The state government scrapped nine districts and three divisions created during the tenure of former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Jaipur: The Bhajan Lal Sharma-led Cabinet has brought an end to months of speculation regarding Rajasthan’s administrative structure. On Saturday, the state government scrapped nine districts and three divisions created during the tenure of former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Following this decision, Rajasthan will now have 41 districts and seven divisions.
After the Cabinet meeting, Ministers Jogaram Patel and Sumit Godara addressed the media at the Secretariat to elaborate on the decision. They confirmed that the districts of Dudu, Kekri, Shahpura, Neem Ka Thana, Gangapur City, Jaipur Rural, Jodhpur Rural, Anupgarh, and Sanchore have been dissolved. Furthermore, the proposed districts of Malpura, Sujangarh, and Kuchaman, which had been announced but never officially notified, will not be formed.
In addition, the divisions of Banswara, Pali, and Sikar, established during Gehlot’s administration, have also been abolished. However, districts such as Balotra, Khairthal-Tijara, Beawar, Kotputli-Behror, Didwana-Kuchaman, Phalodi, Deeg, and Salumber will remain as they were.
Jogaram Patel explained the reasoning behind the decision, stating that the districts and divisions created before the state elections were not practical.
“Many of these districts had only a handful of tehsils, and their creation ignored key aspects like financial resources and population. There was no proper infrastructure, nor were positions or offices established for their functioning. This imposed an unnecessary burden on the state,” he said.
A review committee found these districts lacking in utility, prompting their cancellation.
With the dissolution of these districts, the district collectors, superintendents of police, and other officials appointed to these areas will now be reassigned. Administrative posts created for these districts will also cease to exist.
This decision comes as the state had until December 31 to finalize any changes to its administrative boundaries. From January 1, the Registrar General of Census India’s directives will freeze administrative boundaries to prepare for the upcoming census.
The urgency of the matter had also prompted Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma to write to Union Home Minister Amit Shah in September, requesting the relaxation of restrictions on forming new administrative units. The Registrar General of Census India later extended the deadline for making such changes until December 31.
Reacting to the decision, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed his disappointment, criticizing the government for taking a year to decide on the matter. Speaking at Jaipur airport, he defended his administration’s decision to create new districts and divisions, emphasizing that they were intended to improve governance and expedite grievance redressal.
Gehlot said, “Smaller districts benefit the people by making administration more accessible. Rajasthan is the largest state in India, and creating additional districts was a thoughtful step. Gujarat, which has a smaller population, still has 33 districts. It is unfortunate that the current government took so long to reach this decision, showing their lack of clarity.”