About Balugaon NAC
Balugaon is a town and a Notified Area Council in Khordha district in the state of Odisha, India. It is situated near the bank of Chilika Lake, about 90 kilometres from Bhubaneswar and 76 kilometres from Berhampur. It is a major economic centre of Khordha district because of its prawn and fish business.
Geography
Balugaon is located at 19.74°N 85.21°E. It has an average elevation of 3 feet and an area of 6.12 km. It is located on the Banpur-Balugaon anorthosite massif, an igneous rock part of Chilka Lake igneous complex.
The mamu-bhanaja hillocks here are anorthosite outcrops. The town primarily has acidic black soil. The soil texture varies from clay loam to sandy loam as one approaches the lake bank.
Communication
Balugaon is well connected to state capital Bhubaneswar and Berhampur by road via NH-16 and rail. The Banpur-Balugaon overbridge acts as the sole connector between the two cities.
Balugaon railway station on the Howrah-Chennai main line connects Balugaon to major Indian cities like Kolkata, Chennai and Visakhapatnam. All major trains passing through this line stop at Balugaon. Jagannath Dham Puri can be reached via New Jagannath Sadak.
Education
Balugaon had an average literacy rate of 81.7 percent, higher than the state average of 72.8 percent, with 88 percent of the males and 75 percent of the females literate.
K-12 Schooling
In academic year 2024–25, 4,321 students were enrolled in the K-12 school system of Balugaon. Enrollment of girls in government primary schools remain higher than that of boys. Ratio of girls remain low in private schools across all levels of schooling.
As of 2024, 23 recognized government and private schools located in Balugaon serve the town and its neighbouring area. These schools collectively employ 172 teachers resulting in an average student-teacher ratio of 25.12.
- Govt. High School, Balugaon (Ward No. 10)
- Balugaon Higher Secondary School (Ward No. 01)
- Chilkarani English Medium School
- Balugaon PUPS
- Venkateswar School
Post Secondary Education
Balugaon College is the only post-secondary institution in Balugaon. It offers a 3-year bachelor program in humanities, and also provides higher secondary education (11th and 12th) in Humanities, and Science.
Demographics
In the 2011 India census, Balugaon had a population of 17,645 with males 52 percent, females 48 percent and a total of 3212 households.
Balugaon had an average literacy rate of 81.7 percent, higher than the state average of 72.8 percent, with 88 percent of the males and 75 percent of the females literate. 11 percent of the population were under 6 years of age.
Schedule Caste constituted 25.75 percent while Schedule Tribe were 0.39 percent of the total population. Its population is projected to be 25000 as of 2024.
Tourism
Tourist spots at Chilika lake, like Kalijai Temple and Nalabana, can be reached from Balugaon with government or private boat and launch services. Narayani Temple is a few miles from Balugaon and is known for its natural setting.
There is a natural fountain near Ranpur. The Odi Art Centre, A tribal Art Museum, is located near Balugaon in Barkul. It hosts the weeklong Chilika Shelduck International Folk Carnival in November every year.
The Mamu Bhanaja Hill recreational park situated at the foothills of Mamu Bhanaja. It was opened to public on 18 February 2024, fulfilling a long-standing community demand for a local park.