Uniting the UTs: Dadra-Nagar Haveli and Daman-diu to become one Union Territory from January 26

New Delhi, December 21: The Home Ministry announced on Thursday that the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli will become a single UT on January 26. The Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019, was passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the just concluded winter session of Parliament.

 

 

 

"In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of section 2 of the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Act, 2019 (44 of 2019), the central government hereby appoints the 26th day of January, 2020, as the appointed day for the purposes of the said Act," states a Home Ministry notification issued by additional secretary Govind Mohan.

 

The merger of the two UTs, located along the western coast near Gujarat, is being done for better administration and to check duplication of various works, Union minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy said.

 

 

 

So far, both the Union Territories have separate budgets and different secretariats even though they are just 35 km apart. Dadra and Nagar Haveli has just one district while Daman and Diu has two.

 

According to the act, on and from the appointed day, there shall be allocated two seats to the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu in the House of the People. The Bombay High Court shall continue to extend to the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.