On CMOs push, Kamal Nath’s Chhindwara set to be elevated to a division

NEW DELHI: Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, the bastion of Chief Minister Kamal Nath, could soon be elevated to a division from a district, a proposal which did not progress under the previous BJP government.

The state revenue department has asked for reports from the district collector of Chhindwara and divisional commissioner of Jabalpur to take forward the idea, in accordance with a letter sent by the chief minister’s office in February, shows official correspondence accessed by ET.

“The letters received from the CM’s office regarding giving Chhindwara the status of a division are attached. Since Chhindwara district presently falls under Jabalpur division, your report is required to be sent immediately,” the revenue department wrote to the Jabalpur divisional commissioner on December 10.


Nath, whose government assumed charge in December 2018, had represented Chhindwara a record eight times in Parliament and the constituency is now represented by his son, Nakul Nath. Jabalpur is the Lok Sabha constituency of BJP state president Rakesh Singh.

“Chhindwara qualifies to become a divisional headquarters given the record development and infrastructure existing here and its location,” a senior Congress leader told ET, requesting not to be identified.

The Chhindwara district collector sent back his recommendation recently for Chhindwara to be made a divisional headquarters after he had received the revenue department’s letter in March.

Chhindwara boasts a world-class railway station with direct connectivity to Delhi, an airstrip, a ring road and a number of skill-training centres for the youth.