Uttar Pradesh division next on the cards
With 80 loksabha seats, 408 assembly seats, 75 districts and 22 crore population, Uttar pradesh is one of the biggest state in India. High illiteracy rates, major population being below poverty line and with no significant industrial development with respect to population are leading to higher crime rates. Being also the 4th largest in area, administration and services are not reaching the last mile. Extortions, kidnapping, murders and rapes are becoming common phenomenon. As per the central and earlier state government, division of the state is considered as one of the solution.
BSP government earlier proposed to carve out four states out of UP, which even UPA-2 government agreed but could not be cleared. States proposed are Paschim Pradesh with capital gaziabad or meerut , Awadh Pradesh with capital Lucknow, Bundelkhand and Poorvancal. Now with more crimes against woman coming in to light and poor Law & Order situtation, NDA government is also contemplating the carving of new states. Having said that, it may be very difficult for the central government to convince the state government as they don’t want state division during their term. With three more years to next assembly election and five more years in power for BJP, this division is certainly possible. BJP, however wants to divide UP in to three states not only to reduce the number of states but also increase their electoral benefits by reducing percentage of Muslim votes to as less as possible in each state. BJP has always been ardent supporter of smaller states and accessible and effective administration. NDA government also plans to give special status to Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal and extend their supportive hand. Not to forget BJP successfully carved out chattisgarh, Uttrakhand and Jharkhand states earlier which yielded better results.
What remains to be seen is with Andhrapradesh already being given special status, declining GDP growth in the country and higher fiscal deficit, whether central government can be able to take more financial burden and carve out these states. According highly reliable sources, NDA can come up with proposal by the end of this financial year. We have to wait and see on Uttar pradesh state division and whether it can really improve law & order situation but for now everybody’s eyes are on newly formed Andhrapradesh.