Shamlaji: The state government is likely to give the status of ‘Taluka’ to Shamlaji after separating it from Bhiloda taluka in Aravalli district.

Aravalli district has 6 talukas at present namely Modasa, Bhiloda, Bayad, Malpur, Meghraj and Dhansura. The number of talukas is likely to increase to 7 after the separation of Shamlaji from Bayad taluka. The local administration has started preparing reports after the revenue department of the state sent a notification to Aravalli Jilla Panchayat about the separation of Shamlaji.

Aravalii district Deputy Development officer asked Bhiloda Taluka Development Officer for opinions over the effects on the number of constituencies of taluka and jilla panchayat due to the separation. Bhiloda TDO, in response, stated that several villages of Jeshingpur, Mota Kanthariya, Od and Nandoj jilla panchayat constituency are likely to merge into Shamlaji taluka.

Bhiloda taluka has 152 villages at present. After the separation, Bhiloda is likely to have 79 villages and Shamlaji is likely to have 73 villages. Bhiloda has a population of 2,22,813 as per 2011 census. Bhiloda has 7 jilla panchayat constituencies and 26 taluka panchayat constituencies at present.

Shamlaji, being a religious site, has the traffic of devotees on a daily basis. The national highway no 8 passes from Shamlaji. Aravalli district was separated from Sabarkantha in 2013. One year after the formation of Aravalli as a district, the demand of separating Shamlaji as a taluka was raised. Modasa prant office had made a proposal to the state government. It was proposed to form Shamlaji as a taluka with 69 villages and a population of around 81 thousand. DeshGujarat