Himachal Pradesh - Background
Himachal Pradesh is a North Indian state, one of the most popular and easily accessible Hill State of India. People from all parts of the country as well from different parts of the world visit this beautiful State to enjoy its natural beauty.
Himachal Pradesh is fairly homogenous in its religious composition. About 95 percent of the local population is Hindu. This preponderance of Hindus has made religious competition an unlikely political or social force, despite the fact that religion itself and religious norms continue to exercise strong social control.
The State is bordered by Jammu & Kashmir on North, Punjab on West and South-West, Haryana on South, Uttarakhand on South-East and China on the East. The Himalayas, fulfilling its promise, are a reservoir of immense amount of ‘Him’ in the forms of Ice, Fresh and Underground Water. And the seeping of this moisture originates a number of rivers, which flows through the land of Himachal, namely Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Yamuna. It is also the reason of dozens of lakes that covered Himachal Pradesh. From the underground waters to the peak of mountains, Himalayas has blessed Himachal with great natural riches. In between, the Passes, the Valleys and the Hot Springs are also the gifts of Himalaya to Himachal.
Himachal Pradesh is one of the most popular and easily accessible Hill State of India. People from all parts of the country as well from different parts of the world visit this beautiful State to enjoy its natural beauty. This was one of the few states which did not get much impact from external rituals. With the technological progress, the state has changed very fast. Himachal Pradesh is a multicultural and multilingual state. Some of the most spoken languages are Hindi and Hill. Hindus living in Himachal include Brahmin , Rajput, Kannat, Rashi and Koli. The tribal population is also included here mainly comprising the cushion, Kinnar, Gujjar, Panwal and Lahaul. Himachal is well known for its handicrafts.
Himachal Pradesh has come a long way since Independence. It has seen a number of full-fledged governments which have led the state towards economic self-reliance. The Chief Commissioner’s province of H.P. came into being on 15th April, 1948. H.P. became a part C state on 26th January, 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of India. Bilaspur was merged with Himachal Pradesh on 1st July, 1954. Himachal Pradesh became Union Territory on 1st November, 1956. Kangra and most of the other hill areas of Punjab were merged with H.P. on 1st November, 1966 though its status remained that of a Union Territory. On 18th December, 1970 the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament and the new state came into being on 25th January, 1971. Thus H.P. emerged as the eighteenth state of Indian Union.
Himachal Pradesh’s status as a “special category” state and the attendant central allocations of funds is cited as a reason for its investments in service delivery. This has certainly given the state government easier access to funds through large-scale development programs.
It has a unique and “benevolent” system of governance where hierarchies stay intact, but local level accountability is high and citizens have both voice and leverage. Despite its feudal past, the state is seen as caring for its citizens, who in turn, give it unstinting loyalty. There are few protest movements and conflicts are resolved informally, even as the state takes care of basic needs. Himachal Pradesh also has a culture of closeness and transparency, which makes for strong and accountable local institutions, even when it does not necessarily make for devolution of functions or raising resources from the local level. Finally, the state’s distinct and difficult topography has meant that local administration with the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and state civil officers at the helm, have to continually innovate to remain functional, given that districts and sub-districts can get cut off from the state capital under inclement weather conditions.
Himachal Pradesh’s hilly terrain has resulted in a unique context of political and economic cohesion in other ways as well. The state has very low density of population that lives mostly in small villages. When combined with the difficult terrain, the smallness creates incentives for collaboration, reinforces inter-dependence, helps transcend caste divisions, and strengthens networks across different groups. It also binds the citizens in a common social and religious attachment to the Himalayas, its flora, fauna and water sources. The Himalayas are central to the Himachali identity and tie the citizens in a bond of social cohesion.
