Uttaranchal to be renamed as Uttarakhand: Cabinet

New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) Uttranchal was today set to go the Pondicherry way by undergoing a name change in sync with the sentiments of the people.

A proposal to change the name of the hilly state, carved out from Uttar Pradesh just a few years ago, was approved by the Union Cabinet this evening, barely minutes after Parliament had given the go-ahead for changing Pondicherry into Puducherry.

Briefing reporters on the decision taken at a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told reporters that the approval was at the request of the Uttaranchal government.

A Bill, namely, the Uttaranchal (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2006 will be submitted to the President for referring it to the State Legislature of Uttaranchal.

The state assembly would then pass a resolution expressing its views under Article 3 of the Constitution of India, seeking introduction of the Bill in Parliament.

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