While granting its approval to the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, the Cabinet also cleared the draft bills leading to the creation of the states of Vananchal and Chattisgarh.

In order to pacify the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which had opposed Udham Singh Nagar's inclusion in the proposed state, the ruling coalition decided to incorporate Clause 84 in the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill. ‘‘ By this provision, no sub-division of land will be allowed in the district, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. This effectively means that the Urban Land Ceiling Act will not be enforced in the Sikh-dominated district.

According to the decision taken by the Cabinet, the holy town of Hardwar, which falls in the plains, will also be a partof the proposed state.

Faced with opposition from the Delhi BJP, the Cabinet also deferred a final decision on the Delhi Statehood Bill. The whole issue will now be looked at afresh by the Cabinet.

The Cabinet, according to Khurana, also decided to set up a special cell in the Planning Commission ‘‘to monitor and ensure the financial viability of the Bihar and Vananchal, which will be created by carving out the tribal districts from the State.

The three draft bills will now be sent to President K R Narayanan for his approval. After securing his approval, the three bills will be sent to their respective states (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh) before being introduced in Parliament.

The Delhi Statehood Bill, which was scheduled to be tabled in the Lok Sabha tomorrow, has now been held back till the time the differences on the actual area to be covered under the proposed state are sorted out.

In a meeting held on Saturday, which was attended by Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, his Cabinetcolleagues, five MPs and Delhi BJP office bearers, it was decided that nothing less than a full-fledged state comprising all the 70 Assembly segments would be acceptable to them. They also decided, in principle, to oppose any bifurcation of the proposed state.

While announcing its decision to grant statehood to Delhi, the Union Cabinet had earlier decided to carve out full or part of the areas controlled by the New Delhi Municipal Council and convert them into the National Capital Territory to be administered directly by the Union Home Ministry. According to Khurana, the Bill granting full statehood to Pondicherry was still in the drafting stage.