Introduction
Wayanad district was formed on November 1, 1980 merging parts of North Wayanad taluk of Kozhikode and south Wayanad taluk of Kannur District. It is one of the youngest districts in the state bound on the north by Kodagu district of Karnataka, on the west by Kozhikode, Kannur district, on the south by Malappuram district of Kerala and on the east by Mysore, Chamarajnagar districts of Karnataka and Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. The two caves of Ampukuthimala located between Sulthan Bathery and Ambalavayal, with pictures on their walls and pictorial writings, speak volumes of the bygone era and civilization. The district is spread over 49 villages in three taluks. It has 23 Grama Panchayaths, 4 Block Panchayaths and 3 Municipalities. Wayanad district So called the “Green Paradise” is also known as the “Land of Spicy Hills” for its tedious treasures.
DISTRICT AT A GLANCE
|
Date of Formation |
01-11-1980 |
|
i) Latitude |
11.7094460 |
|
ii) Longitude |
76.0955370 |
|
iii) Geographical Area |
2131 sqkm |
|
Demography |
|
|
Total population (2011 Census) |
817420 |
|
Male |
401684 |
|
Female |
415736 |
|
Sex Ratio (female per 1000 males) |
1035 |
|
Population Density |
384/sqkm |
|
Decadal Growth Rate |
4.7% |
|
Child population(0-6years) |
92324 |
|
Per Capita income (2009-2010) Constant price |
51897 |
|
Total literacy rate(2011) |
89.03 |
|
Male literacy rate |
92.5 |
|
Female literacy rate |
85.7 |
|
Administrative Setup |
|
|
Taluks |
3 |
|
Villages |
49 |
|
Grama Panchayats |
23 |
|
Block Panchayats |
4 |
|
Corporation |
0 |
|
Municipalities |
3 |
|
District Panchyat |
1 |
|
Lok sabha seats |
1 |
|
Niyamasabha ( Assembly ) seats |
3 |
|
Educational district |
1 |
|
Agricultural scenario (2021-22) |
|
|
Total cropped area |
164425 Ha |
|
Forest cover |
78787 Ha |
|
Production of rice |
22807 Tonnes |
|
Productivity of rice |
2819 kg/ha |
|
Industrial status |
|
|
Large industries |
Nil |
|
Medium |
1 |
|
Small |
201 |
|
Micro |
5334 |
|
No. of development plot/area |
Nil |
|
No. of Mini Industrial Estates |
1 |
|
Handloom societies |
4 |
|
Coir societies |
Nil |
|
Registered General Industrial societies |
62 |
|
Working societies |
18 |
|
Dormant societies |
15 |
|
Liquidation |
29 |
The total area of Wayanad district is 2131 sq km. According to 2011 census, total population of the district is 817420 of which 785843 are rural. The census figures indicate that only 3.86 % of the total population is urban whereas the figure for the state is 47.72%. According to the 2011 census, the male population of the district is 4.01 lakh and the female population is 4.16 lakh. The tribal population in the district is 18.55% of the total population and the literacy rate is 89.03%.
Wayanad district stands first in the case of tribal (Adivasi) population among other districts in the state. However it has a large settler population. There are people from almost all parts of Kerala were migrated to this fertile land.
Geological Features
The only district in Kerala that is a part of the Deccan Plateau .The area is hilly with an undulating terrain with altitude ranging from 700 m to 2100 m above MSL. The main river, Kabani originates from Western Ghats.
Land Utilisation
The total geographical area of the district is 2131 Sqkm and about 55% of this area is cultivated. Forest occupies 37% of the area.
Cropping Pattern
Plantation/ horticulture crops cover about 75% of the total cropped area. The major crops are Tea, Coffee, Pepper, Cardamom, Coconuts, Ginger, Turmeric, Lemon grass, Areca nut, Banana, etc.
Transport & Communication
There is no railway or air transport system in the district. Kozhikode is the nearest railway station at a distance of 75 km from Kalpetta. Only road transport exists in the district. Bus service and telephone service are available. NH 766 connecting Kozhikode and Kollagal (Mysore) is the main national highway of the district. Meppadi – Gudalur, Sulthan Bathery – Pattavayal, Mananthavady – Kudak are the other major inter-state roads of the district. Kainatty – Mananthavady, Meenangady– Panamaram, Sultan Bathery – Perikallur, Mananthavady – Kuttiady, Mananthavadi – Kannur are the other major roads of the district. There are three KSRTC depots in the district at Sultan Bathery, Mananthavady and Kalpetta.
Tourist Attraction
Wayanad is one of the places with untapped tourist potential. This land has rich in natural wonders, history and tradition. With its vast expanse of greenery, spice scented breeze, mist clapped mountains, salubrious climate, hypnotizing scenic beauty, Wayanad stands as one of the loveliest hill station in Kerala. The handicrafts including of Bamboo, Coffee Stump, and Banana Fiber can complement the requirements of tourists. The recent thrust in tourism is one of the promising economic potential of this district tourism plays a major role in the economic aspects of Wayanad district. The Government of Kerala has identified Wayanad as a tourism destination and tourism is an emerging sector in Wayanad.
Financial Institution
The district has a branch of Kerala Financial Corporation and several branches of nationalized/scheduled banks, co-operative banks, and private sector banks.
Employment Opportunities
The basic activity of the district is farming and as per 2011 census the total number of cultivators in the district is 52759 and that of agricultural laborers is 101630. The employment in MSME sector is approximately 17250. The number of unemployed registered in employment exchanges comes to around 100000.
Present Status of Industries
Total number of MSME units in Wayanad district is approximately 5536 of which around 17250 employments is generated. Out of 5536 units, 2073 units are in manufacturing sector and 3463 units are in service sector. Total investment in these units is 50990 lakhs. Ready-made Garments units and food related units are the largest in number followed by rice mills, country bricks, cement products, general engineering units, Ayurvedic/ forest related, automobile engineering,etc.Industries in the district consist of mainly micro and small enterprises. Kerala Government has classified Wayanad as an “Industrially Backward District”.
There are 62 Industrial Co-operative societies registered in the district of which 4 of them are handloom societies. Of the 62 industrial co-op societies 18 of them are working, 15 of them are dormant and 29 of them are liquidated.