Harit Pradesh

Harit Pradesh
Proposed region
Country India
Region Northern India
Proposed capitals Meerut
Proposed Divisions
List
Language Hindi, Khari Boli, Punjabi, Haryanvi, Urdu

Harit Pradesh (also known as Pashchim Pradesh) is a proposed new state of India comprising the western parts of Uttar Pradesh state.[1] Harit means Green which signifies the agricultural prosperity of the region and Pradesh means state. The region has some demographic, economic and cultural patterns that are distinct from other parts of Uttar Pradesh, and more closely resemble those of Haryana and Rajasthan states.

History

The proposal for Uttar Pradesh is a large state, and the cultural divide between the east and the west is considerable, with the purabiyas (easterners) often being clubbed with Biharis in the perception of the westerners.

In his 1955 critique of the proposed States Reorganisation Act, Thoughts on Linguistic States, B. R. Ambedkar had advocated the division of Uttar Pradesh into three states - Eastern, Central and Western, with capitals at Meerut, Kanpur and Allahabad respectively - in order to prevent excessively large states from dominating politics at the national level.[2] The act was passed in 1956, however, keeping Uttar Pradesh intact as a single state.

Later, socialists like Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Jai Prakash Narain, Acharya Kripalani and others favoured re-drawing of the administrative map of India. But, Jawaharlal Nehru, the then prime minister, supported the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) recommendation of re-forming states on linguistic basis.Dr K.M. Panikkar, in his dissenting note to the SRC report, however, opposed linguistic states and favoured formation of a state of west Uttar Pradesh.[3]

Later, in 1972, fourteen MLAs in the Uttar Pradesh state assembly moved an unsuccessful resolution to divide the state into three units (Braj Pradesh, Awadh Pradesh and Purbi Pradesh).[4]

During the 1975-77 Emergency, Sanjay Gandhi almost succeeded in carving out a new state of western Uttar Pradesh with Agra as capital. The new state was to include parts of Haryana too.

BSP led UP government had on November 23, 2011, passed a resolution in the state assembly for creating Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Awadh Pradesh and Paschim Pradesh out of UP. The resolution was forwarded to the UPA government at the Centre but no action was taken.

After, Congress working committee passed a resolution to recommend formation of a new state of Telangana on 31 July 2013, demand for Harit Pradesh gained momentum. Sh. Jairam Ramesh suggested that UP's reorganisation was necessary as it is difficult to run such a big state effectively."Purely from an administrative point of view, a state of over 200 million people, 75 districts, over 800 blocks...It's just not governable. It is my personal view...Its politics is a separate issue," he said.[5]

Geography

If created, Harit Pradesh will include three geographic regions:

1. Upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab includes Saharanpur and Meerut Divisions.

2. Middle Ganga-Yamuna Doab (its part of Braj region) includes Aligarh and Agra Divisions.

3. Rohilkhand- includes Moradabad and Bareilly Divisions.

It would shares borders with the states of Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, as well as a brief international border with Nepal in Pilibhit district. If created, Harit Pradesh, being the only plains state sharing border with Uttarakhand in the Shivalik foothills would serve as the gateway to Uttarakhand.

Soil conditions

Western Uttar Pradesh's soil and relief has marked differences from that of the eastern part of the state.[6] The soil tends to be lighter-textured loam, with some occurrences of sandy soil.[7] Some loess soil is continuously deposited by winds blowing eastwards from Rajasthan's Thar Desert.[8]

Precipitation

Rainfall in Moradabad

Western Uttar Pradesh receives rain through the Indian Monsoon and the Western Disturbances. The Monsoon carries moisture northwards from the Indian Ocean, occurs in late summer and is important to the Kharif or autumn harvest.[9][10] Western Disturbances, on the other hand, are an extratropical weather phenomenon that carry moisture eastwards from the Mediterranean Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.[11][12][13][14] They primarily occur during the winter season and are critically important for the main staple of the region, wheat, which is part of the Rabi or spring harvest.[12] The proposed state contains Upper Ganga and Yamuna Doab region which is considered one of the most fertile lands in the country. River Yamuna forms a natural border between Harit Pradesh and Haryana.

Administrative divisions

Divisions which form part of Harit Pradesh are numbered as 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10

Western Uttar Pradesh includes 26 districts in six divisions:

  1. Meerut division:Districts in this division are Meerut, Bulandshahr, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Baghpat.
  2. Saharanpur division:Districts in this division are Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli.
  3. Moradabad division:Districts in this division are Moradabad, Bijnor, Rampur, Amroha, Sambhal
  4. Bareilly division:Districts in this division are Bareilly, Badaun, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur
  5. Agra division:Districts in this division are Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Mathura,
  6. Aligarh division:Districts in this division are Aligarh, Etah, Hathras, Kasganj

Education

The proposed Harit Pradesh has a long tradition of education, although historically it was primarily confined to the elite class and religious schools. Sanskrit-based learning formed the major part of education from the Vedic to the Gupta periods. As cultures traveled through the region they brought their bodies of knowledge with them, adding Pali, Persian, and Arabic scholarship to the community. These formed the core of Hindu-Buddhist-Muslim education until the rise of British colonialism.The present schools-to-university system of education owes its inception and development in the state (as in the rest of the country) to foreign Christian missionaries and the British colonial administration.Schools in the state are either managed by the government or by private trusts. Hindi is used as a medium of instruction in most of the schools except those affiliated to the CBSE or the Council for ICSE boards. Under the 10+2+3 plan, after completing secondary school, students typically enroll for 2 years in a junior college, also known as pre-university, or in schools with a higher secondary facility affiliated with the Uttar Pradesh Board of High School and Intermediate Education or a central board. Students choose from one of three streams, namely liberal arts, commerce, or science. Upon completing the required coursework, students may enroll in general or professional degree programs.

Location Established Comment References
Chaudhary Charan Singh University Meerut 1965 The university is named after Chaudhary Charan Singh, the fifth Prime Minister of India. [15]
Dr B. R. Ambedkar University Agra 1927 This university was formed as Agra University and renamed in 1996. [16]
Gautam Buddha University Greater Noida 2002 [17]
M. J. P. Rohilkhand University Bareilly 1975 M.J.P. Rohilkhand University was established in 1975 as an affiliating University.The senior faculty members of different disciplines in Humanities, Science and Technology are running research projects funded by various agencies and so far 49 projects funded by UGC, AICTE, DST, CST, ICAR, ICHR, MIF have been completed. [18]
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology Meerut 2004 [19]

Research Institutions

Special Economic Zones

  1. Noida
  2. Greater Noida
  3. Saharanpur
  4. Moradabad
  5. Bulandshahr

Tourism in Harit Pradesh

A panoramic view of the Taj Mahal,Agra
Major Tourist Attractions in Harit Pradesh
Prem Mandir in Mathura 
Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir currently under construction would be the tallest Hindu temple in World 
Jai Gurudev Naam Yog Sadhna Mandir, Mathura 
Depiction of Vishram Ghat,Mathura in form of painting 
This is the central column at Martyr's Memorial in Meerut which commemorates the 1857 War of Independence. 
Paddock Club of Buddh International Circuit at 2013 Airtel Indian Grand Prix in Greater Noida. 
A panoramic view of the Fatehpur Sikri Palace,Agra

Transport Networks

Major State and National highways passing through the proposed Harit Pradesh are: SH-57 (Saharanpur-Dehradun-Yamunotri-Badrinath), NH-58 (Meerut-Muzaffarnagar-Haridwar-Badrinath), NH-24 (Moradabad-Bareilly-Lucknow), NH-2 (Mathura-Agra-Allahabad-Varanasi) and NH-91 (Bulandshahr-Aligarh-Kanpur) connects Delhi with major cities of the region. Other major highways running through the region include NH 87, NH 73, NH 74, NH 3, NH 11, NH 93, Noida Greater Noida Expressway, Yamuna Expressway

Highways in Harit Pradesh
Toll Plaza at Mathura 
NH-58 in Meerut 
DND flyway in Noida 
Yamuna Expressway is India's longest six-lane controlled-access expressway stretch 

Upper Ganga Canal Expressway

It is a 08-lane access controlled expressway proposed on the right bank of upper Ganga canal from Sanauta bridge (Distt. Bulandsher) to near Purkazi (Distt.. Muzzafarnagar) before Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand border.

Economy

The Western Uttar Pradesh (Harit Pradesh) is agriculturally prosperous. It is relatively industrialised and has seen greater degree of urbanisation as compared to other regions of Uttar Pradesh. Highly fertile land of upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab and its proximity to the National Capital Region play significant role in the economic development of Harit Pradesh.

Farms in Harit Pradesh at Meerut-Bijnor district border
IT Park, Noida
Noida is silicon valley of North India
Ploughing in field at Muzaffarnagar for sugarcane crop
Wood being cut by villagers in Saharanpur for handicrafts.
Aligarh's unique lock
Brass handicraft being exported to other countries from Moradabad.
Taj Mahal one of the seven wonders of world one of the major tourist attraction in India is located in Agra

Demographics

Religions in Western Uttar Pradesh
Religion Percent
Hindus
  
 73.47%
Muslims
  
 24.98%
Others†
  
 1.55%
Distribution of religions
†Includes Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Jains.[22]

The population of Western Uttar Pradesh is composed of a varied set of communities and tribes, including, Saini, Mali, Ahir\yadavs, Brahmins / Tyagis, Dalits, Gurjars, Jats, Jatavs, Kurmis, Rajputs, Rohilla Pashtuns, Chamars and Balmikis.[23] According to Amar Ujala, Jats make up around 11% of the population of western Uttar Pradesh followed by Gurjar 14% Yadav 5% ,Rajput 5% & Tyagi / Brahmans 10%.[24][25] These various castes are concentrated in this region and "comprise nearly 40 per cent of the population in Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, and Bijnor districts" of Western Uttar Pradesh.[23][26]

As per the Census 2011 data, total population of the proposed state is 6.3 Crores.

Largest Cities by Population:

The region's Rohillas are descended from immigrant groups from centuries ago, and a large subregion of Western Uttar Pradesh, Rohilkhand, takes its name from that Pashtun tribe.[27]

Sikhs from West Punjab, which came from Pakistan after partition, also migrated to the area in large numbers.[28]

Role of specific rural communities

In recent decades, Uttar Pradesh has seen the economic and political rise of the Yadav community, which has a large population and spread in Uttar Pradesh.[29] Jats, who are a dominant agricultural community spread across Pakistan, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, have found themselves in a "politically disadvantageous position" in Western Uttar Pradesh due to this increasing influence of the Yadavs.[29] A separate Harit Pradesh would likely become a prosperous smaller state similar to Haryana and Punjab.

The most prominent current-day advocate for the creation of the new state is Ajit Singh, the leader of the Rashtriya Lok Dal party and a Jat besides many Gurjar leaders. Pushpendra Singh, former General Secretary of Youth wing of Rashtriya Lok Dal, has also recently launched a political party by the name Harit Pradesh Party for the agenda of creating a separate State of Western UP. Other Jat leaders, such as Om Prakash Chautala of neighboring Haryana state and the leader of the Indian National Lok Dal have also made efforts to involve themselves in the politics of creating a separate state.[30] Since the Muslim population in Western Uttar Pradesh (25%-34%, according to various sources) is higher than in Uttar Pradesh as a whole (17%), the Harit Pradesh proposal has found support from Muslim-affiliated organizations.[31][32][33][34] Of the other main political forces in Uttar Pradesh, the Bahujan Samaj Party has supported the demand in principle, the Samajwadi Party has opposed it, and the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party have adopted a non-committal stance.[35] From the Bahujan Samaj Party, Mayawati and DP Yadav have been vocal about their support.

Rashtriya Lok Dal alleges that "Western UP contributes to a large chunk - nearly 72% - of the state's total income. In turn, what western UP gets is not enough. Just 18% of the state's budget is spent on developing west UP. This anomaly, understandably, makes the people of this area dissatisfied".[36] There are allegations that in most years, funds allocated to west UP were never spent. According to Professor Jates only 20% of the total Government employees, less than 10% of employees in the secretariat, and less than 5% of department heads in the utter pradesh government are from west UP.

The creation of three new states in 2000 (Jharkhand from the division of Bihar, Uttarakhand from the division of Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh from the division of Madhya Pradesh) gave new impetus to the demand for Harit Pradesh.[29]

Notable People born in the proposed state

Leaders and Politicians

Actors and Singers

Sportspersons

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sajal Basu (2005), Regionalism, ethnicity, and left politics, Rawat Publications, ISBN 81-7033-930-8, ... perhaps only to strengthen his own demand of a separate Harit Pradesh comprising 23 districts from western UP ...A consequent demand for the separation of the more prosperous western districts of UP which have been the bastion of the green revolution, and have variously been named as Pashchim Pradesh or more recently as Harit Pradesh by Ajit Singh ...
  2. ↑ Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1955), Thoughts on Linguistic States, ... The only remedy is to break up the Northern States of U.P., Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. How did this solution not strike the Congress Working Committee I am unable to understand ... My proposal with regard to the Uttar Pradesh is to divide it into three States. The three States of the Uttar Pradesh could have as their capitals (1) Meerut (2) Kanpur and (3) Allahabad ...
  3. ↑ http://newindianexpress.com/nation/Now-demand-to-divide-Uttar-Pradesh-picks-momentum/2013/07/31/article1711023.ece
  4. ↑ Boris Ivanovich Kluyev (1981), India: National and Language Problem, Sterling, ... For example, in May 1972 fourteen members of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly submitted a resolution for setting up three new States - Braj Pradesh, Awadh Pradesh and Purbi Pradesh. The resolution was defeated. Curiously enough, the arguments of those supporting division were essentially the same, although the representatives hailed from different regions of Uttar Pradesh ...
  5. ↑ http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=805707
  6. ↑ Aijazuddin Ahmad, Geography of the South Asian subcontinent: a critical approach, Concept Publishing Company, 2009, ISBN 9788180695681, ... These differences are caused by the depositional work of rivers, local climates, natural vegetation cover and the soil. Even the difference between the plains of western Uttar Pradesh and eastern Uttar Pradesh is quite well marked ...
  7. ↑ A.K. Kolay, Soil Genesis, Classification Survey And Evaluation, Volume 2, Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2007, ISBN 9788126908035, ... ...
  8. ↑ M. Hanif, Encyclopaedia of Agricultural Geography, Anmol Publications Private Limited, 2005, ISBN 9788126124824, ... Loess is the finest particle of sand carried by winds from desert (Thar desert) to the neighbouring areas of Haryana, Punjab, western Uttar Pradesh and western Madhya Pradesh. Here a thin layer of loess particles ...
  9. ↑ Vidya Sagar Katiyar, "Indian Monsoon and Its Frontiers", Inter-India Publications, 1990, ISBN 81-210-0245-1.
  10. ↑ Ajit Prasad Jain and Shiba Prasad Chatterjee, "Report of the Irrigation Commission, 1972", Ministry of Irrigation and Power, Government of India, 1972.
  11. ↑ "Western disturbances herald winter in Northern India". The Hindu Business Line. 2005-11-17. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  12. 1 2 Bin Wang, "The Asian Monsoon", Springer, 2006, ISBN 3-540-40610-7.
  13. ↑ R.K. Datta (Meteorological Office, Dum Dum) and M.G. Gupta (Meteorological Office, Delhi), "Synoptic study of the formation and movements of Western Depressions", Indian Journal of Meteorology & Geophysics, India Meteorological Department, 1968.
  14. ↑ A.P. Dimri, "Models to improve winter minimum surface temperature forecasts, Delhi, India", Meteorological Applications, 11, pp 129-139, Royal Meteorological Society, Cambridge University Press, 2004.
  15. ↑ "Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut | About Us". ccsuniversity.ac.in. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  16. ↑ "Dr B. R. Ambedkar University". dbrau.ac.in. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  17. ↑ "About Us". gbu.ac.in. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  18. ↑ "M.J.P. Rohilkhand University". mjpru.ac.in. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  19. ↑ "Sardar Vallabha Bhai Patel University". svbpmeerut.ac.in. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  20. ↑ "Muzaffarnagar clashes sour its famed jaggery business". economic times. India Times. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  21. ↑ Pawan JainPawan Jain (3 June 2003). "Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  22. ↑ http://www.census2011.co.in/data/religion/state/9-uttar-pradesh.html/
  23. 1 2 T. V. Sathyamurthy, Industry and agriculture in India since independence: Social change and political discourse in India Volume 2, Oxford University Press, 1995, ISBN 9780195634570, ... the Jats, Ahirs, Gurjars and Kurmis. These castes comprise nearly 40 per cent of the population in Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, and Bijnor districts. Rajputs and Tyagis, also cultivate their own land.
  24. ↑ "Maya uses west UP visit to launch 2012 poll campaign - The Times of India". The Times Of India. 2011-09-29.
  25. ↑ http://www.livemint.com/Politics/Lmv1m7PQ9zb9YQlWidPwzO/Communalism-gains-new-ground-in-rural-India.html?ref=mr
  26. ↑ Sumit Ganguly, Larry Jay Diamond, Marc F. Plattner, The state of India's democracy, JHU Press, 2007, ISBN 9780801887918, ... Jats represented only 1.6 percent of the state population in 1931, but were concentrated in western Uttar Pradesh ...
  27. ↑ Ghaus Ansari, Muslim caste in Uttar Pradesh: a study of culture contact (Volumes 12-13 of The Eastern anthropologist), Ethnographic and Folk Culture Society, 1960, ... confined primarily to the Rohilkhand and Meerut divisions of Uttar Pradesh. Pathans are generally considered to have come either from Afghanistan or from the Pashto-speaking tribes of the North-West ...
  28. ↑ Bagaulia, Encyclopaedia Of Human Geography (Set Of 3 Vols.), Anmol Publications PVT. LTD., 2005, ISBN 9788126124442, ... Sikhs also settled down in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, transforming this once malaria-infested wetland into a granary of northern India ...
  29. 1 2 3 Jagpal Singh (August 4, 2001), "Politics of Harit Pradesh: The Case of Western UP as a Separate State", Economic and Political Weekly 36 (31): 2961–2967, JSTOR 4410945, ... It is spearheaded by the politicians, especially a section of jats, belonging to western UP. Ajit Singh has been playing a pivotal role in it ...
  30. ↑ "INLD bid to get foothold in UP", The Tribune, 2001-07-05, retrieved 2009-07-24, ... the move of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo and Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, to raise the demand of a separate ‘kisan pradesh’ out of western UP ... Since Mr Ajit Singh has also raised the demand of creating a ‘harit pradesh’ in the same region, the move by both Mr Chautala and Mr Ajit Singh is seen as only a political strategy to ‘outwit’ each other ...
  31. ↑ "Minister's demand for Muslim Pradesh condemned", Times of India, 2006-07-19, retrieved 2009-07-24, ... demand is neither feasible nor proper,"said Manzoor Ahmad, former vice-chancellor of Dr B R Ambedkar University, Agra ... Muslim population which is not more than 25% in Western UP. ...
  32. ↑ "Ajit Singh struggling to retain Muslim vote", The Hindu, 2002-02-12, retrieved 2009-07-24, ... the Muslim presence in western U.P. is said to be about 34 per cent ...
  33. ↑ Khan, M.E., Patel, Bella, C., "Reproductive Behaviour of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh", The Journal of Family Welfare, March 1997. 43(1) p. 13-29. Available online at
  34. ↑ "Imams back campaign for 'Harit Pradesh'", The Hindu, 2001-08-18, retrieved 2009-07-24, ... campaign for `Harit Pradesh' ... appears to be gathering momentum with the All-India Imam Association, an influential body of Muslim clerics, today pledging support ...
  35. ↑ "Mayawati joins issue with Paswan, Ajit Singh", The Hindu, 2001-06-26, retrieved 2009-07-24, ... She said the BSP stood for creation of Harit Pradesh ...
  36. ↑ "Ajit Singh reiterates Harit Pradesh demand", The Times of India, 2011-01-10, ...In turn, what western UP gets is not enough ...

External links

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