Jaipur, Dec 9 : A mass camel rally toting the banner of Maru Pradesh (Desert Land) Development Front reached here on Tuesday.

Activists of the Maru Pradesh Development Front had started the camel rally from Bikaner to demand a separate state.

Citing regional imbalances as the cause for their demand, the activists initiated a long caravan of 500 camels, and said that a separate state would ensure better welfare and progress of their region.

They said that a separate state carved out of Rajasthan is needed as the present structure of Rajasthan has deprived them of due benefits on many fronts.

"We demand formation of a separate state from these nine districts of Hanumangarh, Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Nagaur, Sikar Jaisalmer and Barmer. We have taken out this camel rally to demand formation of a separate state," said Jaaibir Godara, Founder-President, Maru Pradesh.

"We want Maru Pradesh because this state is vast, and our area is less developed. With the formation of a separate state, our people can earn well, the region will get developed and children will be able go to schools and study," said Ratan Singh, an activist of Maru Pradesh.

Although statistics-wise certain figures don''t synchronise, it notes that the industrial output and employment in Maru Pradesh is less than 15 percent of the total industrial output in Rajasthan.

It also mentions that the industrial output of Rajasthan during 2005 was 13 billion rupees in which the share of Maru Pradesh was only two million.

Another regional imbalance projected by the Maru Pradesh Development Front is that the road density in Maru Pradesh is mere 32 percent of the entire Rajasthan. (ANI)