AP Govt approves three new districts, Total rises to 29

The Andhra Pradesh government has approved the creation of three new districts Markapuram, Madanapalle, and Polavaram raising the total number of districts in the state from 26 to 29. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu gave his approval on Tuesday after reviewing the Cabinet sub-committee’s report at the Secretariat. Notably, Rampachodavaram has been designated as the headquarters for the newly formed Polavaram district. In addition to the district reorganisation, the state government has sanctioned five new revenue divisions Nakkapalli in Anakapalli district, Addanki in Prakasam district, Pileru in the new Madanapalle district, Banaganapalle in Nandyal, and Madakasira in Sri Sathya Sai district to improve administrative convenience.

A new mandal, named Peddahari Vanam, will also be created by bifurcating Adoni mandal in Kurnool district. Officials say the reorganisation aims to strengthen administrative efficiency, enhance regional development, and bring governance closer to citizens. The move is said to have been driven by population growth, local demands, and the need for better service delivery.

The district restructuring is part of Chief Minister Naidu’s broader administrative reform plan to decentralise governance. For Markapuram, the newly announced district fulfills a long-pending political promise and reflects ongoing boundary adjustments in surrounding regions. The creation of new revenue divisions and mandals is expected to increase the accessibility of government offices and reduce the distance people must travel to avail public services.

However, several challenges remain, particularly the establishment of physical infrastructure, staffing new administrative offices, and effectively transitioning governance structures. In the case of tribal and remote areas like Rampachodavaram and Chinturu, questions persist over how well the new structure will address local development concerns. The government is expected to review further changes as the Cabinet sub-committee continues its deliberations.

Analysts view the expansion as a significant administrative reform intended to decentralise power and improve local governance. The move also aligns with the government’s focus on the Polavaram project, with Polavaram’s elevation to a district potentially reinforcing both political and economic attention to the region. CM Naidu has earlier pledged to complete the Polavaram irrigation project by 2027.