Plan to form 7 new districts in limbo

VAPI: In the run-up to 2012 assembly elections, chief minister Narendra Modi tried to woo the electorate by announcing formation of seven new districts and 22 talukas.
But five months after his Cabinet gave the nod, the much-hyped plan is in a limbo. Reason: the 10 district collectorates who were asked to send the necessary details about the geographic scope for carving out new districts or talukas have not sent the requisite information to a high-level committee headed by the chief secretary.This despite several official reminders to do so.
TOI has accessed the letters written to the district collectors seeking details of the geographical scope of the proposed talukas and districts as well as the reminder letters.
It was in January after the new government was formed that the Cabinet had given an in-principle nod for formation of the districts and talukas as announced by Modi.
The revenue department had written the letters to nearly 10 collectors in February seeking the details for restructuring of their districts after getting suggestions from elected bodies, village local officer and villagers too. They were asked to send the details within 60 days.
In May, when the department did not get requisite information, it again shot off reminders. The letters were sent to collectors of Sabarkantha, Junagadh, Ahmedabad, Kheda, Mehsana, Navsari, Valsad, Patan, Dang and Bharuch. The May 30 letter stated that if the authorities concerned could not provide the information, they should remain present in person at the revenue department.
Sources revealed that despite these reminders, the authorities' attitude has remained lackluster and most had remained absent.
When contacted, Manoj Agrawal, director of settlement and land records and member secretary of the high-level committee, declined the comment citing recent recruitment at the post.
The buzz among BJP workers in south Gujarat is that the party may try to take some more mileage and reap electoral dividends in the parliamentary polls too.