THOUGHTS ON LINGUISTIC STATES 151
It is therefore necessary that this situation must be rectified. The only way to do this is to divide the three States of (1) Uttar Pradesh, (2) Bihar and
(3) Madhya Pradesh into smaller units.
In this behalf I make bold to offer certain tentative proposals.
This division does not conflict with the underlying principles of a linguistic State. For, if these States are divided in the way suggested, each resulting State will be a linguistic State.
I am happy to find Mr. Pant saying in the recent debate in Parliament on the subject that he has no objection to the cutting up of the U.P. What he said for U.P. may well be taken as applicable to Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
Division of Uttar Pradesh. —My proposal with regard to the Uttar Pradesh is to divide it into three States ( See Map 2). Each of these three States should have a population of approximately two crores which should be regarded as the standard size of population for a State to administer effectively. Where the boundary lines of these three States should be drawn I have shown in the accompanying Map No. 2.
The three States of the Uttar Pradesh could have as their capitals (1) Meerut
(2) Cawnpore and (3) Allahabad. They are situated quite in the centre of each of these three States.
Division of Bihar —My proposal with regard to Bihar is to divide it into two States (See Map 3). Each of these two States will have a population of a little over one and half crores. It is not a small population for one Government to administer.
Where the boundary lines should be drawn I have shown in the accompanying Map No. 3.
The two States of Bihar could have as their capitals (1) Patna and (2) Ranchi. They are situated quite in the centre of the two States.
Division of Madhya Pradesh. —Madhya Pradesh stands before us in two forms. The old Madhya Pradesh and the new Madhya Pradesh.
The old Madhya Pradesh consisted of :
(1) the Province at one time known as C. P. and Berar, and
(2) some Indian States out of the States known as the Eastern States.
This old State of Madhya Pradesh had a population of 2½ crores. It consisted of 22 districts. Its legislature had 223 members.
The new Madhya Pradesh as planned by the Commission will consist of:
(1) the 14 districts of the old Madhya Pradesh,
(2) the whole of Bhopal,
(3) the whole of Vindhya Pradesh,
(4) Madhya Bharat except : Sunel enclave of Mandasaur district, and
(5) the Sironj sub-division of Kota district of Rajasthan.