The process for formation of 19 new districts in Rajasthan, which Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced in the State Assembly during the budget session on March 17, has received a fillip with the appointment of Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) to 15 of them. The OSDs will assist in the task of demarcating boundaries and inclusion of geographical areas in the districts.
The total number of districts in the country’s largest State has increased to 50 with the carving out of new districts, while three new divisions have also been created. New districts were formed ahead of this year’s Assembly election after a gap of 15 years since Pratapgarh was separated from Chittorgarh and created as a district in 2008.
The orders for sending Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers as OSDs to new districts were issued on Monday night along with the transfers of several Collectors and Principal Secretaries. The Congress government’s decision to assign OSDs, instead of Collectors, to new districts was perceived as a move to first take up the work of strengthening infrastructure in the fresh administrative units.
