UP Govt to come with resolution in state assembly for division of state into four

Lucknow, India, Nov 15 (PTI) In a bid to outsmart rivals ahead of the state assembly elections, Chief Minister Mayawati of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh today announced that her government would bring a resolution for carving out four new states in the winter session of the state legislative assembly beginning here next week. Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, the state capital, Mayawati said that her cabinet has approved a resolution for the creation of of the states of Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Awadh Pradesh and Paschim Pradesh from the existing Uttar Pradesh which would be tabled in the session beginning on November 21. Seeking to throw the ball into the Centre's court, where the Congress party heads the UPA coalition, the Chief Minister maintained that as per the Constitution, the Centre has to take a decision with regard to renaming, reorganisation or creation of new states. However, she said that as no positive initiative has been taken so far, her cabinet has decided to get the resolution passed and send it to the Centre hoping for a speedy action on it. The Chief Minister, who had earlier written a letter for reorganisation of the state to the Prime Minister maintaining that it was not in the jurisdiction of the state, today said that this decision has been taken after proper consideration to mount pressure on the Centre. This demand is also in keeping with the aspirations and ambitions of these regions, she said. Uttar Pradesh is India's largest state and accounts for 80 of the 543 members of Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament. Mayawati's move today is seen as an attempt by her to cash in on the sentiments in favour of small states in the western, eastern and Bundelkhand areas of the state during the Assembly elections due six months from now. Stressing that reorganisation of the state would help in all-round and balanced development and give a better future to the people, Mayawati said that Uttar Pradesh as per the 2011 census has a population of over 190 million which means that almost 16 per cent people of the country live here. It is also among one of the biggest states going by its area, she said, regretting that because of the wrong policies of earlier state and central governments led by Congress, BJP, Samajwadi Party and others, the state could not witness all-round development and lagged behind. PTI