Palnadu is a district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It was carved out as a separate administrative unit on 4 April 2022 as part of the reorganisation of districts in Andhra Pradesh, when the state government increased the number of districts from 13 to 26. The district takes its name from the historical Palnadu region, long associated with the medieval Battle of Palnadu and the Telugu literary work Palnati Veeracharitra.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| Region | Coastal Andhra |
| Headquarters | Narasaraopet |
| Formed | 4 April 2022 |
| Parent district | Guntur |
| Language | Telugu |
The Palnadu region historically refers to a tract lying to the west of the Krishna river in the erstwhile Guntur district. It is best known in Telugu cultural memory for the 12th-century Battle of Palnadu, fought between rival factions of the Haihaya chiefs of Gurazala and Macherla, and immortalised by the poet Srinatha in his rendering of the Palnati Veeracharitra. The terrain consists largely of semi-arid plains and low hills, with the Krishna river forming part of its boundary.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh announced the creation of new districts based, broadly, on the existing parliamentary constituencies. Palnadu district was formed by separating the western and north-western mandals of the former Guntur district. Narasaraopet, a major town and parliamentary constituency centre, was designated as the district headquarters. Other significant towns in the district include Gurazala, Macherla, Sattenapalle, Vinukonda, Piduguralla and Chilakaluripet.
The district is administered by a District Collector and Magistrate, with the Superintendent of Police heading the district police. For revenue administration, Palnadu is divided into revenue divisions headquartered at Narasaraopet, Gurazala and Sattenapalle, which are further subdivided into mandals. Local self-government is exercised through gram panchayats, mandal parishads, the Zilla Parishad, municipalities and nagar panchayats.
Palnadu district lies in the central part of Andhra Pradesh and is bordered by Guntur and Bapatla districts to the east, Prakasam district to the south, Nandyal and NTR districts to the west, and the Krishna river separating parts of it from the Telangana state to the north. The Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir on the Krishna river lies at the north-western edge of the district near Macherla. The region's economy depends heavily on agriculture, with cotton, chillies, tobacco, paddy and pulses being major crops, supported by canals from the Nagarjuna Sagar project.
Apart from agriculture, the district has a significant presence of cement and limestone-based industries, particularly around Piduguralla, Macherla and Dachepalli, owing to extensive limestone deposits in the Palnadu basin. Cotton ginning, chilli trading at Guntur-area markets, and granite quarrying around Chilakaluripet also contribute to the local economy.
The district contains several sites of religious and historical importance. Kotappakonda, near Narasaraopet, is a noted Saivite pilgrimage hill associated with the Trikoteswara Swamy temple and the annual Maha Sivaratri Prabhala Theertham. Macherla is home to the Chennakesava temple, traditionally linked to the medieval ruler Brahma Naidu. Nagarjunakonda, an important Buddhist heritage site of the Ikshvaku period, lies in the Krishna valley adjoining the district.
The district is served by National Highway 16 (Chennai–Kolkata) passing through Chilakaluripet, and by National Highway 544D and other state highways linking Narasaraopet, Sattenapalle and Macherla. The South Central Railway operates passenger and express services through stations including Narasaraopet, Sattenapalle, Piduguralla and Vinukonda.