Telangana- Administrative Experiment

Telangana now has 31 districts from previously 10 districts.

• During 2014 elections, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti had promised creation of 14 new districts.But to evolve a new model of administration the state has come up with the following additions.
  • 21 new districts
  • 25 additional revenue divisions
  • 125 new mandals
  • 4 new police Commissionerates
  • 23 new police subdivisions
  • 28 new circles
  • 91 more police stations

The idea was to break down the existing districts into smaller ones – each with a population of not more than four lakh. This way, the district collectors, who manage the district administration, will be able to serve the people better.

Small units ,Pros

• Facilitate better monitoring of beneficiaries of various government schemes like housing schemes, pensions, education and others.
• Provides more even distribution of resources. The population division on various criteria is known and thus funds are dispersed as per requirement.
• Local inputs into framing of development work. A bottom-up approach to development that allows local stakeholders greater say in decision-making on issues directly affecting their lives.
• The emerging small units will help police in improving relationship with people. Small units make police accessible to people easily.
•  will boost development and take administration closer to the people.

Small units ,Cons

• Increased costs due of creation of additional administrative infrastructure, transfer of personnel, and replication of paperwork.
• Initially, existing staff is redeployed and existing buildings are utilised for administrative purposes which creates pressure on human resources as well as assets
• In the era of e governance, the focus should be on increasing the digital connectivity rather than  focussing  on physical proximity.
• Telangana government has sanctioned Rs. 1 crore for each district for initial arrangements, which is very meagre.
• Increasing bureaucratic work at the village level will not automatically lead to better governance outcomes.It may lead to red tapism and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Thus, not all are buying the reasoning of better administration for creation of such small districts in Telangana. It is said that the formation of districts is more of political decision than administrative one. The agitation in Jangaon, Sircilla and Gadwal areas of Telangana changed the existing decision of creating 17 new districts to 21 new districts.

Suggestions and cautions:

• Small districts, like small states, can certainly prove to be good models of governance, but without proper planning and preparation, this new experiment stands exposed to vulnerabilities.
• The role of district collectors, police, judiciary and their efficiency will be known as they have smaller areas to govern. How fast the state government can appoint these government functionaries to begin administration of district remains to be seen.
• A new case study will be available on the subject of ‘Smaller Units as medium to better governance- Reality or Myth’ And other states can take a lesson.