Koraput is one of the southernmost district of Orissa state.  Its boundaries extend in the north of Nawarangpur, Kalahandi and Rayagada districts, in the south to Andhra Pradesh, in the west to Malkangiri district and Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh and in the eat to Rayagada district and Andhra Pradesh. The district has an area of 8379.3 sq kms. the district take its name from Koraput town which is the seat of the district administration.

The district has a population of about 10.3 million.   There are 992 females per 1000 males.  About 83.3% of the population lives in rural areas, while 16.7% of the population lives in urban areas.  The decennial growth rate of population between1981–1991 was 19.89%.  The density of population is 111 per Sq.Km.  Oriya, Bengali, Hindi and Telugu are the main languages spoken in the district.

Koraput district is at present comprised of two sub-divisions, six Tahasils, fourteen Community Development Blocks, fourteen Tribal blocks and 197 Grama Panchayats.  It has five towns and 1997 villages.  (Table-1)

Amenities available in the villages are shown in table-2.

The hill system of the district makes an interesting study, being a section of the great line of the Eastern Ghats.  The highest peak, Deomali (5486 ft.) occurs in the 3000 ft. plateau and is the highest in Orissa.  There are amny outstanding peaks in this plateau and in other tablelands, the most notable ones being Turia Konda (5244 ft.), Polamakani Parbat (5201 ft.), Karnapadi Konda (4921 ft.), Karnapadi Konda (4879 ft.) etc.  Forests found in the district are of the northern tropical semi-evergreen type.  Teak and sal are predominantly found in these forests.  The rocks contain large deposits of manganese, mica and graphite and some of these minerals are now being worked out.

Koraput district falls within the region of cyclonic disturbances of Bay of Bengal.  Storms accompanied by heavy rains frequently occur during monsoons.  After rains, floods come in the rivers, which cause overflowing of the banks and damage the crops in the valleys.  The district also suffers from severe droughts caused by failure of rains in some years and other types of natural calamities.

The district is drained westward into the basin of the Godawari through the tributaries, Indravari, Kolab and Machkund.  Guradi and Patal are the other Nala/ streams of this district.

A railway line, called the D.B.K. Railway, originates from Bailladila in Madhya Pradesh (District Bastar) and terminates at Kottavalsa Railway Junction on the main Howrah-Chennai Railway line has been opened to traffic.  The length of this line within Koraput district is approximately 100 miles.  It contains 17 railway stations within the district.

The headquarters of the district, namely, Koraput town is served by Vizianagaram Railway Station, which falls in Andhra Pradesh from where road communication through regular bus service is maintained with this town.  The principal road in this district is the one, which connects Jeypore with Vizianagaram.  The entire length is black topped and has on it the famous Salur Ghat.  This road is a part of the National Highway Np. 43 and it extends to Madhya Pradesh border passing via Jeypore and Borigumma.  There are in all 3 State Highways running through this district, two of which are fair-weather roads and one, namely, State Highway No.4 is the only all-weather road and this connects Ganjam district.  The majority of the revenue roads are of fair-weather type.  All the sub divisional headquarters are all-weather roads.

The common mode of conveyance in the towns is rickshaw, truck and bullock cart.  In rural areas mostly the bullock carts serve the purpose.  State Transport buses ply on 24 routes through the districts, 6 of which connect the neighboring districts, including two running into the adjoining State of Andhra Pradesh.  There is one airstrip near Jeypore, but it is not capable of handling commercial aircrafts.

Cereal crops are grown extensively.  The land given to cultivation of cereal crops comprised 50.1 per cent of the total cropped area of the district.  Pulses were grown only in 3.5 per cent of the gross cropped area.  Among the cereal crops rice is grown extensively and is covers 44.8 per cent of the district.  Other Crops in this district are ragi, wheat, maize, gram including red gram, sugar-cane, ground-nut, rape and mustard.  Artificial methods of irrigation are almost nonexistent in this district.  There is no major or medium irrigation project in this district.  There are only a number of small minor irrigation projects, which are mostly tanks or diversion weirs.

The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary administration of the district is in charge of District animal Husbandry and Veterinary Officer whose headquarters is at Koraput.  There are many veterinary dispensaries and 60 stockman centres in the district.   Under the poultry development scheme a Regional Poultry Farm has been set up at Koraput.  Expanded nutrition programme for supply of eggs to feed expectant and nursing mothers was in operation in 4 Community Development Block areas in this district.  Main livestock of this district includes cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats.

Among the minerals, fairly good deposits of iron, limestone and manganese are found at different places.  Large and small-sized deposits of china clay occur at several places of Koraput plateau.  Pottery clay deposits in the vicinity of Jeypore are the other minerals found.  The minerals under quarrying in this district at present are graphite, mica and manganese.  The district is deprived of any major industry even today.  Household industry live weaving blacksmithy, basket making and pottery have observed majority of workers.

The trade in this district cnetres rounds agricultural produces.  The chief exports from the district are its surplus grain, viz.  paddy, rice, ragi, including oil-seeds, tamarind, etc. is Kotpad the big rice markets of this district.  The imports include slat, chilies, jaggery, cocoanuts, kerosene, piece goods, jewellery etc.  Nearly all the external trade of this district is with the adjoining districts of Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam.

Table 1. Administrative Units in district

Table 2.  Villages having one or more amenities in the district (1991 census)

Table 3. Govt. Medical Institutions in Koraput district

Table 4. Health personnel working in Government sector in Koraput district

National Surveillance Programme for Communicable Diseases

Koraput district in Orissa state was taken up during 1998–1999. The State Rapid Response Team (RRT) and the district RRT for Koraput district were trained in National Institute of Communicable Diseases in September-October 1998.  The district hospital laboratory has been identified as the district laboratory for NSPCD purposes. Microbiology department of the Cuttack Medical College has been identified as the Regional Laboratory. The money for the strengthening of the district and the regional laboratories were released by the state rather late. Up-gradation and strengthening of the laboratories have been done. A formal request for training in basic techniques in Microbiology for the Pathologist and the technician of the district laboratory has been sent to the State. Waiting for a favourable response from the State.

Table 5 shows the list of the members of RRT in Koraput district. The State RRT trained the district RRT at Bhubaneswar. Medical officers and para-medical workers working in the district have been trained partially.  A computer with e-mail connection has been installed at the DMO office and is being used by the district nodal officer for management and transmission of data. The district nodal officer is sending the monthly and weekly reports to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases through e-mail.

Table 5.  Koraput District RRT

Laboratory of the District Hospital has been identified to support the Programme.

Six technicians work in the District Hospital Laboratory, one of them is trained in Microbiological techniques. The Pathologist is in-charge of the laboratory but she has no formal training in Microbiology. Some routine Microbiological techniques are performed in the laboratory e.g. Gram, staining, AFB staining, JSB staining, Culture of throat swab, Urine and Pus. Sensitivity tests are also done. Stool culture is not done. Authenticity of the reports is questionable. No quality control is in place. All blood units are tested for HIV, HBsAg, and VDRL. Occasionally HBsAg is also done on suspected patients. Laboratory data from District Hospital Laboratory shows that only 7 samples were tested for HBsAG during 2001.