Centre ignoring UP demands, favouring Uttaranchal, says Mulayam

New Delhi, Dec 9 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today vehemently opposed the UPA government's decision to extend the duration of the special economic package for Uttaranchal, saying it was having a very adverse impact on the process of industrialisation in his state.

Speaking at the National Development Council meeting here, Mr Yadav said the concessions in income tax and central excise duties in the neighbouring hill state were resulting in migration of industries from Uttar Pradesh.

''The attention of the Centre has been drawn from time to time towards the adverse impact this policy on the industrial development in my state but our demands have been ignored,'' he said.

Mr Yadav said the tenure of the economic package was to end in March next year but the Central Government's decision to extend it for some more year had put Uttar Pradesh at a disadvantage.

He, however, said that he was not opposed to the economic package for states, provided the backward areas of his state were given similar treatment.

The Chief Minister demanded that the backward regions of UP like Bundelkhand, Purvanchal and Central UP and the state's regions adjacent to Terai region of Uttaranchal should also be given special facilities and concessions.

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