Chhattisgarh adds two more districts

The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh inaugurated the newly formed districts ‘Sakti ‘and ‘Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur’ which now counted the No. of districts in the State to 33.

The State Profile

• According to the 2011 Census, there were 593 districts in the country.
• The Census results showed that between 2001-2011, as many as 46 districts were created by States.
• There are currently there are 718 districts in the country.

Chhattisgarh as a State:

• Chhattisgarh, formed on 1 November 2000, by partitioning 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking south-eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh, is the 10th largest state in the country.
• It is the 17th most-populated state in India.
  
  

How are new districts carved?

• The power to create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts rests with the State governments. This can either be done through an executive order or by passing a law in the State Assembly.
• Many States prefer the executive route by simply issuing a notification in the official gazette.

Does the Central government have a role to play here?

• The Centre has no role to play in the alteration of districts or creation of new ones.
• States are free to decide. The Home Ministry comes into the picture when a State wants to change the name of a district or a railway station.
• The State government’s request is sent to other departments and agencies such as the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Intelligence Bureau, Department of Posts, Geographical Survey of India Sciences and the Railway Ministry seeking clearance.
• A no-objection certificate may be issued after examining their replies.