Andhra Pradesh Government Rules Out Immediate District Reorganization

In a recent update from the Andhra Pradesh government, it has been clarified that there are no immediate plans to modify the current district configurations within the state. This confirmation came directly from Anagani Satyaprasad, the State Revenue Minister, during a session in the Legislative Council. Despite engaging in discussions and receiving multiple inquiries about district reorganization, the government, led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, remains steadfast in its decision not to pursue any changes at this time.

Satyaprasad also took a moment to critique the prior administration under the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for their approach to district reorganization, calling it unscientific and disorganized. He pointed out that these changes were made without proper debate in the state cabinet, highlighting a lack of due process in previous efforts to restructure the districts. Meanwhile, he did acknowledge ongoing considerations for new revenue divisions in Addanki and Madakasira, along with proposals for Emmiganur and Udayagiri, indicating a focused approach on enhancing administrative divisions rather than altering district boundaries.

The topic of district reorganization has been a subject of discussion within the state's political circles, particularly within the TDP politburo. In early February, there was a detailed conversation about the potential creation of new districts, driven by public demands and suggestions for additional districts to improve administrative efficiency. Despite these discussions, Chief Minister Naidu's administration has chosen a cautious path, prioritizing stability over major structural changes.

Furthermore, despite past promises to address any issues arising from the previous government's district reorganization, Chief Minister Naidu seems reluctant to make significant alterations. This includes refraining from changing district headquarters, despite requests from local communities. The previous YSRCP government's reorganization efforts, aimed at creating one district per Lok Sabha constituency, faced criticism for potentially causing instability due to future delimitations. This included the creation of specific districts like Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) and Parvatipuram-Manyam to cater to tribal constituencies, a move that experts warned against due to the dynamic nature of Lok Sabha constituency boundaries.

In essence, the Andhra Pradesh government's current stance reflects a deliberate choice to maintain the status quo regarding district organization. This decision underscores a preference for addressing administrative needs through the formation of new revenue divisions rather than undertaking comprehensive district reorganization. As the state moves forward, it seems that any structural changes to its districts will be approached with caution, taking into consideration the complexities and potential impacts of such reconfigurations on the local administrative framework and community representation.