AP Plans Zilla Parishads for New Districts

The state government is examining a proposal to constitute Zilla Parishads for the new districts ahead of the local body elections, as the tenure of the present elected bodies ends by this month.

The move is aimed at aligning the Zilla Parishad administration with the current district boundaries following the reorganisation of districts.

At present, Zilla Parishad territorial constituency (ZPTC) members continue to function under the erstwhile undivided districts and attend meetings at the old district headquarters. For instance, the Anantapur ZP serves both Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts, while the Kurnool ZP includes members from Nandyal district.

The tenure of the present ZPTC members ends by August. Sources said the government was examining the possibility of constituting new ZPs in the newly created districts before the local body elections.

As part of the exercise, the government would hold discussions with the CEOs of all Zilla Parishads to assess the administrative and procedural requirements for setting up the new bodies.

Officials are likely to discuss the jurisdiction of the new Zilla Parishads, division of ZPTC constituencies, administrative arrangements and transfer of assets and responsibilities from the existing Zilla Parishads.

Following creation of the new districts, existing Zilla Parishads continued to function largely on the basis of the erstwhile district structure. Collectors and other senior officials of the newly formed districts are also attending meetings of the ZPs of the undivided districts.

The proposed restructuring would bring local governance institutions in line with the new district boundaries. The number of ZPs could increase substantially following the exercise.