Pokhriyal favours smaller states

Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has favoured further division of Uttar Pradesh saying that smaller states achieve better growth rate. "For better development, Uttar Pradesh should be further divided," he said in Varanasi on Monday. Pokhriyal said that small states can achieve better growth.

Giving the example of his own state, the CM said that the growth rate of Uttarakhand was at 2.9 per cent at the time of its inception, but now it is growing at 9.31 per cent and the state stands at third place in country in terms of growth. The per capita income of the state has risen from 14,000 per person to 42,000 per person which is higher than the national average, he added.

After Uttarakhand was craved out of Uttar Pradesh, demands for making Poorvanchal and a Harit Pradesh grew stronger. Pokhriyal also paid a visit to Kashi Vishwanath temple and attended the aarti at the Dashaswamegh ghat. He also appealed to the people to make the river Ganga pollution free.