Introduction
After India’s independence, in 1949 a new district called South Satara was formed with six talukas by transferring four talukas of Tasgaon,Khanapur,Walwa and Shirala from then Satara district and crating two more talukas of Miraj and Jat from other adjoining part of the state.princely states of Aundh,jat,Sangli,Kurundwad and Miraj.On November 21,1960 the name of district was changed from South Satara to Sangli. In 1965,Miraj and Khanapur talukas were divided and two more talukas kavatheMahankal and Atpadi were created.Again on july 1,1999,a new taluka, Palus,was created by dividing Khanapur and Tasgaon talukas.However,after that,Kdegaon,the 10 th taluka of the district, was newly crated on March 28,2002, by dividing Palus and Khanapur talukas.Currently,Sangli district is divided into 10 talukas,and the Sangli Miraj and Kupwad Muncipal Corporations as well as six municipalities namely Islampur,Ashta,Tasgoan,Vita,Palus and Jat are functioning in the district.Also, five Ngar Panchayats namely Kdegoan,Shirala,KavtheMahankal,Khanapur and Atpadi are functioning.
The total area of Sangli district is 8572 sq.km.and in terms of geographical area,the district ranks 21 st in the state of Maharashtra.The district extends from 16.45 degrees to 17.22 degrees north latitude and 73.42 degrees to 75.40 degrees east.The longitude is as follows.The east-west length is approximately 205 km the south-north width is approximately 96 km.The altitude of Sangli district is 553 meters above sea level.Satara and Solapur district are located It is bordered by Kolhapur district and Belgaum and Vijayapura district of karnatka state to the south,Vijayapura district of Karnataka state to the east and Ratnagiri district to the west.
surface and ground level structure. The district is divided into three natural divisions according to its surface climate and rainfall.
- The mountainous and high rainfall region in the west.
- The flat region with moderate rainfall near the rivers.
- The some what drought-prone region with low rainfall and coarse soil in the east.
The mountain ranges of the eastern slopes of the Sahyadri range in the west and the Bhairavgad mountain range emanating from it mainly cover the western part of Shirala and Walwa tehsils.The flat and fertile region with moderate rainfall in the vicinity of the Krishna,Warna and Yerla rivers includes the western and northern parts of Miraj tehsil,the western part of Palus tehsil,and the eastern part of Walwa and Shirala tehsils.The eastern region is a heavy clay area with low rainfall and includes the tehsils of Atpadi,Jat,Kavathemahankal,and Khanapur.It also includes the eastern part of the tehsils of Miraj and Tasgaon.
Various types of soil are found in the district.Shirala taluka has yellowish,reddish,brown laterite type soil mixed with clay and high in iron content up to a depth of 23 to 45 cm.Pale gray soil is found in other areas except on the mountain slopes.In the valleys of the Krishna,Varana and Yerala rivers,black,rich,high-quality soil with a depth of more than 90 cm is found.This includes Walwa,Tasgaon and Miraj tehsils. This black soil of good quality is found in the vicinity of the rivers Bor,Agrani and Man and some streams.It includes Atpadi,Jat,Khanapur etc tehsils.The groundwater levels is generally found at a depth of 6 meters.However groundwater is found at more or less depth depending on the underlying rock.The water level is especially low in the eastern part of the district.
Agriculture
The primary crop in Sangli district is Jowar (sorghum), with a special variety of Jowar, known as Maldandi, being particularly prevalent. The turmeric produced in Sangli, along with its turmeric market, is well-known throughout India. Sugarcane is also cultivated extensively in the district. In recent years, Sangli district has become famous for grape cultivation, with Tasegaon taluka leading in grape production. The industry of raisin production from grapes is also expanding. Additionally, in areas along the Krishna River, particularly in parts of Miraj, Tasgaon, and Walwa talukas, tobacco is grown on a large scale.
The seasonal details of the various crops grown in the district are given as follows :
| sr no | Season | Major Crops |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kharif | Rice, Sorghum (Jowar) |
| 2 | Rabi | Wheat, Chickpea (Harbhara) |
| 3 | Kharif and Rabi | Sorghum (Jowar), Sugarcane |
| 4 | Cash crops | Sugarcane, Grapes, Turmeric, Tobacco, Pomegranate |
District Population and Other Information – (Source: Census 2011)
| Serial No. | Title | Information |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District Population | 28,22,143 |
| 2 | Number of Women per 1000 Men | 966 |
| 3 | Women | 13,86,415 |
| 4 | Men | 14,35,728 |
| 5 | Rural Population | 21,02,786 |
| 6 | Urban Population | 7,19,357 |
| 7 | Literacy (Total) | 81.48% |
| 8 | Male Literacy | 88.22% |
| 9 | Female Literacy | 74.59% |
Krishna is the main river in the district, and other rivers in the district include Managanga, Morna, Warna, Yerla, Agrani, and Bor. The Warna river has a dam at Chandoli, and there are small and large dams like Kuchhi, Anjani, Bhose, Kosari, Vajachonde, Rethe, Atpadi, etc. In addition, many small and large projects are proposed in the district through the Krishna Valley Development Corporation. Under the wind energy project, wind turbines have been installed in the Gudepachgani and Dhalgaon areas of the district.
Baliraja Dam is a unique project built on the Yerla river in Khanapur taluka. This small dam was constructed by farmers, villagers, social workers, and engineers coming together. The dam was built with a balanced consideration of science, technology, environment, traditional-modern methods of water conservation, and human values. The dam benefits about 900 acres of land in the vicinity of the villages of Balawadi and Tandulwadi. The Bhaliraja Dam stands as an excellent symbol of the ‘More Development from Small Dams’ movement.
The climate of the district is hot and dry, with an average rainfall of 50 to 75 cm per year. The highest rainfall occurs in the Shirala taluka in the west, while it decreases towards the east. In Miraj, the rainfall is only 640 mm. Regarding minerals, the district mainly has bauxite mines in the Shirala taluka.
Industries
The district has industrial estates in Sangli, Miraj, Vita, Kavathe Mahankal, and Islampur. There are sixteen sugar factories in the district, and the Vasantdada Patil Cooperative Sugar Factory in Sangli is the largest cooperative sugar factory in Asia in terms of daily crushing capacity and the highest in India.
Sugar Factory List
| Serial No. | Names of Sugar Factories | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vasantdada Patil Cooperative Sugar Factory | Sangli |
| 2 | Mohanrao Shinde Cooperative Sugar Factory | Mhaisal, Miraj |
| 3 | Vishwasrao Naik Cooperative Sugar Factory | Yashwantnagar (Chikhli), Shirala |
| 4 | Ninai Devi Cooperative Sugar Factory | Karungli, Shirala |
| 5 | Hutatma Kisan Ahir Cooperative Sugar Factory | Walwa |
| 6 | Sarvodaya Cooperative Sugar Factory | Karandwadi, Walwa |
| 7 | Rajaram Bapu Patil Cooperative Sugar Factory | Sakhrale, Walwa |
| 8 | Yashwant Cooperative Sugar Factory | Nagewadi, Khanapur |
| 9 | Mahankali Cooperative Sugar Factory | Rajaram Bapu Nagar, Kavathe Mahankal |
| 10 | Sonhira Cooperative Sugar Factory | Wangi, Kadegaon |
| 11 | Managanga Cooperative Sugar Factory | Lonar Siddhnagar, Atpadi |
| 12 | Dongrai Sagar Eshwar Cooperative Sugar Factory | Raigav, Kadegaon |
| 13 | Tasgaon Cooperative Sugar Factory | Turchi, Tasgaon |
| 14 | Raje Vijay Singh Dafle Shetkari Cooperative Sugar Factory | Tippehalli, Jath |
| 15 | Watsewar Cooperative Sugar Factory | Wategav, Walwa |
| 16 | Shivaji Ken Processors Cooperative Sugar Factory | Aundhi, Shirala |
The turmeric, jaggery, and groundnut markets in Sangli are also well-known. The first cotton mill in the district (Limb Cotton Mill) was started by Dadasaheb Velankar.
| Serial No. | Industry/Business | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agricultural Tools | Kirloskarwadi (Kirloskar Group) |
| 2 | Diamond Polishing | Vita, Mahuli, Nelkaranji |
| 3 | Construction of Stuck | Bagani |
| 4 | Raisin and Dry Fruit Production | Tasgaon |
| 5 | Cotton Mill | Sangli |
| 6 | Textile Mill | Madhavnagar, Miraj |
| 7 | Dairy Products | Bhilwadi, Tasgaon (Chitale Industry Group) |
Administration
| Serial No. | Taluka | Area (sq. km) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shirala | 625.67 | 1,62,911 |
| 2 | Walwa | 651.95 | 3,51,506 |
| 3 | Palus | 297.34 | 1,64,909 |
| 4 | Khanapur | 676.42 | 1,21,925 |
| 5 | Atpadi | 863.56 | 1,38,455 |
| 6 | Tasgaon | 776.32 | 2,13,456 |
| 7 | Miraj | 786.72 | 3,25,954 |
| 8 | Kavathe-Mahankal | 724.29 | 1,52,327 |
| 9 | Jat | 2,239.77 | 3,28,324 |
| 10 | Kadegaon | 575.68 | 1,43,019 |
The urban administration and local self-government institutions in the district are as follows
| Serial No. | Details | Number | Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Municipal Corporation | 1 | Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad |
| 2 | Municipality | 6 | Islampur, Tasgaon, Ashta, Vita, Jat, Palus |
| 3 | Nagar Panchayat | 5 | Khanapur, Shirala, Kavathe-Mahankal, Kadegaon, Atpadi |
| 4 | Panchayat Samiti | 10 | Shirala, Walwa, Palus, Khanapur, Atpadi, Tasgaon, Miraj, Kavathe-Mahankal, Jat, Kadegaon |
| 5 | Gram Panchayat | 696 | — |
Political Structure
Lok Sabha Constituencies:
The Lok Sabha constituencies include Sangli, Miraj, Palus-Kadegaon, Khanapur-Atpadi, Tasgaon-Kavathe-Mahankal, and Jat. (The Islampur and Shirala Assembly constituencies in the district have been added to the Hatkanangale Lok Sabha constituency of Kolhapur district.)
Assembly Constituencies:
There are eight Assembly constituencies in the district: Miraj, Sangli, Islampur, Shirala, Palus-Kadegaon, Khanapur-Atpadi, Tasgaon-Kavathe-Mahankal, and Jat. The district has 60 Zilla Parishad constituencies and 120 Panchayat Samiti constituencies.
Administrative Structure
The district headquarters is Sangli. The location of each taluka’s administration is the tehsil or taluka headquarters. The district is divided into 5 revenue sub-divisions for administrative purposes:
- Walwa Sub-Division: Walwa, Shirala
- Miraj Sub-Division: Miraj, Tasgaon, Kavathe-Mahankal
- Khanapur Sub-Division: Khanapur, Atpadi
- Jath Sub-Division: Jath
- Kadegaon Sub-Division: Kadegaon, Palus
Communication
National Highway No. 4, which connects Pune and Bengaluru, passes through the district. The Miraj-Pune and Miraj-Kurduwadi-Latur railway lines also pass through the district. Miraj is an important railway junction in the district.
Approximate Distance from Sangli to Major Cities in Maharashtra
| Serial No. | Approximate Distance from Sangli to Major Cities | Distance (km) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mumbai | 391 |
| 2 | Nagpur | 763 |
| 3 | Aurangabad | 457 |
| 4 | Sangli | 179 |
| 5 | Pune | 231 |