The hub of district administration, Cuttack collectorate is located near Chandini chowk. It houses all the important district level offices like District Planning Office, District Social Welfare offices, District civil supplies office, District sports office and District control room. The original heritage building of collectorate now houses the office of the sub-collector Cuttack.
The district was established in 1803.1803 is the foundation year of the Cuttack district under the Bengal Presidency of the British India. It was the capital of Orissa with Cuttack Commissioner as the head of the British government. The

district has contributed liberally to Orissa’s who’s who list. It is one of the three districts that formed Orissa, viz., Cuttack, Puri and Balasore. Always known for its complexity, Cuttack was divided into four districts on 1.4.1993. The erstwhile subdivisions of Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara are now separate districts.

Cuttack district is a narrow strip of land spreading from East to West. Topographically Cuttack has two prominent divisions viz., hilly terrain on the west and Mahanadi delta plains in the East. The highly fertile and densely populated land in criss- crossed by hundreds of rivers and rivulets. These water bodies function both as tributaries of the Mahanadi river system. Large portion of the landmass is low lying and gets submerged during floods. With very limited industrialization, people of Cuttack depend upon agriculture as the primary means of livelihood. The vast network of irrigation canals established by the British after the great nau- anko famine of 1866, is the backbone of agriculture. Cuttack city is still the commercial capital of Orissa with the Malgodown controlling the trade throughout the State.