 Within the Gangavathi Taluka are thirty-eight gram panchayats, or self-governing villages.Gangavathi is a commercial center and a major focal point for the Rice Milling industry, with its rural areas being important for Paddy cultivation – it is considered the "Rice Bowl" of Karnataka.Sugar production is prominent, with Gangavathi Sugar Limited(now its Shut Down), from Gangavathi, once the second biggest sugar plant in Asia.