Delhi govt approves reorganisation of 11 revenue districts into 13

In a significant move aimed at making governance simpler and citizen-centric in the national capital,  the Delhi government has approved the reorganisation of the existing 11 revenue districts into 13 new districts.

The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday.

For many years, the boundaries of revenue districts did not align with those of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, NDMC, and Delhi Cantonment Board, repeatedly causing delays in service delivery, difficulties in land record management, and inconsistencies across departmental jurisdictions, said an official statement.

After the reorganisation, the boundaries of all 13 districts will fully align with those of the MCD, NDMC, and the Delhi Cantonment Board, bringing clarity to governance and improving inter-departmental coordination, it said.

The gazette notification will be issued within 15 days with the government looking to operationalise the new districts by the end of this month.

The move is being considered a significant reform towards making governance simpler, more transparent, and better coordinated.

"Any previous government had not addressed this long-pending decision to strengthen Delhi's administrative framework. Our government has achieved this objective in just 10 months," Gupta said.

The chief minister said that the district administration is the backbone of any governance system and the closest interface between the government and citizens.

Considering Delhi's rapidly growing population, urban expansion, and increasing complexity of civic services, it has become essential to make the district administration more organised, effective, and accountable, she said.

Gupta added that in a metropolis like Delhi, smaller, balanced, and administratively empowered districts are necessary for improved coordination of services, faster grievance redressal, and effective monitoring.

"With this objective, the number of districts is being increased from 11 to 13," she said.

She termed the decision as a "historic" step towards adapting Delhi's administrative system to the requirements of the 21st century.

Under the new structure, the number of districts will increase from 11 to 13 and sub-divisions from 33 to 39, helping balance the workload of officials and deliver services to citizens more quickly.

The chief minister also announced that the Delhi government will establish modern, multi-departmental 'Mini Secretariats' in all 13 districts, where citizens will be able to access numerous services such as revenue offices, SDM and ADM offices, and sub-registrar offices at a single location.

To make property registration smoother and more transparent, the number of sub-registrar offices is being increased from 22 to 39, with jurisdictions fully aligned with sub-division boundaries. This will speed up land record management and digitisation, and reduce the need for citizens to travel long distances, the statement said.

According to Gupta, the new district structure will ensure better access to services, governance closer to citizens, faster grievance redressal, reduced burden on officials, clarity regarding administrative jurisdiction, and improved coordination between the Revenue Department, Municipal Corporation, and other agencies.

It will also strengthen urban planning, disaster management, and land record management, she said.