Introduction
- Definition : A division is an administrative unit that serves as a link between the districts and the state.
- Administrative Officer : The administrative head of a division is the Divisional Commissioner. That is, the highest administrative officer at the divisional level is the Divisional Commissioner.
- Start : The divisional system in Rajasthan was introduced by Chief Minister Hiralal Shastri on March 30, 1949.
- Initially (on March 30, 1949), there were a total of five divisions in Rajasthan : Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, and Udaipur.
- End : On April 24, 1962, the divisional system in Rajasthan was abolished by Chief Minister Mohanlal Sukhadia.
- Re-Start : On January 26, 1987, Chief Minister Haridev Joshi reintroduced the divisional system in Rajasthan, with Ajmer becoming the sixth division.
- On June 4, 2005, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje made Bharatpur the seventh division.
- On August 7, 2023, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot created three new divisions (Banswara, Pali, and Sikar) based on the recommendations of the Ramlubhaya Committee.
- On December 28, 2024, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma repealed the three new divisions (Banswara, Pali, and Sikar) created by the previous government (Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot) based on the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Lalit K. Panwar Committee).
- Currently, there are a total of seven divisions in Rajasthan.
History
| Duration | Number of Divisions | Name of Divisions |
|---|---|---|
| 30 March, 1949 To 23 April, 1962 | 5 | Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur |
| 24 March, 1962 To 25 January, 1987 | Divisional system abolished | |
| 26 January, 1987 To 3 June, 2005 | 6 (5 + 1) | Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur + (Ajmer) |
| 4 June, 2005 To 6 August, 2023 | 7 (6 + 1) | Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer + (Bharatpur) |
| 7 August, 2023 To 27 December, 2024 | 10 (7 + 3) | Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer, Bharatpur + (Banswara, Pali, Sikar) |
| 28 December, 2024 to present | 7 (10 – 3) | Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer, Bharatpur – (Banswara, Pali, Sikar) |
Re-organization
Committees formed for reorganization:-
| S. No. | Name of the Committee | Formation | Chairman | Chief Minister |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ramlubhaya Committee | 21 March, 2022 | Shri Ramlubhaya (Retired IAS) | Shri Ashok Gehlot |
| 2 | Lalit K. Pawar Committee | 28 June, 2024 | Shri Lalit K. Panwar | Shri Bhajanlal Sharma |
1. Ramlubhaya Committee
- Formed : March 21, 2022
- Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the reorganization of new divisions and districts in the 2022-23 Budget, under which this high-level District Reorganization Committee was formed.
- Chairman : Shri Ramlubhaya (Retired IAS Officer)
- Chief Minister : Shri Ashok Gehlot (Congress Party)
- Objective : To recommend the reorganization of divisions and districts in Rajasthan.
- Recommendation : This committee recommended the creation of 3 divisions and 19 new districts.
- On the recommendation of this committee, the Rajasthan (Ashok Gehlot) government—
- On March 17, 2023, the reorganization of 3 divisions and 19 new districts was announced for the first time in the 2023-24 Budget.
- On August 5, 2023, a notification was issued for the reorganization of 3 divisions and 19 new districts.
- On August 6, 2023, a notification was published regarding the reorganization of 3 divisions and 19 new districts.
- On August 7, 2023, the reorganization of 3 divisions and 19 new districts was implemented.
- After this, the number of divisions in Rajasthan increased from 7 to 10 and the number of districts increased from 33 to 50.
List of latest divisions formed on the recommendation of this committee
| S. No. | Division | Formation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Banswara | 7 August, 2023 |
| 2 | Pali | 〃 |
| 3 | Sikar | 〃 |
2. Lalit K. Pawar Committee
- Formed : June 28, 2024
- Term : June 28, 2024, to August 31, 2024
- Chairman : Mr. Lalit K. Panwar
- Served as JDA and Tourism Secretary during Vasundhara Raje’s first term.
- Served as RPSC Chairman during Vasundhara Raje’s second term.
- Chief Minister : Shri Bhajanlal Sharma (Bharatiya Janata Party)
- Objective : To review the 3 divisions and 19 new districts created during former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s tenure and make recommendations to the Cabinet Sub-Committee.
- This committee submitted its report to the Cabinet Sub-Committee.
Cabinet Sub-Committee:- :-
- Chairman : Madan Dilawar (The previous chairman of the committee was Dr. Premchand Bairwa.)
- Other members :-
- Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Industry Minister, Government of Rajasthan)
- Kanhaiyalal Choudhary (PHED Minister, Government of Rajasthan)
- Hemant Meena (Revenue Minister, Government of Rajasthan)
- Suresh Singh Rawat (Water Resources Minister, Government of Rajasthan)
- Based on the recommendations of this committee, the Rajasthan government (Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma) abolished 3 new divisions on December 28, 2024. A notification was issued on December 29, 2024. These are as follows:
List of divisions abolished on the recommendation of this committee
| S. No. | Division | Formation | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Banswara | 7 August, 2023 | 28 December, 2024 |
| 2 | Pali | 〃 | 〃 |
| 3 | Sikar | 〃 | 〃 |
Formation of Divisions
| S. No. | Divison | Formation | Chief Minister |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bikaner | 30 March, 1949 | Hiralal Shastri |
| 2 | Jaipur | 〃 | 〃 |
| 3 | Jodhpur | 〃 | 〃 |
| 4 | Kota | 〃 | 〃 |
| 5 | Udaipur | 〃 | 〃 |
| 6 | Ajmer | 26 January, 1987 | Haridev Joshi |
| 7 | Bharatpur | 4 June, 2005 | Vasundhara Raje |
| 8 | Banswara (Currently cancelled) | 7 August, 2023 | Ashok Gehlot |
| 9 | Pali (Currently cancelled) | 〃 | 〃 |
| 10 | Sikar (Currently cancelled) | 〃 | 〃 |
Current Divisions of Rajasthan
At present there are a total of 7 divisions and 41 districts in Rajasthan, which are as follows:
| S. No. | Division | Headquarter | Districts Included | Features | |
| S. No. | District | ||||
| 1 | Bikaner | Bikaner | 1 | Bikaner | 𑇐 There has been no change in this division after the reorganization. 𑇐 In terms of area, it is the second largest division of Rajasthan. 𑇐 In terms of population, it is the third smallest division of Rajasthan. |
| 2 | Sri Ganganagar | ||||
| 3 | Hanumangarh | ||||
| 4 | Churu | ||||
| 2 | Kota | Kota | 1 | Kota | 𑇐 There has been no change in this division after the reorganization. 𑇐 In terms of area, it is the second smallest division of Rajasthan. 𑇐 In terms of population, it is the smallest division of Rajasthan. |
| 2 | Bundi | ||||
| 3 | Baran | ||||
| 4 | Jhalawar | ||||
| 3 | Bharatpur | Bharatpur | 1 | Bharatpur | 𑇐 In terms of area, it is the smallest division of Rajasthan. 𑇐 In terms of population, it is the second smallest division of Rajasthan. |
| 2 | Deeg (New) | ||||
| 3 | Dholpur | ||||
| 4 | Karauli | ||||
| 5 | Sawai Madhopur | ||||
| 4 | Ajmer | Ajmer | 1 | Ajmer | 𑇐 This is the only division of Rajasthan which shares its border with all the divisions (6) of Rajasthan. |
| 2 | Nagaur | ||||
| 3 | Tonk | ||||
| 4 | Bhilwara | ||||
| 5 | Didwana-Kuchaman (new) | ||||
| 6 | Beawar (new) | ||||
| 5 | Jaipur | Jaipur | 1 | Jaipur | 𑇐 In terms of population, this is the largest division of Rajasthan. |
| 2 | Dausa | ||||
| 3 | Alwar | ||||
| 4 | Sikar | ||||
| 5 | Jhunjhunu | ||||
| 6 | Khairthal-Tijara (new) (The proposed name of Khairthal-Tijara is Bhartrihari Nagar.) | ||||
| 7 | Kotputli-Behror (new) | ||||
| 6 | Udaipur | Udaipur | 1 | Udaipur | |
| 2 | Chittorgarh | ||||
| 3 | Banswara | ||||
| 4 | Rajsamand | ||||
| 5 | Dungarpur | ||||
| 6 | Pratapgarh | ||||
| 7 | Salumber (New) | ||||
| 7 | Jodhpur | Jodhpur | 1 | Jodhpur | 𑇐 This is the division with the most districts in Rajasthan. 𑇐 In terms of area, this is the largest division of Rajasthan. 𑇐 In terms of population, this is the second largest division of Rajasthan. |
| 2 | Pali | ||||
| 3 | Jaisalmer | ||||
| 4 | Barmer | ||||
| 5 | Jalore | ||||
| 6 | Sirohi | ||||
| 7 | Balotra (new) | ||||
| 8 | Phalodi (new) | ||||
| Total | 7 | 41 | |||