United Provinces (1937–1950)

Coordinates: 26°50′49″N 80°56′49″E / 26.847°N 80.947°E / 26.847; 80.947
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United Provinces
Province of
British India (1937–1947)
Dominion of India (1947–1950)
1937–1950
Flag of United Provinces

Map of the United Provinces
CapitalLucknow
History 
• Established
1937
• Disestablished
1950
Preceded by
Succeeded by
United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
Rampur State
Benares State
Garhwal Kingdom
Uttar Pradesh
Today part ofUttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand

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

History[edit]

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

Provincial autonomy[edit]

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 Harry Graham 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[edit]

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[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Provinces of British India". www.worldstatesmen.org.
  2. ^ "PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS (MINISTERS). (Hansard, 19 April 1937)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 19 April 1937.
  3. ^ AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTIONS (PDF). Shodganga.
  4. ^ Indian Information Series, Volumes 4-5. 1939.

External links[edit]

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

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