Formation of 84 New Panchayats Begins in Himachal Pradesh; Objections and Suggestions Invited
The process to form 84 new panchayats in Himachal Pradesh has begun. The state government has issued a notification inviting objections and suggestions from the public within three days. Earlier, 39 new panchayats were formed on Friday. If no objections are received regarding the 84 panchayats, the total number of panchayats in the state will rise to 3,704 from 3,577.
According to the Panchayati Raj Department, each panchayat will now have a population of 1,200 to 1,500. Panchayats being split to form new ones previously had populations between 3,000 and 5,000. Deputy Commissioners and Block Development Officers have been instructed to gather local feedback on the proposed boundaries and names of the new panchayats.
The government decided to form smaller panchayats considering uneven population, geographical conditions, and administrative convenience. Large panchayats had caused delays in extending development schemes to remote villages, prompting the creation of smaller units for more effective governance.
The district-wise number of new panchayats is as follows:
- Chamba – 6
- Kangra – 20
- Shimla – 11
- Una – 6
- Sirmaur – 8
- Solan – 12
- Hamirpur – 7
- Kullu – 4
- Mandi – 5
- Kinnaur – 2
- Bilaspur – 2
- Lahaul-Spiti – 1
The Panchayati Raj Department has also begun the delimitation of wards and preparation of the reservation roster in the new panchayats. Internal reorganization of affected panchayats is underway to ensure balanced representation and smoother administrative functioning.
Panchayati Raj Minister Aniruddh Singh said that there has long been a demand for new panchayats in rural areas. The government has taken a practical decision to make limited changes for now. Attention is now on the reservation list and the announcement of the upcoming election schedule.
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