RAS question
How many new Gram Panchayats were formed in Rajasthan after the 2019 re-delimitation?
Correct answer: (A) Increased by 1,452 new GPs.
Rajasthan formed 1,452 new Gram Panchayats after the 2019 re-delimitation.
Explanation
The 2019 re-delimitation increased Rajasthan's Gram Panchayat count by 1,452. The Rajasthan Economic Review records this as 1,452 newly formed GPs in 2019, while also noting that four Gram Panchayats out of 1,456 newly formed GPs were later declared municipalities. That is why the exam answer uses the net figure of 1,452 new Gram Panchayats rather than 1,456. This matters because re-delimitation changes the lowest tier of Panchayati Raj administration: more Gram Panchayats mean more local offices, land allotments and building sanctions to operationalise the new units.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) The cited review describes newly formed Gram Panchayats in 2019, so the number did not decrease.
- (C) The official figure supported by the review is 1,452 newly formed Gram Panchayats, not a rounded figure of 1,000.
- (D) There was a change because the review records newly formed Gram Panchayats after the 2019 exercise.
Concept
This tests the Panchayati Raj and local administration portion of the RAS syllabus. It recurs because Gram Panchayat delimitation directly affects grassroots governance, local service delivery and administrative infrastructure in Rajasthan.