Question

What was the work of the State Reorganisation Commission? What were its main recommendations?

Hint:

The State Reorganisation Commission played a crucial role in reshaping India's state boundaries, creating states based on linguistic and cultural homogeneity, which improved administrative efficiency.

Answer 1

The State Reorganisation Commission (SRC) was constituted by the Government of India in 1953 under the chairmanship of Justice Fazal Ali. The primary task of the commission was to recommend the reorganization of the state boundaries in India on the basis of linguistic and administrative factors. This was necessary as the existing state boundaries did not align with the linguistic and cultural divisions of the Indian people, leading to demands for new states based on linguistic and cultural homogeneity.
1. Work of the State Reorganisation Commission:
- The commission was tasked with examining the demands for the creation of new states and recommending the restructuring of states to ensure administrative efficiency, cultural integrity, and national unity. - The commission held extensive consultations with various political leaders, intellectuals, and civil society groups to understand the concerns of different communities. - The SRC analyzed the geography, culture, language, and economic factors that would contribute to the creation of viable states.
2. Main Recommendations of the SRC:
- Linguistic Basis for State Formation: One of the key recommendations of the SRC was to reorganize the states based on linguistic lines, which would ensure that people with similar languages and cultures were grouped together into states. - Creation of New States: The SRC recommended the formation of several new states, including the creation of Andhra Pradesh (formed in 1953), which was the first state to be created on the basis of language (Telugu-speaking population). - Reorganization of Existing States: The commission recommended the reorganization of several existing states to accommodate linguistic diversity. For example, the bilingual state of Bombay was split into Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960. - Safeguards for Linguistic Minorities: To avoid the dominance of the majority language group, the SRC recommended the establishment of safeguards for linguistic minorities within states. - Apex Body for Redrawing Boundaries: The commission proposed the establishment of a permanent organization to oversee future demands for state reorganization, leading to the creation of the \textit{Zonal Councils} for inter-state coordination.
Conclusion:
The State Reorganisation Commission’s work laid the foundation for the linguistic reorganization of Indian states. Its recommendations led to the formation of new states and reorganization of existing ones, creating a more harmonious balance between language, culture, and administrative efficiency.