Districts of Rajasthan : Introduction, History, Formation, Current Districts and Features

Introduction

• Administrative Head : The administrative head of a district is the District Collector. That is, the highest administrative officer at the district level is the District Collector.
• At the time of independence on August 15, 1947, Rajasthan consisted of 19 princely states, 3 Thikanas (Chiefship), and 1 Union Territory.
  • Princely States (19) : Mewar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli, Dholpur, Kota, Bundi, Dungarpur, Banswara, Pratapgarh, Tonk, Kishangarh, Shahpura, Sirohi, Jaisalmer, and Jhalawar
  • Thikanas (Chiefship) (3) : Neemrana, Kushalgarh, and Lava
  • Union Territory (1) : Ajmer-Merwara
• At the time of Rajasthan’s formation in 1949, there were a total of 5 divisions and 25 districts. For example:
  • Divisions (5) : Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur
  • Districts (25) : Alwar, Banswara, Barmer, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Churu, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Kota, Nagaur, Pali, Sawai Madhopur, Sikar, Sirohi, Sri Ganganagar, Tonk, Udaipur
• On November 1, 1956, the final phase of Rajasthan unification was completed, and at this time, Chief Minister Mohanlal Sukhadia created Ajmer as the 26^th district and included it in the Jaipur division.
• On April 15, 1982, Chief Minister Shiv Charan Mathur created Dholpur as the 27^th district.
• On April 10, 1991, Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat created three districts simultaneously (Baran, Dausa, and Rajsamand).
• On July 12, 1994, Hanumangarh was made the 31^st district by Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
• On July 19, 1997, Karauli was made the 32^nd district by Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
• On January 26, 2008, Pratapgarh was made the 33^rd district by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
• On August 7, 2023, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot created 19 districts simultaneously.
• On December 28, 2024, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma abolished 11 of the 19 newly created districts.
• Currently, Rajasthan has a total of 7 divisions and 41 districts.

History

Reorganization of districts

Committees formed for the reorganization of districts :-

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 (Indian National Congress)
• Objective : To recommend the reorganization of divisions and districts in Rajasthan.
• Recommendation : This committee recommended the creation of three 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 came into effect.
• After this, the number of divisions in Rajasthan increased from 7 to 10, and the number of districts increased from 33 to 50.
• 50 districts (33 + 19 = 52 – Jaipur, Jodhpur = 50)

List of latest districts formed on the recommendation of this committee

List of latest divisions formed on the recommendation of this committee

Note :- The previous government (Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot) announced the creation of 3 new districts Malpura, Sujangarh, Kuchaman just before the Code of Conduct which was repealed by the present government (Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma) on 20 June 2024.

2. Lalit K. Pawar Committee

• Formed : June 28, 2024
• Term : June 28, 2024, to August 31, 2024
• Chairman : Shri 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 three 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 :
  1. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Industry Minister, Government of Rajasthan)
  2. Kanhaiyalal Choudhary (PHED Minister, Government of Rajasthan)
  3. Hemant Meena (Revenue Minister, Government of Rajasthan)
  4. Suresh Singh Rawat (Water Resources Minister, Government of Rajasthan)
• Chief Minister : Shri Bhajanlal Sharma (Bharatiya Janata Party)
• On the recommendation of this committee, on December 28, 2024, the Rajasthan government (Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma) abolished 3 divisions and created 11 new districts. These are as follows:

List of districts abolished on the recommendation of this committee

List of divisions abolished on the recommendation of this committee

Current Districts

Currently, there are a total of 41 districts in Rajasthan, which are as follows :