Asika

Asika is located at 19.6°N 84.65°E / 19.6; 84.65.[3] It has an average elevation of 30 metres (98 feet). It is situated at a distance of 40 km from Brahmapur on South, 35 km from Bhanjanagar on the North at the confluence of Rivers Rushikulya and Badanadi (Bara River).

Asika Sugar Factory is the first sugar factory in Asia, established in 1824. The plant is located in Asika town. Asika Cooperative Sugar Industries is a large scale industry employing more than 35000 families.

It is one of the oldest in India, built by Minchin Saheb in British time. Along with the factory at Nellikuppam near Cuddalore, it was managed by Parry and Co. Due to this factory Asika Town is known as Sugar City.

The jaggery mill was started in 1848 as Asika Sugar Works and Distillery Ltd. by Parry and Co. Madras. It met with huge losses for lack of supervision and other transport bottlenecks. Thereafter, Fredrick Josheph Vivian Minchin, the Book Keeper of Biny & Co. purchased the factory and with the new Sugar Technology obtained from Germany designed and rebuilt the factory in 1856.

As of the 2011 Census of India,[4] Asika had a population of 21,428 (fourth largest city in terms of population Ganjam dist after Brahmapur, Chatrapur and Bhanjanagar). Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Asika has an average literacy rate of 85.76%, higher than the national average of 72.87%; with 56% of the males and 44% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

• Satyanarayan Temple, Binayak Bazar, Aska
• Maa Fulakasuni (Odia sahi)
• Rameshwar Temple, KS Patna
• Maa Khambeswari Goddess
• Jagannath Temple (Sunambo Sahi)
• Panchamuki Hanuman Mandir
• Jaganatha Temple (Nuagam)
• Kali Mandir (Nuagam)
• Bhagabat Mandir (Nuagam)
• Radha Krushna Mandir (Nuagam)
• Ram Mandir (Nuagam)
• Pudageswar
• Subarneswar
• Nilakantheswar
• Satyanarayan
• Karanjei Goddess
• Balunkeswar
• Tirupati Balaji
• Ram Mandir
• Hanuman Mandir
• Maa Kali
• Maa Kalimukhi
• Narshinha
• Maa Thakurani near Gondopuli
• Jaganath temple main road Kalasanadh Pur
• Hunuman temple main road Kalasanadh Pur
• Radha Krishna Temple (Banibihar, Aska)
• Sai Mandira
• Maa Kankana Devi temple, (Bhetanai)
• Ellama Potturaj (Damodarpalli)
• Maa Rajjamma Kanekamma (Dhobapalli)
• Hanuman Temple (Kotibadi)
• Gopinath Temple (Raipalli)
• Radhakrishna Mandir

(Chadhiapalli)

Maximum summer temperature is 34 °C; minimum winter temperature is 23 °C. The mean daily temperature varies from 33 °C to 38 °C. May is the hottest month; December is the coldest. The average annual rainfall is 1250 mm and the region receives monsoon and torrential rainfall from July to October.

Aska (Vidhan Sabha constituency) includes Asika N.A.C, Asika block and 12 GPs (Subalaya, Kaniari, Barida, Paikajamuna, Sunapalli, Sialia, Nandiagada, Borasingi, Ambapua, Baliasara, Bolasara and Sunarijhola) of Kabisuryanagar block. The current MLA from Asika Assembly Constituency is Smt. Manjula Swain of BJD. Previous MLAs from this seat was Sri. Debaraj Mohanty from 2004 to 2014 of BJD, Usharani Panda of the Indian National Congress in 1995, Duti Krushna Panda of CPI in 1990, Raghaba Parida who won representing INC in 1985 and as a candidate of the Indian National Congress in 1980, and Harihar Swain of JNP in 1977.[6]

Asika is part of Aska (Lok Sabha constituency).[7]