Jaipur

Uncertainty looms over the fate of 19 new districts in Rajasthan that were created during former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s tenure last year. The current Chief Minister, Bhajanlal Sharma, has approved the formation of a committee led by retired IAS officer Lalit K. Panwar to evaluate their status.

Sources indicate that the Rajasthan government may revoke the status of around a dozen districts for not meeting criteria regarding demarcation and population. The Panwar committee will submit its findings to a Cabinet sub-committee, which was previously established under Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa to review the status of the 19 districts and three divisions.

The previous government had increased the total number of districts in the state to 50 by creating these 19 new districts. The process to form three additional districts had also been initiated, but the current government, led by CM Sharma, has informed the Assembly that no further action will be taken on this proposal due to the dissolution of the Ramlubhaya committee.

According to Revenue Department records, about 12 districts do not fulfill the criteria for separate district status based on demarcation and population. These districts are Dudu (Jaipur), Khairthal-Tijara (Alwar), Shahpura (Bhilwara), Sanchore (Jalore), Deeg (Bharatpur), Gangapur City (Sawai Madhopur), Kotputli-Bahror (Jaipur), Salumber (Udaipur), Neemkathana (Sikar), Kekri (Ajmer), Anupgarh (Bikaner), and Phalodi City (Jodhpur).