Naidu clears 3 new districts; AP moves to 29-district map

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh is set for a major administrative overhaul, with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu approving the creation of three new districts and five new revenue divisions, taking the total number of districts in the state to 29. The decision followed a review at the Secretariat on Tuesday on the recommendations submitted by the Committee of Ministers.

Naidu also directed the officials to divide Adoni mandal in Kurnool district and set up a new Pedda Harivanam mandal.

The Chief Minister cleared the formation of Polavaram, Markapuram and Madanapalle districts. The new Polavaram district will be carved out with the Rampachodavaram and Chintur revenue divisions. The Rampachodavaram division will comprise Rampachodavaram, Devipatnam, Y Ramavaram, Gurthedu, Addathigala, Gangavaram, Maredumilli and Rajavommangi mandals, while the Chintur division will include Yetapaka, Chintur, Kunavaram and Vararamachandrapuram mandals. The district, with Rampachodavaram as headquarters, will have a population of 3.49 lakh.

Markapuram district will be formed by merging the Markapuram and Kanigiri revenue divisions covering the Yerragondapalem, Markapuram, Kanigiri and Giddalur constituencies. The Markapuram division includes Yerragondapalem, Pullalacheruvu, Tripurantakam, Dornala, Peddaravidu, Tarlupadu, Markapuram, Podili and Konakanamitla mandals. The Kanigiri division will comprise Hanumantuni Padu, Veligandla, Kanigiri, Pedacherlopalli, Chandrasekharapuram, Pamuru, Giddalur, Besthavaripet, Racharla, Komarolu, Kambham and Ardhaveedu mandals. The new district will have a population of 11.42 lakh. The new Madanapalle district will be created with the Madanapalle and Peeleru revenue divisions spread across Madanapalle, Tamballapalle, Punganur and Peeleru constituencies. The Madanapalle division will contain Madanapalle, Nimmanapalle, Ramasamudram, Tamballapalle, Mulakala Cheruvu, Pedamandyam, Kurabalakota, Piti Samudram, Birongi Kothakota, Chaudepalle and Punganur mandals. The Peeleru division includes Sadum, Somala, Peeleru, Gurramkonda, Kalakada, Kambhamvari Palle, Kalikiri and Valmikipuram mandals. This district will have a population of 11.05 lakh.

Alongside the new districts, the government approved several adjustments to revenue divisions across the State. Nandigam mandal in the Palasa division of Srikakulam district will be merged with the Tekkali division. A new Nakkapalle revenue division will be created with mandals from the Payakarao Peta and Yelamanchili constituencies in Anakapalle district. Samarlakota mandal will be shifted from Kakinada division to Peddapuram division. Mandapeta, Rayavaram and Kapileswarapuram mandals of Ambedkar Konaseema district will now fall under Rajamahendravaram division. Penugonda mandal in West Godavari district will be renamed Vasavi Penugonda.

Addanki constituency in Bapatla district will be merged with Prakasam district. A new Addanki revenue division will be created with mandals in the Addanki and Darsi constituencies. Marripudi and Ponnaluru mandals currently under Kanigiri revenue division will be attached to the Kandukur revenue division, and Kandukur constituency itself will be merged with Prakasam district. In Nellore district, the mandals of Kaluvai, Rapur and Saidapuram from Venkatagiri constituency will be merged into the Guduru division of Tirupati district. Bangarupalyam mandal in the Palamaneru division will be merged with Chittoor division. The mandals of Sadum, Somala, Peeleru, Gurramkonda, Kalakada, KB Palli, Kalikiri and Valmikipuram will form the new Peeleru revenue division, while Choudepalli and Punganur mandals in Palamaneru division will be merged into Madanapalle division.

Further changes include the shifting of Ontimitta and Siddhavatam mandals in Kadapa district into Rajampet revenue division. A new Madakasira revenue division will be created in Sri Sathyasai district. Amadaguru mandal in Kadiri division will be merged into Puttaparthi division, while Gorantla mandal in Puttaparthi division will be moved to Penukonda division. A new Banaganapalle revenue division will be created with Banaganapalle, Avuku and Kovelakuntla mandals from Dhone revenue division in Nandyal district, along with Sanjamala and Kolimigundla mandals from Nandyal division.

No changes will be made in Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Visakhapatnam, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Palanadu and Anantapur districts. The proposals will be placed before the Cabinet, and a formal notification will be issued after approval.