Vidarbha - Separate Statehood Movement

Separate Statehood Movement

1. 1853 :- After British conquests from Mughals and Marathas in central India, in 1853 "Nagpur Province" was formed with Nagpur as capital. It was administered by a commissioner under the central government.
2. 1861 :- "Central Province" was formed by the British, with Nagpur as capital.
3. 1903 :- On 1 October Berar was also placed under the administration of the commissioner of Central Provinces. It was now named as "Central Province and Berar".
4. 1935 :- Government of India Act, passed by British parliament formed provincial assembly, providing for an election. Central Province and Berar was kept a separate entity, with Nagpur as capital.
5. 1950 :- When constitution of India went into effect in 1950; Central Province and Berar became Madhya Pradesh, with Nagpur as capital.
6. 1956 :- "Vidarbha State" with Nagpur as capital was recommended by Fazal Ali commission (appointed in 1953) for reorganisation of states in India.
7. 1960 :- On 1 May the "Vidarbha state", recommended by Fazal Ali commission for reorganisation of states, was merged with, newly formed Maharashtra State.

In recent years there have been sporadic calls by its population for Vidarbha to secede from Maharashtra. This is based in part on the feeling of being neglected by the Maharashtra state government and in part on assertion of a distinct political identity. The people have complained that the region has fallen behind others in Maharashtra in attracting investment and development funds. The region is comparatively poorly served by roads, irrigation facilities and educational institutions. However political movements for attaining statehood have failed to hold sway as their leaders have been considered opportunistic. Vidarbha Rajya Party and Vidarbha Rajya Nirman Congress are very small political parties created by leaders that have split from national level parties like INC. Only one national party - BJP has officially included demand for separate vidarbha state, in its national manifesto.

Vidarbha has total population of 20,630,987 according to the 2001 census of the government of India. Though rich in minerals, coal, forests and mountains, this region is always underdeveloped primarily because of lack of agriculture. Tata group started the country's first textile mill at Nagpur, formally known as Central India Spinning and Weaving Company Ltd. The company was popularly known as "Empress Mills" as it was inaugurated on 1 January 1877, the day queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India.