Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 15: In a significant decision ahead of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Government has decided to create new administrative units on the basis of recommendations of Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) constituted by it instead of taking into account the “biased’’ Mushtaq Ganai Committee report. The CSC was likely to reject Ganai Committee recommendations.
The Government might not go for setting up of new districts notwithstanding the demand from some quarters in all three regions but it was likely to settle for new blocks, niabats and patwar halqas and in few cases, the new tehsils or sub divisions. Majority demands received by the CSC pertained to setting up of new blocks.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Government has asked the CSC, which was set up on July 24 this year, to expedite its work and submit the report in the minimum possible time so that the process for setting up of new administrative units was set into motion.
“Among a large number of representations received by the CSC, majority of them pertained to setting up of new blocks,’’ sources said, adding that the demands had also come from some organisations and individuals for setting up of new districts, tehsils and niabats.
As Ghulam Nabi Azad led Congress-PDP coalition Government had set up eight new districts in 2007—four each in Jammu and Kashmir regions, sources said, the Government was unlikely to go for creation of more district and would confine itself to setting up of new blocks, niabats and Pawar halqas though few tehsils or sub divisions could be an exception.
“The more concentration would be on blocks. It has been observed that majority of representations coming from political parties, social and religious organisations, Panchayat members and individuals pertained to setting up of new blocks. The demands would be examined and considered by the CSC before recommending creation of new administrative units,’’ sources said, adding that though the entire exercise was “time consuming’’, the CSC would like to finish it as early as possible to give enough time to the Government to examine the recommendations before creation of new units.
The Government, sources said, intended to create the new administrative units well ahead of the Assembly elections due next year. They added that some new tehsils, niabats and patwar halqas could also be approved. However, the Government was unlikely to concede the demand for some political parties and organisation for setting up of new district on the ground that eight districts had been created only six years back and it wouldn’t be possible for a small State like Jammu and Kashmir to create infrastructure for more districts.
Sources said the demand has come from various organisations for further division of Jammu district to create Akhnoor district with bridge over river Chenab acting as dividing line between the two districts. The demand has also come for dividing Kathua district into two with creation of another district by merging three tehsils of Bani, Basohli and Billawar. Samba was carved out of Jammu district in 2007.
Similarly, they said, the demands had also come for creation of one new district each in Leh and Kargil and three to four in the Kashmir Valley.
Sources said the CSC was largely coming to the view that Mushtaq Ganai Committee recommendations were ‘biased’ and, therefore, it would strike a balance and submit its own recommendations to the Government.
They added that the CSC would hold next meet only after proposals received from various organisations and individuals were scrutinized and were ready to be placed before it. In the process, the CSC might need more extensions.
The CSC was headed by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and comprised Higher Education Minister Mohammad Akbar Lone, Planning and Development Minister Ajay Sadhotra and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir, all from National Conference, Urban Development Minister Rigzin Jora and PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Sham Lal Sharma, both Congress and Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir (DPN).
It was on March 31, 2007 during Congress-PDP coalition Government that eight new districts, three new sub divisions and 11 new tehsils were created vide Government Order No. Rev/S/115 of 2007. New districts included Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi and Samba in Jammu region, Kulgam, Bandipora, Shopian and Ganderbal in Kashmir region.
The creation of new districts, sub divisions and tehsils had led to similar demand from other areas prompting the Government to constitute a committee headed by Dr S S Bloeria on July 31, 2006 named as ‘Demarcation of Geographical Boundaries of the Newly Created Administrative Units. The committee report remained inconclusive and the Government had set up another panel named ‘Committee for Examination of Demands of New Administrative Units’ headed by Mushtaq Ahmad Ganai.
It had submitted its report in July 2011 recommendation fresh creation of Sub Divisions, 57 Tehsils, 63 CD blocks, 79 Niabats and 733 Patwar Halqas apart from rationalization/reorganization of existing administrative units.
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