Cabinet sub-panel report on 17 new dists by month-end

Jaipur: A cabinet sub-committee formed to review 17 new districts and three divisions created during the previous Congress govt in Rajasthan is expected to submit its report to the state govt by the end of Nov.According to sources, deliberations on the new districts are nearly complete.A source said, "The sub-committee will hold one last meeting to finalise the report before submitting it to govt. Earlier, the high-level expert committee, led by retired IAS officer Lalit K Panwar, submitted its report to the state govt on Aug 31. Now, the cabinet subcommittee will decide the future of the districts based on that report."Sources suggest that the committee may recommend dissolving or merging smaller districts. Previously, the committee expressed concerns over the creation of small districts, highlighting that areas equivalent to a single assembly constituency were designated as districts. It cautioned that this precedent could result in the creation of 200 districts, one for each assembly constituency in Rajasthan.An official from the revenue department stated that since by-elections have been convened in seven assembly constituencies, a meeting will be called soon. Speculation is rife about the status of 12 newly established districts—Kotputli-Behror, Neemkathana, Khairthal-Tijara, Kekri, Dudu, Anoopgarh, Sanchore, Deeg, Gangapur City, Salumber, Phalodi, and Shahpura—being under review and potentially at risk of being revoked."The review committee was formed on June 12 and deputy chief minister Premchand Bairwa was appointed its head. Later, education minister Madan Dilawar replaced him as the committee's convenor. The committee's last meeting was held on Sept 18," informed an official.Protests erupted in Sept, particularly in Dudu, Sanchore, Gangapur City, Shahpura and Kekri, demanding that these districts remain unchanged. In Sanchore, former minister and Congressman Sukhram Vishnoi went on a hunger strike. Similarly, in Gangapur City, Congress MLA and deputy leader of opposition, Ramkesh Meena, staged a sit-in outside the collectorate. Political workers from various parties, along with social organisations, staged protests in Kekri and Shahpura also.
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