Gazetteers serve as encyclopedia of a district and of State as they record authentically economic, social, cultural, physical climatic condition of the state. Its utility for researchers, policymakers and bureaucrats is of immense value. Gazetteers also serve as encyclopedic work for the posterity as it chronologically and systematically records culture, lifestyle and other material condition of the state. In line with the Imperial Gazetteer of India, the preparation of Gazetteers was taken up as a national project and was designed to bring them out in three series, i.e. Gazetteers of India, the State Gazetteers and the District Gazetteers.

The schemes for compilation of Gazetteers devolved from Central sector to State sector and accordingly schemes for compilation of District and State Gazetteers for the State of Odisha were sanctioned in 1957 and 1972 respectively.

Under the Chief Editorship of Nilamani Senapati, ICS the office of the State Editor, Gazetteers started functioning under Revenue Department. By the time it amalgamated with GAA in 1999, all the Gazetteers of thirteen undivided districts, three volumes of Odisha State Gazetteer, one decennial supplement of Koraput District Gazetteer in English and the Odia version of Dhenkanal District Gazetteer were published.

Since 1999, Odia version of three more district gazetteers viz; Kalahandi, Balaswar and Sundargarh have been published and data entry and proof correction of Puri District Gazetteer is in progress.

Of late, the Gazetteers publication has got an impetus as proposals are afoot to publish English versions of all the thirty newly formed districts, publication of nine more district gazetteer in Odia, and e-publication of Gazetteer on the web portal of GAA.

Director General, TC, Gopabandhu Academy of Administration is the ex-officio Chief Editor. Dr. P. K. Nayak, Joint Commissioner is in charge of Gazetteer Section. Sri Subrat Kuanr and Dr. R. K. Swain serve as Research Officer and Compiler respectively.