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THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY October 15. 1955 Reorganisation of States The Approach and Arrangements

THE Historic Report of the States justified on grounds of linguistic ho­ be transferred to the State of Reorganisation Commission which mogeneity, because there can be more Madras, and was released early this week will than one state speaking the same (ii) the districts of Malabar and Obviously be the subject of consider­ language without offending the lin­ South Kanara and the Kollegal taluk able discussion throughout the coun­ guistic principle, nor practicable, of the Coimbatore district should be try. The principal recommendations since different language groups, in­ detached from Madras. of the Commission, which consisted cluding the vast -speaking popu­ The addition to Madras of the five of Shri Saiyid Fazl Ali (Chairman), lation of the Indian Union, cannot taluks which have been mentioned Shri Hriday Nath Kunzru and Shri always be-consolidated to form dis­ will be justified by reason of geo­ K M Pannikar, are summarised be­ tinct linguistic units; and graphical contiguity and linguistic low. The Commission has recom­ (vi) finally, to the extent that the and cultural affinity. It will also mended the establishment of 16 realisation of unilinguism at state meet a clearly-expressed local de­ states without any distinction instead level would tend to breed a particu- mand. of the 27 existing Part A, Part B and larist feeling, counter-balance that Kerala:—The State of Kerala Part C States. In addition, there feeling by positive measures calcu­ should be formed, which should con­ will be three centrally administered lated to give a deeper content to sist of the following areas; areas to be called territories. Indian nationalism. (a) the State of Travancore- The Commission has insisted that Financial viability has an impor­ Cochin minus the five taluks propo­ no change should be made unless the tant bearing on reorganisation pro­ sed to he transferred to Madras; advantages which result from it in posals, but it has to be considered (b) the (including terms of "the welfare of the people along with other relevant factors. Fort Cochin and the Laccadive Is­ of each constituent unit, as well as The units should, as far as possible, lands), the Kasaragod taluk of the the nation as a whole" are such as be self-supporting, They should be South Kanara district and the Amin- to compensate for the heavy burden so constituted that they have an in­ dive Islands. on the administrative and financial centive to raise and are able to raise, :—The State of Karna­ resources of the country, which re­ on their own initiative, at least a taka should be created consisting of organisation must entail. part of the resources needed for their the following areas:-— In view of the controversy over development. The States cannot be (a) the present State of Mysore, linguistic States, the Commission has so reorganised as to conform to eco­ excluding the following portions of affirmed that "it is neither possible nomic regions. Nor can the principle the Bellary district, namely, the nor desirable to reorganise States on of economic self-sufficiency within Siruguppa taluk, the Bellary taluk, the basis of a single test of either an administrative unit be regarded the Hospet taluk and a small area language or culture". They have as a clear criterion. Consistently with of the Mallapuram sub-taluk in which postulated a balanced approach, these principles, however, it would the dam and headworks of the Tun- which would: be desirable to avoid as far as possi­ gabhadra project are situated; ble wide disparities in resources be­ (I) recognise linguistic homoge­ (b) the four -speaking dis­ tween the various States, The units neity as an important factor con­ tricts of Bombay, namely, Dharwar, should be large enough to ensure ducive to administrative convenience Bijapur, North Kanara and , administrative efficiency and the co­ and efficiency, but not to consider it (except the Chandgad taluk of Bel­ ordination of economic development as an exclusive and binding principle, gaum district); and welfare activities. over-riding all other considerations, (e) the districts of Raichur and administrative, financial or political; The wishes of the people should be Gulbarga from Hyderabad; (ii) ensure that communicational, regarded as an important factor (d) the South Kanara district of educational and cultural needs of the bearing on reorganisation, but they Madras minus the Kasaragod taluk; different language groups, whether have to be considered along with (e) the Kollegal taluk of the Coim­ resident in predominantly unilingual other relevant factors. The facts of batore district of Madras; and or composite administrative units, the existing situation are more im­ ( f) Coorg. portant than the previous historical are adequately met; Hyderabad: Hyderabad should be associations of different areas. Un­ iii) where satisfactory conditions reconstituted on the following lines: due importance cannot be attached, exist, and the balance of economic, Apart from the districts of Raichur therefore, to historical arguments. political and administrative consi­ and Gulbarga, the dis­ Geographical contiguity of the units derations favour composite States, tricts should also be detached from is important from the point of view continue them with the necessary the . The residuary of administrative convenience. Other safeguards to ensure that all sections State which should continue to be geographical factors have to be re­ enjoy equal rights and opportunities; known as Hyderabad should consist garded as secondary. (iv) repudiate the "home land" of the Telugu-speaking districts of concept, which negates one of the STATES the present State of Hyderabad, fundamental principles of the Indian Madras:—This State should include namely Mahbhubnagar, Nalgonda, Constitution, namely, equal opportu­ the existing territories subject to the Warangal 'including Khammam), nities and equal rights for all citizens following adjustments, namely, Kariminagar, Adtlabad, Nizamabad, throughout the length and breadth of (i) the five taluks of Agasthee- Hyderabad and Medak, along with the Union; swaram, Thovala, Kalkulam, Vila- Bidar district, and the Munagala en­ (v) reject the theory of "one lan- vahcode and Shencotta, now forming clave in the Nalgonda district belong­ part of Travancore cochin, should ing to the Krishna district of Andhra. October 15, 1955 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY

The residuary State of Hyderabad State, should TERRITORIES might unite with Andhra after the continue in its present form subject The units or areas which have not general elections likely to be held in to the addition of territories men­ been dealt with so far will be direct­ or about 1961, if by a two-thirds tioned below; ly administered by the Centre and majority the legislature of the Hyde­ (i) Ajmer, and will be known as territories. rabad State expresses itself in favour (ii) the Abu Road taluk of the :—If Delhi is to continue to of such unification. Banaskantha district of Bombay, the be the seat of the Central 'Govern­ Andhra:— The should Sunel enclave of the dis­ ment, it must adopt a model which for the time being continue as it is, trict and the Lohara sub-tehsil of the is sound in principle and administra­ subject to certain minor adjustments Hissar district of the Punjab. tively workable in practice. The which are mentioned below. The Punjab:—P E P S U and the people belonging to centrally-admi­ The taluks of Siruguppa, Bellary are too small to nistered territories in are more and Hospet and a portion of the continue by themselves and as there advantageously placed than those of Mallapuram sub-taluk of the Bellary already are economic and adminis­ centrally-administered areas in other district should be transferred to trative links between them and the important federal countries, in that Andhra. present Punjab State, the merger of full representation in the Union The Munagala enclave of the these two States in the Punjab will Parliament has been provided for un­ Krishna district, as has already been be justified. der the Indian Constitution. stated, should be transferred to :—There is no case Delhi should be constituted into Hyderabad. for dividing the Uttar Pradesh, and such a centrally-administered terri­ There should be no change in the this State should continue in its tory; the question of creating a muni­ present position regarding Madras existing form. cipal corporation with substantial City and its future should be regard­ Rihar:—It does not seem to be powers should be considered, ed as finally settled. either necessary or desirable to :—Manipur should be a Bombay:—Bombay should continue create a Jharkhand State in South centrahy-administered territory for to be treated as a composite ; the special needs of this area the time being. The ultimate merger rather than a unilingual unit. This should, however, be recognised. of this State in should be arrangement will also provide the Seraikella and Kharsawan should Kept in view. right solution of the problem of the continue to be part of Bihar. Some Andaman and Nieobar Islands future of the City of Bombay. adjustments in two eastern districts The STATUS quo in the Andaman The State of Bombay should be belonging to Bihar are indicated un­ and Nieobar Islands should con­ reconstituted so as to include the der . tinue. existing minus the West Bengal:- -Geographical conti­ The arrangements in regard to Abu Road taluk of the Banaskantha guity between the disconnected north­ areas which have been or may be district and the Kannada-speaking ern portion of West Bengal and the brought under Central administration districts of Dharwar, Bijapur, North rest of the State is necessary, and in future, either before or after be­ Kanara and Belgaum (excluding the this will have to be provided for. A coming de jure part of the territory Chandgad taluk), plus the following portion of the Purnea district east of of India, must be flexible, until the areas: the river Mahananda, being the position is maily charmed. (a) the Marathi-speaking districts minimum area necessary for this AREA AND POPULATION OF of Hyderabad, namely', Osmanabad, purpose, will, therefore, have to be REORGANISED STATES Bhir, , Parbhani and transferred from Bihar to West Ben­ Nanded; gal. The Purulia sub-district of the Area Population (b) ; and Manbhum district in the south minus (In sq. miles) (In millions) (c) Kutch. Char Thana should also be trans­ Madras 50,170 30.0 :—A new State to be ferred from Bihar to West Bengal. Keraia 14,980 13.6 known as Vidarbha should be creat­ Assam: Assam has been and Karnataka 72,730 19.0 ed, consisting of the following Ma­ must of necessity continue to be a Hyderabad 45,300 11.3 rathi-speaking districts of Madhya composite State, having regard to its Andhra 64,950 20.9 Pradesh, namely, Buldana, , geographical position and ethnologi­ Bombay 151,360 40.2 , Yeotmal, Wardha, Nagpur, cal and cultural history. Vidarbha 36,880 7.6 Bhandara and Chanda. The demand for the creation of a Madhya :—After the sepa­ hill State in Assam is impracticable Pradesh 171,200 26.1 ration of Vidarbha, a new State, and there is also no reason, having Rajasthan 132,300 16.0 which may be known as Madhya regard to the peculiar features and Punjab 58,140 17.2 Pradesh, should be created consist­ circumstances of Assam, why a Uttar Pradesh 113,410 63.2 ing of: separate hill State should be created. Bihar 66,520 38J5 (i) the 14 districts of the residuary should be merged in Assam. West Bengal 34,590 26.5 Madhya Pradesh; The present arrangements with re­ Assam 89,040 9.7 (ii) the whole of Bhopal and the gard to the North East Frontier Orissa 60,140 14.6 who'e of ; Agency should continue. Jammu and (iii) except the Ortega:—No changes are called for Kashmir 92,780 4.4 Sunel enclave of the Mandsaur dis­ in the boundaries of Orissa which Territories trict; and were fixed in 1936 after prolonged Area (Actual numbers) (iv) the Sironj sub-division of the and detailed examination. Delhi 578 1,744,072 Kotah district of Rajasthan. Jammu and Kashmir:—No recom­ Manipur 8,628 577,635 Rajasthan:—After the proposed mendations are made in regard to Andamans merger of Sironj In the new Madhya Jammu and Kashmir. & Nicobars 3,215 30,971