Chopda

Chopda or Chopra is a city and municipal council in the Jalgaon district in the state of Maharashtra, India.
Chopda is a town and one of the Tehsils constituting 119 villages in the Jalgaon district in Maharashtra, India. It is located at and has an average elevation of 190 meters. The town is situated on the banks of the Ratnavati River and is linked by roads to the rest of the Jalgaon district, which also borders with Districts like Dhule, Khargone and Barwani in Madhya Pradesh. The Tapi, one of the major rivers in India, is approximately 10 km away from Chopda.
Chopda is renowned for its sweet delicacy, the 'Gunja Pedha,' prepared since 1949 by ‘Shri Karsandas Nanji Mithaiwale ’.
Popular events to experience in Chopda are Rath Yatra, Shravan Somvar Jatra, and Ganpati Visarjan.

Notable politicians

Members of Legislative Assembly

Sharchchandrika Suresh Patil 1981–1982
Arun Gujarathi 1985–1990
Arunbhai Gujrathi 1989-1994
Arunbhai Gujarathi 1994–1999
Arun Gujarathi 1999–2004
Kailas gorakh patil 2004-2009
Jagdish Valvi 2009–2014
Chandrakant Baliram Sonawane 2014-2019
Latabai Sonawane 2019-Current
Members of Parliament
Sonusing Dhansing Patil
Vijay Naval Patil 1980–1984
Vijay Naval Patil 1984–1989
Uttam Laxmanrao Patil 1989–1991
Vijay Naval Patil 1991–1996
Annasaheb M.K. Patil 1996–1998
Annasaheb M.K. Patil 1998–1999
Annasaheb M.K. Patil 1999–2003
Annasaheb M.K. Patil 2003–2007
Vasantaray Jeevanarav More 2007–2009
Haribhau Javle 2009–2014
Rakshatai Khadse 2014-current
Demographics

Chopda has a population of 271,863 people. Males constitute 52 percent of the population and females 48 percent. The average literacy rate is 67 percent, higher than the national average of 59.5 percent, with male literacy at 74 percent and female literacy at 59 percent. Approximately 13 percent of the population is less than six years old.
The main languages and dialects spoken are Ahirani, Gujari, Marathi, Hindi, Urdu and English.

Economy

Chopda has an agricultural economy. Major crops include sugar cane, cotton, bananas, pulses, and poultry. Chopda is also home to several industrial projects, including the Chahardi sugar factory, SutGirani, and several cotton ginning and pressing factories. Other businesses like gold and cloth markets can be found on MG Road. Chopda also has several educational institutions and serves as a regional transportation center.

Transportation

Chopda is connected by roads to neighboring cities such as Jalgaon, Amalner, Yawal, Shirpur. State Highway No.4, Burhanpur-Ankleshwar, goes through Chopda. Railway stations are in the neighbouring cities of Dharangaon, Amalner, Jalgaon, and Bhusawal. The closest airport is at Jalgaon.

Education

Shikshan Mandal include Dadasaheb Dr. Suresh G. Patil College, Polytechnic College, Education College, Pharmacy College, CBSE Affiliated Oxford English Medium School Chopda schools include Pratap Vidya Mandir, Balmohan Vidyalay, Pankaj Primary School, Kasturba, Clara School, Mahila Mandal Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Vivekananda Vidyalaya, Vivekananda English Medium School, Pankaj Global School, Madhyamik Kanya Vidyalaya, College include Arts, Science and Commerce College, Chopda, College of Pharmacy, Smt. S.S.Patil Polytechnic, Pankaj Mahavidyalaya, and PVM B.Ed. College Mustafa Anglo Urdu High School. Pratap Vidya Mandir High School recently marked its centenary of establishment on 9 January 2018. Various other academic institutes and private coaching classes are run in the city. Institutes like Amar Sanstha provide coaching in various fields.

1*. Mahatma Gandhi Shikshak Prasarak Mandal.
Tourism

Local tourist sites include the hot springs at Unapdev. According to local mythology, an arrow shot by Lord Rama formed the hot springs; it is therefore considered a holy place and said to cure skin diseases. There are picnic spots around Unapdev. Other attractions include Chaugaon fort near Lasur, Nageshwar temple, scenic hills in Satpuda, and the river Tapti. Rel Maruti Mandir is a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, 8 km from Chopda on the route to Dharangaon. Aner Dam, 20 km from the city, is an old dam on the river Aner. There is also a temple of Sri Sant Shravan Baba On the banks of river Tapi at Vitner, 35 km from Chopda.Unapdev is just 3 kilometers away from Vardi, and the pleasure of seeing the Satpura Mountains from Vardi onwards is something else, and if you get the time, you can definitely experience it.And Vardi village is famous throughout the district for the Bhandara of Shri Samarth Suknath Baba. Suknath Baba's Bhandara is celebrated on the second day of Holi in the month of March.

Municipal council

;Presidents of the Municipal council

Name of Councilors	From Date	To Date
Shri. Aanandrao Shripatrao Deshmukh	1918	31 December, 1928
Shri. Maganlal Nagindas Gujrathi	1 January 1929	9 June 1941
Shri. Fakirchand Jankiram Agrawal	10 June 1941	6 October 1944
Shri. Maganlal Nagindas Gujrathi	7 October 1944	9 October 1946
Shri. Dattatrya Balvant Tillu	10 October 1946	13 October 1947
Shri. Maganlal Nagindas Gujrathi	14 October 1947	1960
Shri. Raghunath Sandu Patil	1960–1961	1963–1964
Shri. Ranchoddas Nagindas Gujrathi	1964-65	1 July 1967
Shri. Sitaram Narayan Agrawal	2 July 1967	29 July 1971
Shri. Ranchoddas Nagindas Gujrathi	30 July 1971	3 July 1975
Shri. Arunlal Goverdhandas Gujarathi	4 July 1975	5 February 1981
Administrator	6 February 1981	30 April 1985
Dr.Sau.Susheelaben Shah	21 May 1985	16 December 1991
Shri. Ramanlal Babulal Gujarathi	17 December 1991	17 December 1996
Dr.Sau.Susheelaben Shah	18 December 1996	16 December 2001
Sau. Malubai Digamber Patil	18 December 2001	22 December 2006
Sau. Tarabai Diliprao Patil	26 December 2006	26 October 2007
Dr. Jaya Diliprao Patil	27 October 2007	9 June 2009
Sau. Kalpana Vilas Jagtap	10 June 2009	26 October 2011
Shri. Adv. Sandeep Suresh Patil	26 December 2011	30 June 2014
Sumeshan Naidoo	1 July 2014	Present
Sau. Manisha Jivan Chaudhari	26 December 2016	today