JOIN USThe Congress government has decided to go ahead with a proposal made by the previous BJP dispensation to carve out 43 new taluks in the State.
Revenue Minister V Srinivasa Prasad told reporters here that the government was not averse to creating new taluks, but wanted to ensure that adequate infrastructure facilities and other logistics are in place before taking a final decision.
Prasad said the government would likely make an announcement on the new taluks in the State budget to be presented next month.
The 43 new taluks will take the total number of taluks in the State to 220. When the BJP made the proposal last year, the Congress had dubbed it an election strategy, but it has now made a U-turn, apparently with an eye on the Lok Sabha elections.
The minister said Rs five crore would be required to form a new taluk. In addition to the proposed 43 taluks, the government had received several more representations from various parts of the State. A final decision on the new taluks would be taken in consultation with the chief minister and the availability of financial resources, he said.The government has sought Rs 700 crore from the 14th Finance Commission for improving facilities in district and taluk headquarters.
As a policy, Prasad said, the government had decided to utilise recovered land only for public purposes. These lands will not be auctioned.
Besides, the government was taking steps to recover encroached government land as specified in the reports of the joint legislature committee headed by A T Ramaswamy and the one submitted by former additional chief secretary V Balasubramaian. Principal secretaries of the departments of Revenue, Forest, Urban Development had been entrusted with the responsibility of clearing encroachments.
Relief work
Replying to queries, the minister said the State government had released Rs 200 crore to take up relief work in the 98 drought-affected taluks in the State.
The Centre had released Rs 68 crore in two instalments. Priority would be given to drinking water supply and providing animal shelters. Adequate funds had been provided to deputy commissioners to take up relief measures on a war footing, he said.