Administrative History of Himachal Pradesh | HPPSC HPAS Preparation - HPPSC HPAS (Himachal Pardesh) PDF Download

Himachal Pradesh has a rich history of political developments that led to its current status as a state of the Indian Union. The region underwent various administrative changes from the time of India's independence in 1947 until its eventual formation as a full-fledged state in 1971.
Let's explore the important events and processes that shaped Himachal Pradesh:

Provisional Government of Himalayan Prant (1948)

• In 1948, the Himalayan Prant Provisional Government was set up under Shiva Nand Ramaul.
• This was established to ensure the merger of hill states into the Indian Union, contributing to the political integration of the region.

Formation of Himachal Pradesh (2nd March 1948)

• On 2nd March 1948, a decision for the formation of Himachal Pradesh was made during a meeting in Delhi between the Secretary of the Ministry of States and rulers of the hill states.
• The princely rulers were led by Raja Joginder Sen of Mandi.
• Himachal Pradesh came into existence on 15th April 1948 as a Chief Commissioner's Province.
• 30 princely states from Punjab and Shimla were merged, including Baghat, Bhajji, Baghal, Bejar, Balsan, Bushahar, Chamba, Dhami, and others.

Advisory Council and Districts (1948)

• The Chief Commissioner was aided by an Advisory Council with nine members:
• Three members represented the princely states: Raja of Mandi, Raja of Chamba, and Raja of Baghat.
• Six members were public representatives: S. Parmar, Padam Dev, Shiv Chand, Lilavati, Swami Purnand, and Avtar Chand.
• At this time, Himachal Pradesh was divided into four districts: Chamba, Mahasu, Mandi, and Sirmaur, covering 27,018 sq. km.

Part 'C' State (1951)

• In September 1951, under the Government of India Part 'C' States Act, Himachal Pradesh was designated as a Part 'C' state.

First Lieutenant Governor and Elections (1952)

• On 1st March 1952, Major General Himmat Singh was appointed as the first Lieutenant Governor.
• The first general elections for the 36-member Legislative Assembly were held in November 1952, where the Congress Party won 24 seats.
• On 24th March 1952, Dr. Y.S. Parmar became the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.

Merger of Bilaspur (1954)

• On 1st July 1954, Bilaspur, a Part 'C' state, was merged with Himachal Pradesh, becoming its 5th district.
• The total area increased to 28,185 sq. km, and the Legislative Assembly strength was raised to 41 members.

Union Territory Status (1956)

• In 1956, with the passing of the State Reorganisation Act, Himachal Pradesh was downgraded to a Union Territory, but continued to maintain its identity.

Formation of Kinnaur District (1960)

• In 1960, the Chini Tehsil of Mahasu district was carved out as a separate administrative unit to form Kinnaur district, raising the number of districts to six.

Punjab Hill Areas Merger (1966)

• On 1st November 1966, Himachal Pradesh expanded significantly with the reorganization of Punjab.
• Kullu, Kangra, Shimla, and some hilly areas from Hoshiarpur and Dalhousie (Gurdaspur district) were merged.
• This resulted in the creation of four new districts: Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Kangra, and Shimla, and the merging of Dalhousie into Chamba.

New Administrative Divisions (1966)

• The integration led to the formation of new administrative divisions:
  • Lahaul & Spiti District: Lahaul and Spiti tehsils.
  • Shimla District: Shimla, Kandaghat, and Nalagarh tehsils.
  • Kangra District: Kangra, Palampur, Nurpur, Dehra Gopipur, Hamirpur, and Una tehsils.
  • Kullu District: Kullu tehsil and sub-tehsils of Banjar, Ani, and Nirmand.

Statehood of Himachal Pradesh (1971)

• On 25th January 1971, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the first woman Prime Minister of India, officially declared Himachal Pradesh as the 18th state of India at Girja Maidan (now the Ridge) in Shimla.

Reorganization of Districts (1972)

• On 1st September 1972, Hamirpur and Una districts were carved out of Kangra district.
• Shimla and Mahasu were reorganized into Shimla and Solan districts.
• With this, the number of districts rose from ten to twelve: Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul, Spiti, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, and Una.

Expansion of Legislative Assembly (1971-72)

• After the delimitation of assembly seats in 1971-72, the number of members in the Legislative Assembly was increased to 68.

Conclusion

The history of Himachal Pradesh is a testament to the complex process of state formation in post-independence India. From its early days as a province of merged princely states to its eventual elevation as a full state, Himachal Pradesh's journey involved numerous political, administrative, and geographical changes. This dynamic process led to the beautiful hill state we know today, consisting of twelve districts and a strong legislative body.