Gujarat Cabinet approves 17 new talukas, forms 34th Vav-Tharad district

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday chaired a State Cabinet meeting that took a major step towards administrative decentralization and public welfare. In a landmark decision, the Cabinet approved the creation of 17 new talukas across Gujarat, raising the total number of talukas in the state to 265. The formation of the new Vav-Tharad district from Banaskantha was also approved, with Tharad designated as the district headquarters.
Addressing the significance of the decision, State Government Spokesperson Minister Rushikesh Patel said the move aligns with the government’s ongoing efforts to simplify administration and improve accessibility for citizens, following the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The creation of new talukas will bring district and taluka offices closer to residents, particularly benefiting those in remote villages by saving time, energy, and travel costs. The new taluka headquarters will also provide enhanced social, economic, health, and educational facilities.According to information,the Vav-Tharad district will comprise six talukas of the present Banaskantha district – Vav, Tharad, Suigam, Bhabhar, Diyodar, and Lakhni – providing a more localized administrative structure for the region.

Rushikesh Patel highlighted that the formation of 17 new talukas is the largest since 2013, when 23 new talukas were created under the ATVT (Apno Taluko Vibrant Taluko) vision initiated by Prime Minister Modi as Gujarat’s Chief Minister. “Under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s leadership, the government is taking forward the ATVT idea with a strong public-centric approach,” he said.
The spokesperson also noted that the newly created taluka headquarters will be developed under the Mukhyamantri Gramothhan Yojana, following urban development norms. This initiative will ensure that emerging talukas transform into developed administrative centers, in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047 and Viksit Gujarat @ 2047. With these new talukas, the number of developing talukas in the state will increase by ten, and they will receive grants earmarked for development.Rushikesh Patel added that along with administrative restructuring, grants for developmental works will also rise, further strengthening Gujarat’s talukas as models of growth and governance. An official notification for the creation of the new talukas will be issued shortly.

(State Correspondent)