Q.8 What was the task of the States Reorganisation Commission? What was its most salient recommendation?
Ans: The States Reorganisation Commission was set up in 1953 by Central Government to look into the matter of redrawing of boundaries of state:
- The commission evolved that states. boundaries should reflect the boundaries of different languages to accommodate linguistic diversity.
- The States Reorganisation Act was passed in 1956 which resulted the creation of 14 states and 6 union territories.
- Its most salient recommendation was the formation of linguistic states i.e. to reorganise states on the basis of accommodation of their languages to prepare a uniform base for the nation.
| Source : Book NCERT : Chapter-Challenges of Nation Building : Page Number:21 PDF Link |
| Extra Info : Potti Sriramulu (1901-1952):Gandhian worker; left government job to participate in Salt Satyagraha; also participated in individual Satyagraha; went on a fast in 1946 demanding that temples in Madras province be opened to dalits; undertook a fast unto death from 19 October 1952 demanding separate state of Andhra; died during the fast on 15 December 1952. When the Official Language Commission set up in 1955 recommended in favour of replacing English by Hindi as official language, there were wide-spread protests in all the non-Hindi speaking regions. Such protests and demonstrations were seen once again in 1963, when the Official Language Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha. As a compromise the Act of 1963 allowed the continued use of English for official purposes without any time limit. |