Amaravati: Reorganisation of districts likely to be delayed further

Amaravati: The State Government's plan to complete reorganisation of districts is likely to be delayed further as there is no unanimity among the political parties, including the YSRCP on the number of districts to be created.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during his poll campaign had said that his party would make each parliamentary constituency as a district and hence the State will have 25 districts in place of the present 13 districts.

But the MLAs of the ruling party and opposition want that the number of districts should be more than 25. As per the original schedule the process of reorganisation of districts was to be completed by March end.

But there is no sign of any move to start the process at least by May end. The government had formed a six-member committee headed by former chief secretary Nilam Sawhney to study the possibilities for forming 25 districts.

She has now been appointed as the new State Election Commissioner. Her main task now is to conduct MPTC and ZPTC elections and the balance of municipal elections in April. Moreover, since she is now the SEC, the government will have to find a new Chairman.

The committee, which studied the possibilities for reorganisation of district on the basis of parliamentary constituency, opined that it is not an easier task as it involves several topographical issues and objections from political leaders over earmarking of district boundaries.

Since the reorganisation of some districts seems to inflate more differences among political leaders and people, the government is planning to move carefully. As some parliamentary constituencies, including Araku parliamentary constituency, are spread in four districts reorganisation of the district is likely to create multiple problems.

Also, the prevailing Covid pandemic and elections to gram panchayats and municipalities delayed the process of reorganisation of the districts.