Shimla, October 14:
The Himachal Pradesh government has constituted a commission to examine the reorganisation of administrative units across the state, including the creation, merger and bifurcation of districts, subdivisions, tehsils and other administrative units.
According to a notification issued by the General Administration Department on October 14, the commission will assess the existing administrative structure and recommend changes aimed at improving administrative efficiency and public convenience.
The commission will be chaired by Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary (retd), former judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Advocate Vishal Panwar and retired Indian Forest Service officer Rajesh Sharma have been appointed as members. The Director of Land Records, Himachal Pradesh, will serve as the member secretary.
The commission will examine the need for creating, merging, bifurcating or reorganising administrative units based on population, geographical conditions, accessibility, administrative efficiency and public convenience. It will also consult stakeholders, public representatives and concerned government departments before making its recommendations.
Assessing the financial implications of creating new administrative units will be another key part of the commission’s mandate. It will estimate the infrastructure and manpower costs involved and suggest ways to streamline existing offices without increasing the state’s fiscal burden.
The commission has been given six months from the date of notification to submit its final report, along with specific recommendations, to the state government. Its headquarters will be in Shimla.
The Department of Revenue and the respective deputy commissioners will provide the commission with secretarial assistance, official records and demographic data. The General Administration Department will arrange office accommodation, ministerial staff, vehicles and other logistical support.
Administrative secretaries of the Revenue, Finance, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Forest, Public Works, Jal Shakti and General Administration departments will be invited to participate as special invitees, as required, to facilitate inter-departmental coordination and provide expert inputs.
The notification was issued by order of the Governor of Himachal Pradesh and signed by Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant.
