Now, the State Government reportedly has started home work to identify the large panchayats which warrant division, taking their geographical spread, administrative convenience and population into account.
According to information available, a meeting of Panchayat level officers was held at Chhatrapur Block on Saturday in which 22 block Panchayat officers were present to discuss a strategy for the proposed division of existing large panchayats. The meeting reportedly decided to create more 50 new pachayats.
It is also learnt that for division of large panchayats, committees have been formed both at district and block level to examine the proposed division threadbare. While the Government has kept BDO, Tehsildar, CDPO and GPO as members in the Block-level committees, in the district level committee, the district Collector, Additional Collector, DRDA-PD, Sub-Collector, District Welfare Officer and District Panchayat Officer are inducted as members.
According to the guidelines framed, the block level committee will send its proposal and recommendation to the district level committee for finalisation after which the block level committee will send the same to the Panchayat Raj Department for final approval, sources said.
Only those Panchayats having a population of more than 10,000 only will be considered for division on the condition that revenue villages do not sustain loss.
According to information, division of Sundarpur and Chamakhandi panchayats under Chatrapur Block are almost certain, as the population of Sundarpur panchayat reached 12,000 and population of Chamakhandi crossed 11,000 respectively.
Former Ganjam Block Chairman and BJP leader Surath Pahan described the division of the existing Panchayats in Chhatrapur Block as sheer eyewash and political gimmick. When the BJD in its election manifesto had promised to divide panchayats having more than 1,000 population, why the Government is now considering the formation of new panchayats by dividing those existing Panchayats having 10,000 population, Pahan questioned.
He demanded that the Government should also include large panchayats like Sanaramachandrapur, Poirasi, Aliabad, Malad and Ramagada, etc in the proposal for division.