Maharashtra govt ready with Thane district bifurcation plan

The Maharashtra government is ready with a plan to bifurcate Thane district into two collectorate administered regions. The state will announce the plan once the Union government-appointed delimitation committee lifts its August 2003 stay imposed on such bifurcations.

In 1995, Dhulia and Bhandara districts were bifurcated, followed by Akola and Hingoli in 1999. After Thane, Nashik and Ahmednagar districts will follow suit.

Districts like Amravati, Chandarapur, Nagar and Beed have been clamouring for a similar division of their respective regions to ensure better administration.

The creation of a new district entails a minimum cost of Rs 100 crore, mostly required for acquiring land for setting up a new collectorate comprising 60 state government administered offices such as the zilla parishad, district registered cooperative society, superintendent of agriculture, horticulture and joint director of stamps and registration.

In 1994, the Maharashtra government accorded in-principle clearance for the bifurcation of seven districts "" Dhulia, Bhandara, Akola, Hingoli, Thane, Nashik and Ahmednagar.

The spliting of Thane ran into trouble when the Union government-appointed delimitation commission (for reogranising state legislature constituencies on the basis of the 2001 census) imposed a stay on further bifurcations in August 2003.

A senior government revenue department official said: "The procedure for carving out two distinct districts out of Thane is completed. Once the Union government lifts its ban on all district bifurcations, we would announce the bifurcation of Thane in a week's time. At least Rs 100 crore is required to be spent for setting up a new collectorate, once the new district's head quarters is identified."

The demand for Thane's bifurcation found favour in the absence of a concentration on the backward portions of the regions, mostly inhabited by tribals.

"Scores of malnutrition deaths among tribal infants, instances of widespread deforestation and a lack of penetration by government schemes aimed at tribals formed the basis for the bifurcation demand. Administration (or the lack of administration) was the main reasoning for carving out a smaller district concentrating on the backward regions of Thane," the official said.

"The consultation process initiated by the delimitation commission with political parties has ended. Consultations were also held with the Election Commission officials and the census of 2001 (instead of the earlier 1991 reference) is complete. The commission's nod for the bifurcation plan is awaited. Thereafter, a week's time is needed to officially announce the bifurcation, while at least another year and a half will be required to set up the around 60 offices for the new collector to administrate," he adds.