Panel to submit report on GP delimitation in Sept

The demand for formation of new gram panchayats has become louder with applications pouring in before the Gram Panchayat Delimitation Committee which is touring the state to elicit public opinion.

The committee's sitting in Dharwad on Monday evoked good response from the village leaders and 47 applications were submitted. While 46 applications were for formation of new GPs, one sought a change of the headquarters of GP.

Chairman of the committee, former MLA S G Nanjayyanamath who received petitions from the public, later told reporters that the committee has been touring every district and holding meeting to hear the grievances of the rural people regarding formation of new gram panchayats and shifting of the gram panchayat headquarters.

So far, the committee has toured 14 districts and in every district an average of 12 applications to form new gram panchayats have been received. The committee has taken up this exercise following amendments to the Panchayat Raj Act wherein the government has taken a decision to form new GPs depending on the Census 2011.

He further stated that in the Malnad region, new gram panchayats would be formed in the rural areas with a population of 2,500 to 3,000, while in the semi-arid region, new gram panchayats would be formed in areas with a population of 7,000.

As Dharwad comes in Malnad region, new gram panchayats would be formed based on the 2011 Census report. He said, in Navalgund and Kalghatgi taluk, several villages are located 15 km to 20 km from the gram panchayat. Hence, the committee would identify such villages and recommend to the government to set up new gram panchayats which should not be more than five kilometres from any village.

The committee will visit Belgaum, Karwar on June 10 and June 11 respectively and Haveri on June 12. Later, it will go to Davanagere, Doddaballapur, Kolar and complete its tour by this month-end.

Replying to a query, Nanjayyanamath stated that the committee would scrutinise the applications and submit the final report to the government in the first week of September. He also stated that recently the government had introduced a bill which hiked reservation for women in GPs to 50 per cent.

To implement this bill, there is a need to form new gram panchayats and accordingly, this committee has been formed by the state government, he added.