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Reorganisation of Districts in Telangana
The 21 new districts created in Telangana may not entail a proportional increase in the bureaucracy needed for functional district administrations. There is a case to merge departments with similar functions in order to ensure a well-functioning administrative machinery.
The Government of Telangana has formed 21 new districts taking the total number of districts in the state to 31. It is a step to take the administration closer to the people. But, formation of small district does not automatically lead to good and effective governance and quality services. The physical access not only depends on the size of the district, but also on the location of the district headquarters, the seat of the district administration, and connectivity. If the quality of the service is not improved, people may be compelled to use alternative services and traditional methods (use of middlemen, etc). People’s preference for private schools and hospitals, which might be located far away, from neighbourhood government schools and hospitals is a useful illustration. The poor’s overwhelming dependence on microfinance institutions and informal credit sources even in big towns and cities, which are packed with bank branches, is another example. Improvement in the quality of services of the district administration needs far-reaching reform. Further, a near threefold increase in the number of districts can have substantial financial implications, and may result in a significant increase in the administrative expenditure at the cost of development expenditure, unless certain major administrative changes are introduced. This article makes a few suggestions that may help realise the potential benefits of the formation of smaller and new districts.
Location of Headquarters
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