Rajasthan to get 19 new districts, 3 new divisions
Jaipur, Mar 17: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday announced his government's decision to form 19 new districts and three new divisions in the state, earmarking Rs 2,000 crore for development of infrastructure for them.
This is the first time since 2008 that new districts are being carved out, taking the number of districts to 50 in the state.
Gehlot made the announcement in the Rajasthan assembly, which also passed the 2023-24 Budget with a voice vote.
He said a high-level committee was formed to study the formation of new districts and the state government has received a report. "In this way, the state will now have 19 new districts," the chief minister said during a discussion on the Budget.
The three new divisions will be in Banswara, Pali and Sikar, he said.
For the new districts and divisions, he proposed a budget of Rs 2,000 crore for the first phase of implementation of infrastructure and human resource development.
New districts are being formed after 15 years. In 2008, the then chief minister Vasundhara Raje had made Pratapgarh a district.
Geographically, Rajasthan is the biggest state in the country and some of the places are more than 100 kilometers far from their district's headquarters, and so people face problems, Gehlot said.
"Small districts lead to effective administration, management, and control over law and order gets easy. Various states in the country have been ahead in forming new districts. So, there was a demand within the state to make new districts," he said.
The new districts are Anoopgarh, which was part of Ganganagar; Balotra (Barmer); Beawar (Ajmer); Kekri (Ajmer); Deeg (Bharatpur); Deedwana-Kuchaman (Nagaur); Dudu (Jaipur); Gangapur City (Sawai Madhopur); Jaipur North; Jaipur South; Jodhpur East; Jodhpur West; Kotputli-Behror (Jaipur-Alwar); Khertal (Alwar); Neem kaThana (Sikar); Phalodi (Jodhpur); Salumber (Udaipur); Sanchore (Jalore); and Shahpura (Bhilwara).
In the past, several legislators have demanded that their towns be upgraded to districts. Congress legislator Madan Prajapat had declared to walk bare feet until the state government announced Balotra a new district.
Gehlot also announced to start the increased Rs 25 lakh package of the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme from March 30. Earlier, the package was capped at Rs 10 lakh a family.
Replying to the discussion on the budget, the chief minister said providing effective, transparent and sensitive administration is his government's commitment. The state government has implemented various public welfare schemes and to ensure these schemes reach every village and hamlet, it is required to work with full sensitivity at the district level, he said.
The chief minister also hit out at the Centre on the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) issue, saying, "The prime minister and the finance minister are opposing the OPS but it will not stop, and we will also approach the Supreme Court."
"The OPS should be implemented across the country. Why is there biases, the OPS' benefits are given to the army and the air force but not to CRPF and others," Gehlot said.
"Even the prime minister before the (Lok Sabha) polls has to take some decision on the OPS as sit-ins are taking place in many places by employees. The decision to revert to OPS by states is taken on humanitarian grounds," he said.
Slamming the Opposition BJP for terming the budget misguided, Gehlot alleged that the BJP in Rajasthan is misguiding the House and the public.
The chief minister said this is the fifth budget of the government, which had no new taxes. The budgets and schemes of the government have been appreciated by the people, he said.
He also announced a 10 per cent increase in pension of state pensioners above the age of 75 years.
"Pensioners above 80 years of age in the state get the benefit of increase in pension amount. Keeping in view the additional financial security, the government has decided to announce 10 per cent additional allowance on the basic in the pension amount to the pensioner above 75 years of age," Gehlot said.
He announced the construction of a corridor in Jaipur's Govinddev Ji Temple on the lines of Ujjain's Mahakal and said Rs 100 crore would be spent for this work.
The chief minister announced preparation of a DPR for the development of famous temples such as Pushkar, Tripura Sundari, Sanvaliyaji, Salasar, Khole ke Hanuman Mandir, Tanot Mata and Shrinathji.
The Speaker declared MLA Amin Khan as the best MLA for 2022 and Anita Bhadel as the best MLA for 2023. These MLAs will be honored on March 20.
Earlier, criticising the state budget, deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore said, "The government which is facing infighting for the last four years has presented its last budget. But this budget will not come on grounds as it is impractical, looking at polls and misguiding."
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
