228 new panchayats likely to get nod
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister has approved the criteria for creation of new panchayats for non-tribal and tribal areas. Council of Ministers in its meeting held on 11th August, 2020 authorised Chief Minister for approval of criteria for creation of new panchayats.
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar said that in non-tribal areas new gram panchayats from those existing gram panchayats will be created, total population of which as per 2011 census is equal to and more than 2000, number of household equal to and more than 500, number of villages equal to and more than five and distance of the farthest village from the existing headquarter of the gram sabha is equal to and more than five km subject to the condition that minimum resultant population of the existing and newly proposed gram panchayat before and after bifurcation is minimum 600.
These criteria will also be applicable for backward areas. Similarly, in tribal areas new gram panchayats from those existing gram panchayats will be created, total population of which is equal to and more than 750, subject to the condition that minimum resultant population of the existing and newly proposed gram panchayat before and after bifurcation is minimum 300.
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister informed that more than 470 proposals have been received in the department which are being examined on above criteria and new panchayats will be created from those panchayats which will fulfil the criteria.
The draft notification in this regard will be issued on which residents of the concerned gram sabha can file objections before the concerned Deputy Commissioner within the period of seven days and the Deputy Commissioners will decide the same within the three days and send their recommendations to the Department enabling the State Government to issue final notification.
Virender Kanwar said that about 220 gram-panchayats in the non-tribal areas and 8 gram-panchayat in the tribal are falling under the approved criteria. Meaning thereby there is possibility of creation of 228 new gram panchayats in the state.
