State gives nod to split Thane district

As per 2011 census, Thane, with nearly 1.1 crore residents, had emerged as India’s most populous district. It has seven municipal corporations and five municipal councils, the highest in any district in the country.

The cabinet also gave its nod for granting of Rs 465.89 crore that will be required to set up the administrative infrastructure for the new district. At present, Maharashtra has 35 districts, the newest being Gondia and Gadchiroli, which were created in 1999. There are demands to split other districts in the state as well. While senior minister Nitin Raut has mooted the proposal to create eight new districts in Vidarbha, there have been demands to split the districts of Nashik, Ahmednagar and Dhule as well.