Administrative Evolution of Indian Hill States 1947-2021

There were ten hill states in Union of India. They were Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya

on 1 st December, 1963 as the sixteenth state of the country with the enactment of the Constitution (13 th Amendment) Act 1962. A distinctive feature of the new state was the special protection guaranteed under Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution to safeguard the tribal law, traditional institutions and practices of the Naga (Nagaland, Human Development Report, 2004).

Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh came into existence as centrally administered Chief Commissioner's province with integration of thirty hill states ruled by feudal rulers. Following in the footsteps of India's independence, this epoch making day was 15 th April, 1948 and celebrated every year as Himachal day. Then, it covered areas of 25839 km 2 . The exchange of few pockets was notified on 15 th January, 1950 with an objective to straighten out the irritating angularities in the border with the neighbouring province of the East Punjab, the United Provinces, and PEPSU. These did not add much to its size. Initially constituted as a centrally administered province, Bilaspur merged on 1 st July, 1954 and the area rose to 28192 km 2 . Punjab reorganized in 1966, the hill areas of Punjab were transferred to Himachal Pradesh i.e. Shimla, Kangra, Kullu and Lahul & Spiti and hilly parts of districts of Hoshiarpur, Ambala, and Gurdaspur. Then, it covered 55,673 km 2 geographical areas. It attained its statehood on 25 th January, 1971.

Manipur
During the political integration of princely states, the merger agreement signed on 21 st September, 1949 between king Budhachandra and Government of India. Manipur merged into India as part C state on 15 th October, 1949. It was administered by the President of India through a Chief Commissioner. It became a Union Territory under the Union Territorial Council Act. 1956. The Territorial Council consisting of 30constituted on 16 th August, 1957.However, the territorial council was replaced by a Territorial Legislative Assembly from 23 rd July, 1963. It became a full-fledged state on 21 st January, 1972. The members of legislative Assembly were increased to 60. The first popular ministry, after attaining statehood, was installed on 20 th March, 1972(Economic Survey Manipur, 2008-2009

Arunachal Pradesh
The

Uttarakhand
The North Western hilly region of the erstwhile Uttar Pradesh was carved out as Uttarakhand on 9 th November, 2000. It is the youngest hill state and became 27 th states on the political map of India. It is the youngest landlocked Indian hill state. The government has given a status of special category status on the basis of its geographical and strategic location. It has privilege to be the newest and the youngest special category state among Indian hill states.

(i) Formation of New Districts in Hill States
New districts were formed, keeping in view the administrative exigency of providing good governance to hill people. Smaller administrative units help to accelerate development processes and bringing the people closer to the administration.

Hill States as a Region
The number of districts in Hill States as a Region was 24 in 1951. It rose to 76 in 1991. On the other hand, number of districts in Non-Hill States as a Region rose from 286 in 1951 to 390 in 1991and in India 310 in 1951 to 466 in 1991. The growth of new districts in the region was substantially higher (217 per cent) than Non-Hill States as a Region (36 per cent) and India (50 per cent) during pre-reform period ( Table 3). The number of districts in Hill States as a Region was 76 in 1991. It rose to 137 in 2021. On the other hand, number of districts in Non-Hill States as a Region rose from 390 in 1991 to 615 in 2021and in India 466 in 1991 to 752 in 20211. Once again, the growth of new districts in the region was substantially higher (80 per cent) than Non-Hill States as a Region (58 per cent) and India (61 per cent) during post-reform period (Table 3). * Jammu &Kashmir was partitioned into two union territories in 2019 i.e. Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Jammu and Kashmir has twenty districts and Ladakh has two districts. ** The data of districts (2021) compiled from all States/Union Territories' official website portal.

Manipur
Manipur had only one district in 1951. Its name was Manipur. The number of districts rose to 5 in 1971 census. These were Manipur Central, Manipur East, Manipur North, Manipur South, and Manipur West. With the formation of Tengnoupal the number of districts rose to six in 1981. Two more districts were added in 1991 census. The number of districts rose to eight. The name of the districts has been changed in 1991 census. These were Senapati, Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Chandel, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Imphal, and Ukhrul. Imphal district was divided into two districts in 2001 census. These were Imphal East and Imphal West. Thus, the total number of districts rose to nine. Seven new districts were curved out in 2016. These were Jiribam, Kamjong, Kangpokpi, Katching, Noney, Pherzawl, and Tengnoupal. The total number of districts rose to 16 in 2016 (Table 4).

Sikkim
Sikkim is mountainous and landlocked state. It enjoyed a special kind of status 'Protectorate Status' from independence of India to till obtaining the status of full-fledged state. It had one