Lok Sabha passes bill to merge Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu

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Lok Sabha today passed the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019.

The Bill provides for the merger of Union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. It provides for better delivery of services to citizens of both the UTs by improving efficiency and reduction in paperwork and administrative expenditure.

It will also bring uniformity in policy and schemes. Both the UTs are located in the western region of the country. Dadra and Nagar Haveli has just one district while Daman and Diu has two.

Replying to debate on the Bill, Union Minister G Kishen Reddy said that the combined population of the two UTs is 5 lakh 80 thousand. He said currently, administrators shuttle between the two UTs on specific days which creates problems for administrative functioning.

The Minister said, the merger was decided to improve delivery services to the people.

The country currently has nine UTs after the creation of the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. However, with the merger of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the number of UTs will come down to eight.