106 new panchayats notified

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 24

In the run-up to the elections to panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) in March-April this year, the state is all set to have 106 more gram panchayats.

On the recommendations of a high-powered organisation committee, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, the Development and Panchayat Department on Wednesday notified the new panchayats, which have been carved out of the existing ones.

Sources said a maximum of 18 gram panchayats would be carved out in Yamunanagar district, followed by Karnal (10), Kurukshetra (9), Nuh (8) and Bhiwani, Panchkula and Rewari (7 each).

Earlier, the respective panchayats, through the DCs concerned, had sent the cases for the re-drawing of administrative boundaries to the committee, thus paving the way for today’s notification. The sources added that several other cases for the creation of new panchayats had been either pending or rejected for a variety of reasons. Currently, out of 6,846 villages, there are 6,222 gram panchayats in Haryana.

New panchayats can be created till March 31, though it seems remotely possible.

The electoral exercise for the delimitation of seats for the panchayats and reservation and creation of wards would be completed in the run-up to the elections. The Election Department has already updated the electoral rolls with January 1, 2021, as the eligibility date.