Marathwada Divided

Finally Ashok Chavan has delivered that blow which each politician does at one or other point of time. He has stolen the devisional office of revenue department from Latur, which is former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh’s constituency. The new divisional commissionerate, which will be carved out of Aurangabad division will be set up at Nanded, the constituency of Chavan himself.

The entire Marathwada region comprising of Aurangabad, Latur, Nanded, Parbhani, Jalna, Usmanabad, Beed and Hingoli fell under the revenue division of Aurangabad. there was a proposal to divide the the division into two separate divisions of four districts each. The proposal was pending for many years and it was almost decided that the new division will be set up at Latur. Many divisional offices of various state government departments were set up in Latur. About 35 to 40 such offices are required for the commissonerate and 32 of them are already set up in Latur. Given the long tenure of Deshmukh, it was a forgone conclusion that the thing is decided. But lady luck smiled on Chavan before 2008 bid adieu and he found himself in the chair of chief minister.

At the time of change of guard, it was rumoured that Chavan was a prodigy of Deshmukh. But with this decision, not only has he shown that he has a existence of his own, he can take tough decisions also. On the face of it, this decision is a rational one. Given the geographical location of Latur and Nanded, it is unarguably far easier to travel to latter. Better connectivity with road and rail facility is also a plus point for it. Distiricts of Latur, Parbhani, Hingoli and Nanded will be under the new division. All three districts beside Nanded are just three hours away while it takes at least five hours to travel to Aurangabad.

As expected, the decision was welcomed wholeheartedly in Nanded but there was a violent reaction in Latur. An all party meeting was convened in Latur and a call for the district Band was given. But it does not seem to make any impact. the government machinery, including ministers and administrators, are too cunning to show their any move as a legal and valid one. If Chavan is to be believed, as he has given his reaction to the development, this decision was taken on the merit basis. His words seem to have some basis as a committee appointed for looking into the revenue division's bifuraction had recommended Nanded as the ideal place for the new commissionerate.

According to district gazeteer of Nanded, economic exploitation of available resources, initiative, co-operative efforts and financial backing will change the agrarian face of the district in a few years.