Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has constituted a four-member commission to examine the reorganisation of administrative units in the state, including the possibility of creating new districts, merging existing units and carrying out bifurcations to improve administrative efficiency and public convenience.
According to a notification issued by the General Administration Department on October 14, the commission will be headed by retired Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary, former judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Advocate Vishal Panwar and retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Rajesh Sharma have been appointed as members, while the Director of the Department of Land Records will serve as the Member Secretary.
The commission has been given a tenure of six months from the date of notification and is required to submit its final report, along with specific recommendations, to the state government within this period.
Commission to Review Administrative Structure
As part of its terms of reference, the commission will examine the existing administrative structure of districts, sub-divisions, tehsils, sub-tehsils, development blocks and other departmental divisions across Himachal Pradesh.
It will assess the need for creating new administrative units, merging or bifurcating existing ones, and reorganising them based on population, geographical conditions, accessibility, administrative efficiency and public convenience.
Public Representatives and Departments to Be Consulted
The panel will consult stakeholders, public representatives and the departments concerned before making its recommendations. It will also assess the financial implications of establishing new administrative units, including the infrastructure and manpower required.
The commission will further suggest measures to optimise resources and streamline existing offices without increasing the financial burden on the state.
Headquarters in Shimla
The commission’s headquarters will be located in Shimla. The Revenue Department and the respective Deputy Commissioners will provide secretarial assistance, records and demographic data required for its work.
The General Administration Department will arrange office accommodation, ministerial staff, vehicles and other logistical support. The chairperson and members will also be entitled to admissible travel allowances, official vehicles as per entitlement, and honorarium as determined by the state government.
The commission’s recommendations are expected to help the government assess the need for changes in Himachal Pradesh’s administrative boundaries and structure.