FORMATION OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AS STATE : From 1948 to 1971

• Himachal Pradesh Came into existence on 15th of April 1948 as a Centrally administered Chief Commissioner province.
• It was made with the merger of 30 erstwhile Princely States (26 Shimla hill states and 4 Punjab hill states viz. Chamba, Mandi, Suket, Sirmour).
• The total area of Himachal Pradesh was about 11,053 sq. Miles (27169 Sq. Km)
• All these princely States were combined to form 4 District viz. 1.CHAMBA 2. MANDI 3. MAHASU 4.SIRMAUR
• The headquarters was located in the building of the British India Foreign Office at `Shimla, which was destroyed by fire on 5-May 1957.
• This centrally administered territory was headed by a Chief Commissioner and his deputy.
• The first Chief Commissioner of HP was N.C. Mehta and his deputy was Mr. E. Penderal Moon and he was also second Chief Commissioner. Bhagwan Sahai was the last Chief Commissioner.
• The secretariat in those days was called “Himachal Dham’.
• In 1951, Himachal Pradesh became a Part C State under a Lieutenant Governor with a 36-member Legislative Assembly and a 3-member Cabinet.
• Major Gen. Himat Singh was the first LG of Himachal Pradesh appointed on 1 March 1952.
• In March 1952, Mr. K.L. Mehta, ICS, became the first Chief Secretary of the State.
• Congress emerged as majority party with 24 seats.
• Independents was in opposition.
• Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party – 3 seats, SC Federation – 1 seat.
• On 24^th March 1952, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar become first C.M of Himachal Pradesh
• On July 1954, Bilaspur, a part ‘C state, was merged with Himachal Pradesh as 5^th distt. Of Himachal Pradesh.
• Total area increased to 28237 Km^2.
• Legislative assembly seats increased to 41 from 36.
• Fazal Ali Commission of 1953 recommended merger of HP with Punjab but the chairman was not in favor.
• With the efforts of Dr. Yashwant Singh HP become Union Territory on 1^st Nov 1956 and placed under an administrator designated as Lt. Governor.
• Himachal Pradesh remained UT up to 25 Jan 1971.
• Bajrang Bahadur Singh was appointed as first Lt. Governor of HP.
• Formation of UT led to abolition of Legislative Assembly under the Union Territories Act, so a 41 membered Territorial Council was setup in December 1956.
• Thakur Karam Singh of Mandi appointed as Chairman of Territorial Council.
• On 1^st May 1960 Chinni tehsil of Mahasu distt. Carved out and made as Kinnaur a new distt. As 6^th distt of HP.
• These 6 distts viz. Bilaspur, Chamba, Mandi, Mahasu, Sirmaur, Kinnaur are considered as ‘Old Himachal’.
• Under Union Territories Act, 1963 HP Territorial Council was converted into Legislative assembly and strength was fixed at 43 {41+2 (Nominated)}
• The Punjab Hill areas were reorganized on 1^st November 1966 to form Haryana and merger of 4 more distts. Kullu, Kangra, Lahaul Spiti, Shimla along Nalagarh are and some areas of Hoshiarpur and Dalhousie into HP.
• Total area increased to 55,673 Km² (Present area)
• Strength of house raised to 63 (60 elected 3 Nominated) in 1967.
• In 1967, election held and Congress emerged as leading party with 37 seats and Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar become CM for third time.
• Indian Parliament passed bill for the grant of statehood on18 Dec 1970 and on 25 Jan 1971 first woman Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi on Girija Maidan (now known as The Ridge) in Shimla, inaugurated the Himachal Pradesh as 18^th state of Union of India.
• On 1^st Sep 1972, Hamirpur and Una carved out from Kangra and Shimla and Mahasu reorganized to form Shimla and Solan.
• Now the number of distt. Were raised to 12 viz. Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul Spiti, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, Una.
• These distts. Are considered as ‘New Himachal’.