United Provinces (1937–50)

United Provinces
संयुक्त प्रान्त
Province of
British India (19371947)
Dominion of India (19471950)

 

 

 

1937–1950
Capital Allahabad
History
  Established 1937
  Disestablished 1950
Today part of Uttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand

The United Provinces (UP) was a province of British India and, subsequently, Independent India.

History

It came into existence on 1 April 1937 as a result of the shortening of "United Provinces of Agra and Oudh". It corresponded approximately to the combined regions of the present-day Indian states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Uttarakhand.[1]

Provincial Autonomy

The Government of India Act 1935 enlarged the elected provincial legislature and expanded provincial autonomy vis-a-vis the central government.

In the elections held in 1937, the Indian National Congress won the majority seats, but declined to form a government. Therefore on 1 April 1937, and the Nawab of Chhatari, the leader of the National Agriculturist Parties, was invited to form a minority provisional government.[2]

Minister Portfolio
Nawab of Chhatari Home Affairs
Sir Muhammad Yusuf Local Self-Government and Health
Jwala Prasad Srivastava Finance
Raja Syed Ahmad Alvi of Salempur Education
Raja Maheshwar Dayal Seth Home and Agricultural
Maharajkumar of Vizianagram Justice
Raja Durga Narayan Singh of Tirwa Industries and Communications

The Congress reversed its decision and resolved to accept office in July 1937. Therefore, the Governor Sir Haig invited Govind Ballabh Pant to form the government.[3][4]

Minister Portfolio
Govind Ballabh Pant Premier, Home and Finance
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Revenue and Jails
Kailash Nath Katju Justice, Development, Agriculture and Veterinary
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit Local Self-government and Health
Muhammad Ibrahim Communication and Irrigation
P. L. Sharma

In 1939, all of the Congress ministries in British Indian provinces resigned and the United Provinces were placed under the Governor's rule. In 1945, the British Labour government ordered new elections to the Provincial legislatures. The Congress won a majority in the 1946 elections in the United Provinces and Pant was again the Premier, continuing even after India's independence in 1947.

Post-Independence

Following independence in 1947, the princely states of Rampur, Banares and Tehri-Garwal were merged into the United Provinces. On 25 January 1950 this unit was renamed as Uttar Pradesh. In 2000, the separate state of Uttaranchal, now known as Uttarakhand, was carved out of Uttar Pradesh.

See also

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "United Provinces of Agra and Oudh". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Coordinates: 26°50′49″N 80°56′49″E / 26.847°N 80.947°E / 26.847; 80.947

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