KADAPA: Kadapa has emerged as the district with the highest number of mandals in Andhra Pradesh, totalling 40, following the state government’s latest reorganisation. A gazette notification confirming the changes has been issued.
Previously, the undivided Kadapa district had 10 Assembly constituencies. During the YSRCP government’s restructuring, Rajampet, Railways Koduru and Rayachoti constituencies, along with Madanapalle, Thamballapalle and Pileru from Chittoor district, were carved out to form Annamayya district.
In the latest reorganisation by the TDP-led government, Rayachoti — the former Annamayya district headquarters — has been merged with Madanapalle district, while Railways Kodur has been included in Tirupati district. Rajampet constituency has now been merged into Kadapa.
With this change, YSR Kadapa district has eight Assembly constituencies and 40 mandals, making it the largest in the state by mandal count.
The addition of Rajampet, Nandalur, Veeraballi and Sundupalle mandals has increased the district’s population to 22,96,497, comprising 11.3 lakh men and 10.35 lakh women, with a sex ratio of 997 females per 1,000 males.
The district has 5.63 lakh households.
Kadapa now has five revenue divisions — Kadapa, Badvel, Jammalamadugu, Pulivendula and the newly created Rajampet — along with 619 gram panchayats. The district is also set to strengthen its position as a horticulture hub.
The four Rajampet mandals are known for cultivating banana, chikoo, lemon, mango and papaya, and share strong educational and economic ties with Kadapa.
District Collector Dr Sridhar Cherukuri said their inclusion would play a key role in developing Kadapa as a national centre for horticulture.