Gandhinagar, Aug 1 (IANS) The Gujarat government has merged two key taluka-level planning bodies into a single 18-member Unified Taluka Planning Committee (UTPC), a move aimed at easing decentralised development planning, reducing administrative delays and improving coordination in the implementation of welfare schemes and infrastructure projects across the state’s rural areas.
The decision, announced on Saturday, follows recommendations made by the Gujarat Administrative Reforms Commission (GARC) in its Fourth Report submitted in August 2025.
The new committee replaces the existing Taluka Planning Committee and the Aapno Taluko–Vibrant Taluko (ATVT) Taluka Executive Planning Committees under the Decentralised District Planning Programme.
According to the state government, the commission found that multiple taluka-level committees were separately handling decentralised planning programmes, including the Taluka Planning Committee, the ATVT Executive Planning Committee and the Taluka Panchayat Planning Committee.
It observed that overlapping responsibilities resulted in duplication of work, lengthy administrative procedures and repeated discussions involving many of the same members, delaying decisions and the execution of development projects.
To address these issues, GARC recommended establishing a single unified institution at the taluka level to oversee decisions relating to all decentralised planning programmes.
Under the new arrangement, every taluka will have a Unified Taluka Planning Committee responsible for identifying local development priorities, preparing integrated plans under the Decentralised District Planning Programme and regularly reviewing the progress of development works.
Officials said the unified structure is expected to improve coordination among departments, reduce procedural delays and accelerate the implementation of welfare schemes and development projects.
It will also strengthen planning in sectors including education, healthcare, drinking water, roads, agriculture, irrigation and rural development by aligning development plans more closely with local needs. The UTPC will comprise 18 members.
The President of the Taluka Panchayat will serve as the chairperson, while the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) will be the co-chairperson and the Taluka Development Officer (TDO) will act as the member secretary.
The committee will also include the area’s Member of Parliament, Member of the Legislative Assembly, District Panchayat members and chairpersons of the Social Justice Committee.
Officials from the Health, Education, Irrigation, Roads and Buildings, and Agriculture departments will also be members.
The government also said the Unified Taluka Planning Committee is expected to strengthen transparency, monitoring and accountability in the implementation of development schemes while allowing faster decision-making at the taluka level.
–IANS
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