Haryana: Four-member ministerial panel set up for administrative revamp

Pradeep Sharma

Chandigarh, June 21

The Haryana Government has again set the process to redrawing the administrative boundaries in motion with the setting up of a four-member ministerial committee.

Will examine all issues

The committee will examine the issues relating to reorganisation of administrative units such as districts, sub-divisions, tehsils, sub-tehsils, blocks, panchayat and panchayat samitis with the objective of providing better access to citizen services and to bring about administrative efficiency, synergy across different level of governance and better delivery of services. TVSN Prasad, Chief secretary

Will it submit report before poll?

With the state Assembly polls slated for October 2024, questions are being raised whether the committee will submit its report before the elections. The model code of conduct is slated to be enforced in the second fortnight of September. Since the committee has been given three months to submit its report, the question arises whether its report will be submitted before the model code of conduct coming into force.

The high-level committee comprising Agriculture Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar, Finance Minister Jai Prakash Dalal, Development and Panchayat Minister Mahipal Dhanda, and Urban Local Bodies Minister Subhash Sudha, has been given the mandate “for going into the issue of reorganisation of districts, sub-divisions, tehsils, sub-tehsils, blocks, panchayats and panchayat samitis.”

A notification issued by Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad, who also holds the charge of Financial Commissioner, Revenue, and Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management, said the committee will submit its report within three months. “The committee will examine the issues relating to reorganisation of administrative units such as districts, sub-divisions, tehsils, sub-tehsils, blocks, panchayat and panchayat samitis with the objective of providing better access to citizen services and to bring about administrative efficiency, synergy across different level of governance and better delivery of services.”

The committee will also make recommendations on the broad principles and factors for determining the reorganisation of these administrative units, keeping in mind various demographic, administrative, economic, geographical and other relevant factors.

The committee has been authorised to associate certain MLAs in the discharge of its functions. It may be noted that the chorus for upgrade of Gohana in Sonepat district and Hansi in Hisar district is getting louder. In fact, the decision for the administrative restructuring of the boundaries, including the upgrade of Gohana and Hansi, has been hanging fire for a variety of reasons. Now with the setting up of the new committee, hopes of administrative revamp has brighten up, an official added.