Palamu district is one of the twenty-four districts of Jharkhand, India. It was formed in 1892. The administrative headquarters of the district is Medininagar, situated on the Koel River. Palamu district lies in north-western part of Jharkhand. It shares border with Chatra, Garhwa & Latehar Districts of Jharkhand state.
History
The Palamu district has sites of Neolithic and Chalcolithic settlement in the confluence of the Son and North Koel rivers in Kabra-Kala mound.
During 12th century, Khayaravala dynasty ruled the japila territory. In the early 16th century, the Chero dynasty in southern Bihar. Sher Shah Suri sent one of his generals, Khawas Khan, to destroy the Chero chief Maharta Chero.
In the late 16th century, the Raksel Rajputs controlled Palamu. The Mughal commander Man Singh had invaded Palamu, but in 1605 after Akbar died the Mughals were driven out. The Chero ruler Sahabal Rai had become a prisoner in Delhi due to his constant raiding of Bihar. His son, Bhagwat Rai, continued the same policy, but was soon attacked by Mughal forces and fled to Dev Sahi, a Surwar Rajput holding the fort of Dhaudanr (near Sasaram). With Puran Mal, Dev Sahi's son, he took service with the Raja of Palamu Man Singh. When Man Singh had gone to Surguja in 1613, Rai killed the Raja's family and took his throne. Under Bhagwat Rai's grandson Medini Rai, the Chero kingdom expanded to the height of its territory: covering large parts of what is now southern Bihar, as well as Hazaribagh. Medini Rai was able to launch expeditions against the Maharaja of Chota Nagpur and built the Fort of Palamu.
National protected area
- Betla National Park is a national park located on the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the Palamu and Latehar district of Jharkhand, India.
Politics
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Administration
Palamu district is headed by Deputy Commissioner (DC) who is an (IAS) officer.
Palamu district consists 3 Sub-divisions and 21 Blocks. The following are the list of the Blocks in Palamau district:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Subdivision
!Blocks
|-
|Sadar Medininagar
|
- Medininagar
- Chainpur
- Patan
- Bishrampur
- Panki
- Manatu
- Satbarwa
- Nilambar-Pitambarpur
- Tarhasi
- Padwa
- Pandu
- Untari Road
- Nawa Bazar
- Ramgarh
|-
|Chhatarpur
|
- Chatarpur
- Hariharganj
- Naudiha Bazar
- Pipra
|-
|Hussainabad
|
- Hussainabad
- Mohammadganj
- Haidernagar
|}
Economy
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Palamau one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640).
Demographics
According to the 2011 census Palamu district has a population of 1,939,869, giving it a ranking of 243rd in India (out of a total of 640).