The state government is all set to divide Thane district into two by August 15 for administrative convenience, assured revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat in the state legislative council on Friday.
The issue of division of Thane district was pending since two years. On Friday, members of legislative council — Sanjay Dutt, Muzzaffar Hussain, Bhai Jagtap and others — raised the subject during the question-hour session.
Showing keenness for the bifurcation, state government said a meeting on this will be held immediately after the session to discuss details.
For the last two years there has been a demand for the separation of Thane district owing to its large size, geographically as well as in terms of population.
Thane has seven municipal corporations and several municipal councils, which makes it difficult for people to get their issues solved quickly. Even for the state administration, functioning and daily operations are a huge task.
Members of the council, along with leader of Opposition Vinod Tawde, in the legislative council demanded to know how the district will be divided. Thorat replied the district has 56 state departments with a total of 4,300 employees which will have to be divided during the bifurcation.
State government has received proposals from the departments regarding division of employees. These proposals are pending with the finance department.
Thorat added that it has been two years since zilla parishad elections and, hence, the decision has to be taken soon so that the bifurcation happens before the term gets over.
However, Tawde brought an important issue before the legislative council and said earlier there was a demand as per which the district was expected to be divided into four parts — urban, hilly, coastal and
farm land. "How is the government planning to divide the district?" he demanded to know, adding that state government has always given assurances but has not acted on them.
Shivajirao Deshmukh, chairman of the legislative council, assured the House that the meeting on the issue will be held soon after the assembly session.
District trivia
9,558 sqkm area
15 talukas — Thane, Kalyan, Murbad, Bhiwandi, Shahapur, Vasai, Ulhasnagar, Ambernath, Dahanu, Palghar, Talasari, Jawhar, Mokhada, Vada and Vikramgad
1,10,60,148 population as per 2011 census
58,65,078 men
51,95,070 women
Thane's population is 9.84% of the state's population
1,157 people per sqkm is the density (2011)
Municipal corporations
Thane
Kalyan-Dombivli
Vasai-Virar
Navi Mumbai
Mira-Bhayander
Bhiwandi
Ulhasnagar
Municipal councils
Ambernath
Badlapur
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