The official machinery is gearing up to fix the geographical boundaries of the proposed 173 new gram panchayats in the district as stipulated by the State government to strengthen the Panchayat Raj system and decentralise power for better administration.
The Panchayat Raj Department had earlier sent proposals for upgradation of as many as 173 habitations including several thandas (tribal habitations) into gram panchayats, adhering to the specified criteria.
The district has 427 gram panchayats at present.
The boundaries of some of the existing gram panchayats are likely to be redrawn in view of the proposed new gram panchayats, sources said.
With the State government apparently keen on creation of the new gram panchayats at the earliest, the official machinery has swung into action to accomplish the task expeditiously before January 25.
There are enough indications that the State government would introduce the new Panchayat Raj Bill in the State Assembly in the first week of next month so as to strengthen the Panchayat Raj institutions and facilitate elections to the proposed new gram panchayats along with the existing ones.
The term of the existing elected bodies of the gram panchayats is scheduled to expire in August this year.
Mobilisation for election
In anticipation of the gram panchayat elections soon, the district units of the ruling TRS and the main opposition Congress have drawn up strategies to activate the grassroots-level functionaries of their parties.
