Bill Passed in Lok Sabha to merge Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli UTs

The Lok Sabha on 27th November 2019 had passed the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019.

The bill has been passed through a voice vote with the government emphasizing that the merger would fast-track the development of the two union territories.

The Bill was presented by the Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, who had proposed towards merging the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, which currently has only one district with the Union Territory of Daman and Diu, which has two districts. The merged Union Territory shall be termed as the "Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu".

In the Lok Sabha debate relating to the Bill, the minister of state for home affairs G. Kishen Reddy had stated that the merger of the two Union Territories, situated along the western coast near Gujarat, would be carried out for the better administration as well as check duplications of various works. He also stated that the measure would help in strengthening administrative efficiency services.

Speaking on the issue, Amit Shah, the Home Minister had assured that reservation given to individuals in the two union territories would continue. Reddy also clarified that the number of Lok Sabha seats would also remain unchanged as well as the jurisdiction of the Bombay High Court would continue over the two territories.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli have just one district whereas Daman and Diu has two.

The Bill was moved in furtherance of the "Minimum Government, Maximum Governance" policy. According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, the two UTs share a lot in terms of administrative arrangement, history, language as well as culture and in such conditions, maintaining two separate secretariats as well as parallel departments has only loaded the State exchequer as well as wasted manpower.

For the government towards having Minimum Government, Maximum Governance, along with considering small populace and limited geographical area of both the Union Territories and to utilize the services of officers competently, it has been settled to merge the Union Territories of Dadra as well as Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu into a single Union Territory.

While the bill would rationalize administration across both Union Territories, thus far, both the Union Territories which are located along the western coast of Gujarat, the UTs has separate budgets and secretariats.

The nation presently has nine Union Territories after the formation of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Though, with the merger of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the numeral of Union Territories would come down to eight.

When the Bill will come into force, the assets as well as liabilities of both the UTs would stand merged and shall belong towards the new territory. Furthermore, it would be allotted two seats in the Lok Sabha. Also, the jurisdiction of the High Court of Bombay shall continue towards extending to the suggested Union Territory.

The Bill intends towards:

•    Giving better delivery of services towards the citizens of both the Union Territories in improving efficiency and reducing paperwork;

•    Reducing administrative expenditure; 

•    Bringing uniformity in policies;

•    Monitoring schemes and projects; and

•    Managing cadres of several employees

The Bill shall now be placed before the Rajya Sabha. The move comes three months after Jammu and Kashmir has been divided into two Union Territories Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

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Author:

eStartIndia Team