Hello friends! Welcome to WrittenUpdated. Let’s talk about the number of blocks in the Bargarh district of Odisha.
Bargarh is one of the 30 districts in Odisha and is located in the western region of the state. The district headquarters is the city of Bargarh. With its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, Bargarh offers something for every traveler.
But before planning a trip, it is useful to understand the administrative divisions of the district. Specifically, how many blocks or sub-districts does Bargarh comprise? Let’s find out in this article!
An Overview of Bargarh District
Bargarh district was formed on 1st April 1993 by bifurcating the old Sambalpur district. It is spread over an area of 5837 sq km and as per the 2011 census, the population was around 14.79 lakhs.
The district is currently a part of the Odisha Western Region Division. Some major towns in Bargarh district include Bargarh, Barpali, Bijepur, and Attabira.
Agriculture is the mainstay of Bargarh’s economy. The district is called the “Rice Bowl of Odisha” as paddy is extensively cultivated using irrigation from the Hirakud dam. Bargarh is also renowned for its handicrafts and handloom industries.
Administrative Divisions in Bargarh
For administrative purposes, the Bargarh district is divided into the following regional segments:
- Sub-Divisions – 2
- Tehsils – 12
- Blocks – 14 (This is what we are looking for)
- Municipalities – 2
- NACs – 5
- Gram Panchayats – 350
- Villages – 1850
So in total, there are 14 blocks in the Bargarh district as of now. Let’s get to know the names of these blocks and details around them.
The 14 Blocks of Bargarh District
Here is the list of the 14 blocks in Bargarh district along with some key facts about them:
1. Ambabhona
- Headquarters – Ambabhona town
- Includes 108 villages
- Main crops – Paddy, maize, arhar
2. Attabira
- Headquarters – Attabira town
- 112 villages
- Bounded by Deogarh and Sambalpur districts
3. Bargarh
- District headquarters
- 164 villages
- Home to Burla University
4. Barpali
- Headquarters – Barpali town
- 93 villages
- Famous for Barpali cheese
5. Bheden
- Headquarters – Bheden
- 102 villages
- Bordered by Chhattisgarh state
6. Bijepur
- Headquarters – Bijepur
- 165 villages
- Has ruins of Bijepur Palace
7. Gaisilet
- Headquarters – Gaisilet
- 172 villages
- Derived name from Lord Ganesha
8. Jamankira
- Headquarters – Jamankira
- 79 villages
- Muslim shrine of Jaam Sahib
9. Paikmal
- Headquarters – Paikmal
- 131 villages
- Home to Padmasini Devi temple
10. Sohela
- Headquarters – Sohela
- 129 villages
- Lies on the Mahanadi riverbank
11. Padampur
- Headquarters – Padampur
- 181 villages
- Known for rice production
12. Jharbandh
- Headquarters – Jharbandh
- 143 villages
- Has Jharbandh Forest
13. Muribahal
- Headquarters – Muribahal
- 165 villages
- Muribahal Dam located here
14. Saintala
- Headquarters – Saintala
- 124 villages
- Famous Maa Hingula temple
So in a nutshell, Bargarh district encompasses 14 administrative blocks as listed above. Ambabhona is the newest block formed in 2017.
Each block acts as a unit of administration overseeing village level activities. The Block Development Officer (BDO) heads each block.
Why is Bargarh District Divided into Blocks?
There are several good reasons why Bargarh and other districts in India are divided into blocks. Let’s look at some of the key benefits:
- Better administration: Creates smaller jurisdictions which are easier to manage
- Closer to local population: People can access government services at the block level easily
- Development activities: Implementation of schemes can be monitored at the block level
- Availability of funds: Blocks get budgetary allotments from the district administration
- Accountability: Performance and utilization of resources can be tracked at the block-level
Thus, having multiple blocks allows decentralized governance and targeted development of Bargarh district. Citizens can provide feedback and get grievances resolved faster.
How to Locate Different Blocks of Bargarh
For those visiting Bargarh district, it is useful to know the locations of key blocks. Referring to a map can make this easier.
Some pointers on locating the blocks:
- Bargarh block is centrally located with the district headquarters
- Attabira, Barpali, Bheden, Bijepur blocks are in the northern region
- Ambabhona, Gaisilet, Padampur, Paikmal are in the southern part
- Jamankira, Jharbandh, Muribahal, Saintala lie in the western region
- While Sohela lies in the eastern part of the district
When planning a trip, identifying the block where key attractions lie can help minimize travel time. The locals are also familiar with the block jurisdictions.
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped answer the question – how many blocks are there in Bargarh district? We discussed the 14 blocks of the district along with some key facts about them. The blocks facilitate grassroot-level administration and targeted development. So the next time you visit Bargarh, make sure to check the block boundaries on a map. It will help navigate your trip better.
Let me know in the comments if you need any other details on Bargarh district. And do share this article with others planning to visit Bargarh. Thank you for reading!