Orissa Province

Orissa Province
ଓଡ଼ିଶା
Province of British India
←
1936–1947 →

Flag

Orissa in a 1907 map of British India before the creation of the province
History
 • Bifurcation of Bihar and Orissa Province 1936
 • Independence of India 1947
Area
 • 1901 35,664 km2 (13,770 sq mi)
Population
 • 1901 5,003,121 
Density 140.3 /km2  (363.3 /sq mi)
Today part of State of Odisha

Orissa Province was a province of British India created in April 1936 by partition of the Bihar and Orissa Province. It is now the State of Odisha.

On 1 April 1912 Bihar and Orissa were separated from Bengal to form the Bihar and Orissa Province. On 1 April 1936, Bihar and Orissa Province was split to form Bihar Province and Orissa Province. Parts of the Ganjam District and the Vizagapatam District of Madras Presidency were transferred to Orissa Province along with portions of the Vizagapatam Hill Tracts Agency and Ganjam Hill Tracts Agency.[1]

History

On 14 October 1803, Orissa was occupied by the British Raj. Under the Raj, it was a division of the Bengal Presidency with its capital in Cuttack. It had an area of 35,664 km² and 5,003,121 inhabitants in 1901.[2] The province included the Orissa Tributary States. On 1 April 1912, the province of Bihar and Orissa was detached from Bengal, and the Orissa Tributary States were under the authority of the governor of Bihar and Orissa. In 1936, Orissa became a separate province with five districts.[3]

The Government of India Act provided for the election of a provincial legislative assembly and a responsible government. Elections were held in 1937, and the Indian National Congress took a majority of the seats but declined to form the government. A minority provisional government was formed under Krushna Chandra Gajapati, the Maharaja of Paralakhemundi.[4]

Minister Portfolio
Krushna Chandra Gajapati Home, Finance, Law and Commerce
Mandhata Gorachand Patnaik Revenue, Education and Commerce
Moulavi Latifur Rahman Public Works, Local Self-Government and Forests

The Congress reversed its decision and resolved to accept office in July 1937. Therefore, the Governor invited Biswanath Das to form the government.

Minister Portfolio
Biswanath Das Premier, Home, Finance and Education
Nityanand Kanungo Revenue and Public Works Departments
Bodhram Dube Local Self-government, Health, Law and Commerce

In 1939, along with Congress ministries in other provinces, Das resigned in protest of the Governor-General's declaration of war on Germany without consulting with Indian leaders, and Orissa came under Governor's Rule till 1941 when Krushna Chandra Gajapati was again made the Premier.[5] This government lasted till 1944.

Minister Portfolio
Krushna Chandra Gajapati Premier
Godabarish Mishra Finance and Education
Maulvi Abdus Sobhan Khan

Another round of elections were held in 1946, yielding another Congress majority, and a government was formed under Harekrushna Mahatab.[5]

Minister Portfolio
Harekrushna Mahatab Premier
N. K. Chaudhary
Nityanand Kanungo
Lingaraj Misra
R. K. Biswasray

Governors

Prime Ministers of Orissa

See also

References

  1. ↑ Provinces of British India
  2. ↑ Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "article name needed". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  3. ↑ Joseph E. Schwartzberg, ed. A historical atlas of South Asia, New York/Oxford 1992, ISBN 0-19-506869-6
  4. ↑ http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1937/apr/19/provincial-governments-ministers
  5. 1 2 Sharma, Sadhna. States Politics in India. New Delhi: Mittal Publications.

Coordinates: 20°18′N 85°18′E / 20.30°N 85.30°E / 20.30; 85.30


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