New Delhi: The Centre on Monday returned the Uttar Pradesh Assembly resolution seeking the division of the poll-bound state into four parts.

“We have sent back UP’s proposal to divide the state and have sought reply to eight to nine questions,” Union Home Secretary RK Singh told reporters here in the capital.

Sources in the Home Ministry maintained that the Centre has sought clarifications on several key issues like proposed capitals and boundaries before acting on the resolution passed by the UP Assembly.

In addition, the Centre has also asked the UP govt on how the present administrative units of UP will be divided into the new states and what is its workable solution, sources said.

Moreover, the key question which the Home Ministry asked was what will happen to the spiralling debt burden of the country’s most populous state.

According to a CAG report, the state government has spent around 97 per cent of the fund raised through borrowings towards the payment of its debts, which are exceeding over Rs 1,80,000 crore.

Reports suggested that UP’s public debt is likely to touch Rs 2,04,000 crore in 2011-12 against Rs 1,80,000 in 2010-11.

The Centre also wanted to know what is UP’s plan to divide the pension burden it bears and what will be the revenue sharing arrangements.

Chief Minister Mayawati had proposed division of UP into four states — Awadh Pradesh, Poorvanchal, Budelkhand and Pachim Pradesh — in November taking the opposition by surprise. The ruling BSP pushed through the resolution in the state Assembly amid stiff resistance from the opposition benches and sent it to the centre for approval.

The move was dubbed as a political gimmick ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.