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Himachal
Himachal Pradesh History
Himachal Pradesh came under British control in the middle
of the 19th century. The British annexed Kangra District,
which includes present-day Kangra, Kullu, Hamirpur, and
Lahul and Spiti districts, in 1846 at the conclusion of
the First Anglo-Sikh War. The remainder of Himachal
Pradesh was made up of a number of princely states; see
Hill States.
Under the British Raj, Kangra District was part of the
British province of Punjab, and the princely states, then
known as the Simla Hill States, were under the authority
of Punjab until the early 1930's, when the Punjab States
Agency was created, under the direct authority of the
Governor-General of India.
The Punjab Hill States Agency, which included most of the
princely states in present-day Himachal Pradesh, was
separated from Punjab States Agency in 1936.
India became independent of the United Kingdom in 1947,
and Himachal Pradesh was established as a state on April
15 1948, composed of the territory of some 30 Hill states
(including feudatories) that acceded to the Government of
India, while Bilaspur remained a separate state in the
Indian Union till its merger with Himachal Pradesh on July
1, 1954 by an act of the Indian Parliament.
Himachal Pradesh became a union territory on November 1,
1956. The state was enlarged in 1966 by the transfer of
the districts of Shimla, Kangra (which included
present-day districts of Kangra and Hamirpur), Kullu,
Lahul and Spiti, and Una from Punjab state. It was made
the 18th state of India on January 25, 1971.
Himachal Pradesh Districts
Kangra, Hamirpur, Mandi, Bilaspur, Una, Chamba, Lahul and
Spiti, Sirmaur, Kinnaur, Kullu, Solan, Shimla.
Himachal Pradesh Economy
Himachal Pradesh's gross state domestic product for 2004
is estimated at $7 billion in current prices. |
