UP & Manipur sign MoU for implementation of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat

Uttar Pradesh and Manipur have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme as paired states. 

The agreement between the representatives of both state governments was signed in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, in December 2024.

Manipur is the third state in which Uttar Pradesh has signed an MoU under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme. Before Manipur, Uttar Pradesh signed such an MoU with Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

For Manipur, it was the second agreement with a state after a similar MoU with Madhya Pradesh.

Duration of the MoU

The duration of the MoU between Manipur and Uttar Pradesh is three years from the date of signing. The MoU can be extended for a further three years with the mutual consent of the two states.

About the  ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ on 31st October 2015 on the occasion of the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India.

The idea behind the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme is to promote sustained cultural and non-political activities between different regions of the country to understand each other better, strengthening national unity.

Each state/Union Territory is paired with a different state for a specified period, during which they carry out a structured engagement with one another in the spheres of cultural events, festivals, language, literature, cuisine, tourism, etc.

Objectives of the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat 

The objectives of the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat are as follows;

• Celebrate Unity in Diversity and strengthen emotional bonds between the people;
• Promote the spirit of national integration through a sustained structured engagement between States and Union Territories through a year-long planned engagement;
• Showcase the rich heritage and culture, customs and traditions of the paired State, fostering a sense of common identity;
• Create an environment that promotes learning between states by sharing best practices and experiences.

Nodal Ministry for the EK Bharat Shreshta Bharat 

The government of India has designated the Union Ministry of Education as the Nodal ministry for coordinating programmes under the EK Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. 

Programme.

List of Paired States/Union Territory

Following is the updated list of the paired States/Union Territories.

• Bihar - Tripura and Mizoram
• Uttar Pradesh- Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh
• Uttarakhand- Karnataka
• Gujarat- Chhattisgarh 
• Tamil Nadu - Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh
• Madhya Pradesh- Manipur and Nagaland
• Himachal Pradesh- Kerala
• Maharashtra- Odisha
• Punjab- Andhra Pradesh
• Goa- Jharkhand
• Lakshadweep- Andaman and Nicobar
• Haryana- Telangana
• Rajasthan- Assam
• Delhi-Sikkim
• Chandigarh and Puducherry -Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.