JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has announced the formation of 19 new districts in the state, He also declared three new divisions viz. Sikar, Pali and Banswara, earmarking Rs 2,000 crore for development of infrastructure for them.
The Chief Minister made the announcement in the Rajasthan assembly, which also passed the 2023-24 Budget with a voice vote.
By announcing such a large number of districts simultaneously, the Congress leader also intended to limit the influence of anti-incumbency. Before the elections, resentment might have grown from other locations if fewer districts had been announced.
The ruling party made an effort to balance public demand by announcing the divisions of Pali, Sikar, and Banswara in order to provide relief to the districts where demand was increasing due to the great distance from the division headquarters.
The CM also ensured that the BJP's temple agenda would get snatched. The BJP has been accusing the Congress government of "breaking" temples, banning processions on the day of Ram Navami. To counteract such allegations, the CM has made many announcements for the development of major temples of the state and to strengthen religious tourism in state.
He announced the preparation of a DPR for the development of the Govind Devji temple in Jaipur, as well as the development of the Salasar, Tripurasundari, Karnaimata, Kailadevi, Mehandipur Balaji, Ramdevra, Khole ke Hanuman, Veer Tejaji, and Sanwaliya temples. He also disclosed plans to spend Rs 100 crore on Beneshwar Dham.
The declaration to set up the Pushkar Development Authority for the development of Tirtharaj Pushkar also responds to the accusations made by the bJP. By concentrating on the development of religious places, Gehlot has in a sense attempted to deflect attention from the BJP issue.
Prior to the elections, Gehlot is particularly interested in social engineering. He announced the creation of the Veer Tejaji Board, an effort to aid the Jat community, in order to aid castes.
Vasundhara Raje, a former chief minister, said: "The Congress government's latest promises are only an effort to further its own vested political interests. They have jeopardised Rajasthan's entire economic structure in this endeavour. Which will need the state's residents and the state in subsequent years to bear the costs.
By establishing new districts, several crucial facts were disregarded. Because of this, the public would experience administrative challenges rather than the ease that would come with the creation of new districts." She continued, "It is sad that the Chief Minister tried to politicise the budget without taking into account the worrisome budgetary statistics of the state.
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