major national highway roads pass through Krishnagiri district:--
NH - 44: (old number: NH 7; Srinagar to Kanyakumari; passes through Hosur, Krishnagiri and Kaveripattinam)
NH - 48: (old number: NH 46; New Delhi to Chennai; passes through Hosur, Krishnagiri and Bargur)
NH - 42: (old number: NH 219; Krishnagiri to Palamaner; starts from Krishnagiri, passes through Varatanapalli)
NH - 77 (connecting Krishnagiri to Tindivanam, via Mathur, Uthangarai)
NH - 648 (old number: NH 207; Hosur to Dobbaspet, via Bagalur)
NH - 844 (old number: SH 17, Hosur to Adhiyamaankottai)
There are state highways passing through the district.
SH 17: Malur-Hosur-Adhiyamaan Kottai
SH 17A: Hosur-Denkanikottai
SH 17B: Hosur-Denkanikottai (via Thally)
SH 17C: Bagalur-Berigai
SH 131: Bargur-Tirupattur
SH 85: Attibele - Rayakottai (via Hosur and kelamangalam)
SH 60: Hogenakkal - Tirupattur (via Mathur)
SH 514: Kuppam - Patchur - Natrampalli
SH 433: Vepanapalli - Kuppam (via Gudupalle)
Also, several MDRs (Major District Roads) pass through this district. They are as follows:
1. MD-53 Bagalur - Berigai Road
2. MD-91 Denkanikottai - Kelamangalam Road
3. MD-124 Hosur Town to Hosur Railway Station Road
The Public Works Department and Panchayat union tanks, ponds and supply channels play an important role in the irrigation of Krishnagiri district. However, they have to be desilted and strengthened. New check dams and flood protection walls have to be constructed for water conservation.
Electricity
Street lighting in rural areas is vested with the Panchayat Administration. The panchayats look after the erection of new streetlights in the hamlets, payment of current consumption charges from the panchayat funds. The procurement of tube lights, sodium vapor lights and other electrical appliances is done by the connected panchayat itself. Overall, 95% of the hamlets are covered under rural electrification. Generally the power supply position in Krishnagiri District is normal. However, in some areas the low voltage problem is felt, especially in the hamlets in the ghat section. To minimize the current consumption charges in the panchayats, efforts were taken to utilize solar power lights as an alternate and renewable source in Krishnagiri district.
Education
There is a Community Polytechnic run by the Government in Krishnagiri district. Also, the TAHDCO (Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing Development Corporation) offers nursing and catering training under vocational training courses through private training institutions to people belonging to SC/ST communities. To uplift the education of women, St. James Tailoring Institute is striving for the welfare of women in Krishnagiri town. This dress making technology gives self earning at home and makes women to get jobs in ready made garment companies in Krishnagiri itself.
According to the 2011 census, Krishnagiri district had a population of 1,879,809 with a sex-ratio of 963 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[9] A total of 217,323 were under the age of six, constituting 112,832 males and 104,491 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 14.22% and 1.19% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the district was 63.2%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.[10] The district had a total of 448,053 households. There were a total of 877,779 workers, comprising 218,600 cultivators, 197,369 main agricultural labourers, 15,237 in house hold industries, 310,795 other workers, 135,778 marginal workers, 17,438 marginal cultivators, 6 45,700 other marginal workers. 22.79% of the population lived in urban areas.[9]
At the time of the 2011 census, 58.23% of the population spoke Tamil, 21.56% Telugu, 12.70% Kannada and 5.87% Urdu as their first language.[12]
The taluks of Krishnagiri individually too has a clear Tamil majority followed by a large minority of telugus and kannadigas.[13]
Economy
Agriculture
The important crops of Krishnagiri District are paddy, maize, ragi, banana, sugarcane, cotton, tamarind, coconut, mango, groundnut, vegetables and flowers. The district has an excellent scope for agri-business.
The Regional Agricultural Research Center of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has been functioning efficiently at Paiyur in Kaveripattinam union since 1973. This center functions in 18.5 hec. of land. It helps the peasants to develop and adopt the modern technique of cultivation. It has developed hybrid seeds by research which yields more tonnage and good quality.
Krishnagiri district is famous for mangoes, and for the granite industry with quarries and processing units spread around the district. With a 40% share, the district is the top producer of ragi in Tamil Nadu.[14]
Hosur, one of the most industrialized places in the state, is located in this district.
Production
Area (hectares)
Paddy
20,687
Ragii
48,944
Other minor crops
11,937
Pulses
48,749
Sugarcane
50,000
Mango
30,017
Coconut
13,192
Tamarind
1,362
Other crops
43,199
Mining and forestry based activities
In Krishnagiri district, quarry leases are being granted for granite in Patta lands. Rough stone and earth quarry leases are being granted in government and patta lands under Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules 1959. The Public Works Department (WRO wing) is operating sand quarry in riverbeds. A state owned corporation called Tamil Nadu Metals and Mineral Ltd is also earning quarry and mining grants in government lands. The total mineral revenue realized during 2006-07 was Rs. 7.45 crores. It is ascertained that nearly 7,000 workers are being engaged in quarry activities.
As Krishnagiri District has 2,02,409 hectares of forest land which constitutes 39% of the total geographical area, there are abundant produce from the forest areas. Bamboo products, honey collection and tamarind production are the forestry land activities found in Anchetty, Denkanikotta, Thally and Berigai areas. This has generated employment opportunities for thousands of rural people in these areas.
Animal husbandry and fisheries
Fisheries
(Details about the revenue in fisheries up to 15 July 2007)
Reservoir
Target (MT)
Achievement
Revenue collection (Rs)
Fishermen benefited / amount
Krishnagiri Dam
51.0
6.810
4844
23/4844
Pambaru Dam
30
2.018
13570
16/13570
Kelavarppalli Dam
29.0
15.110
95387
30/95387
Barur Lake
284.0
17.600
124600
37/124600
Chinnaru Dam
6.8
0.931
10410
5/10410
Mayil Ravanan Lake
3.0
0.164
820
1/820
Ramanayakan Lake
4.0
0.273
2305
1/2305
Paraiyur Lake
2.0
0.216
1869
1/1260
Animal husbandry
In Krishnagiri District the annual income in the animal husbandry sector was as follows for 2006-07.
^"Census Info 2011 Final population totals". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.