Banaskantha District includes the area around the Bank of Banas river. The District is situated between 23.33 to 24.45 north latitude and72.15 to 73.87 east longitude. Banaskantha District lies on north-east side of Gujarat State. The District is surrounded by Marwad and Sirohi regions of Rajasthan State in the north, Sabarkantha District in the east, Mehshana District in the south and Patan District in the west. Border of Pakistan touches the desert. Strategically, Banaskantha District is of much importance because of its sensitive borders. Being a border State of Gujarat, Banaskantha’s problems demand urgency from military view point.
Banaskantha is one among the thirty-three districts of the Gujarat state of India. The administrative headquarters of the district is at Palanpur which is also its largest city. The District is situated between 23.33 to 24.45 north latitude and 72.15 to 73.87 east longitude. The district is located in the Northeast of Gujarat and is presumably named after the West Banas River which runs through the valley between Mount Abu and Aravalli Range, flowing to the plains of Gujarat in this region and towards the Rann of Kutch. The district is famous for the Ambaji temple which draw many tourists.
Banaskantha has a population of 31,16,045 of which 13.27% were urban as of 2011. It covers an area of 12703 km and is the second largest district in the state.
Geographically Banaskantha shares its borders with Rajasthan state in the North, Sabarkantha district in East, Kutch district in West and Patan district and Mehsana district in the South. Border of Pakistan touches the desert. Strategically, Banaskantha District is of much importance because of its sensitive borders.
The economy of the district is based on agro & food Processing, tourism, textile and mineral based industries (ceramics).
The food Processing industry in the district has attracted 57% of the total investment in the district over the last two decades.
The district ranks first in the Country in Milk Production, the Asia’s Largest Dairy Cooperative under the Brandname of AMUL is Banaskantha District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd.
The Banaskantha is also first District having highest Cold Supply Chain of Milk by installing 1280 Bulk Milk Chilling units procuring almost >90% milk as Raw Chilled Milk & rest 10% in Cans. Banaskantha District having 1060 Village Dairy Coop.
It is the largest producer of potatoes in the state. Bajri, Maize, Tobacco, Castor oil, Jowar, Psyllium are the other major crops of the district.