Telangana CM hints at 4 new districts due to public, political pressure

Hyderabad: Bowing to public and political pressure, the TS government has decided to consider four new districts — Jangaon in Warangal, Sircilla in Karimnagar, Gadwal in Mahbubnagar and Asifabad in Adilabad.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao hinted adding Jangaon, Sircilla, Gadwal districts to the list of new districts in tune with public demand, taking the total number of proposed districts in the state from 27 to 30.

If Asifabad is also approved, the number of districts will go up to 31. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, who discussed reorganisation of districts with representatives of Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam, Adilabad and Hyderabad districts on Monday, constituted a high-powered committee headed by TRS secretary-general K. Kesava Rao to consider the demand of people of Jangaon, Sircilla and Gadwal.

Dr Kesava Rao will submit a report within two or three days, but the CM gave enough hints of the addition of new districts besides Revenue divisions and mandals in tune with public aspiration.

“When people of all the new districts celebrate on Dasara day why should people of Jangaon, Sircilla and Gadwal feel let down? Let the high powered committee consider their plea positively,” he said.

Sircilla is represented by municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao.
On the plea of Adilabad district MLA Kova Laxmi and ministers, the CM also asked officials to look into Asifabad district.

Four districts — Adilabad, Komrambheem Mancherial, Nirmal and now Asifabad, are being considered. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao said, “Since districts are being reorganised for administrative convenience, there is nothing wrong in having more districts, revenue divisions and mandals in the state. In the past, there was huge political interference in formation of mandals by selfish leaders.”

During meeting with Warangal leaders, there was unanimity on splitting Warangal district into Mahbubabad, Bhupalapally, Jangaon, Warangal Urban and Warangal Rural. Warangal Urban and Rural headquarters would be Warangal city.

Bowing to MIM pressure, CM decided to retain the ‘Vikarabad district’ name instead of proposed Anantagiri, Kothagudem will be called Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Mahbubabad’s name will be retained, while Sircilla will be Rajanna district after the famous Vemulawada Raja Rajeswaraswamy temple.

With the new changes, the existing Warangal district will be split into five districts, Karimnagar and Mahbubnagar four each, Medak, Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda and Adilabad into three districts each, Nizamabad and Khammam into two each.

On the occasion, the CM said that though governments in the country and the state had in the past launched several welfare schemes, they failed to eradicate poverty.

Celebrations begin in Jangaon
With Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao hinting at creation of Jangaon district, celebrations have begun for the people and JAC leaders who started distributing sweets, dancing on the roads, bursting crackers and spraying colours into the air.
They thanked the CM for understanding their aspirations.

Jangaon JAC Chairman A. Dashmanth Reddy said that the people's efforts have bore fruit. “I am very thankful to the students, lawyers, teachers, doctors, traders and all the political party leaders who came together to make this dream come true,” he said.

As the review meeting with district leaders was scheduled for Monday, the citizens remained tense since morning. They were glued to their TV sets, anticipating positive news about Jangaon district. When the news finally came, their joy knew no bounds. This festive season gave more reasons to celebrate for the people of Jangaon.

Ever since the proposal of new districts became known, the demand for Jangaon district has been loud and clear. The people expressed their reluctance to be part of Yadadri district.  

They came out on to the roads, took part in several forms of protests, rasta rokos, bandhs and hunger strikes. Sometimes the protest also turned violent when there was no sign of the government moving towards creating Jangaon district. An RTC bus was burnt and several vehicles were damaged. Many JAC leaders were arrested. As a result, Section 144 was imposed in Jangaon division for 85 days.