Orissa Province

Orissa Province ଓଡ଼ିଶା
Province of British India
← 1936–1947 →
Flag
Orissa in a 1907 map of British India before the creation of the province
History
•	Bifurcation of Bihar and Orissa Province	1936
•	Independence of India	1947
Area
•	1901	35,664 km2 (13,770 sq mi)
Population
•	1901	5,003,121
	Density	140.3 /km2  (363.3 /sq mi)
Today part of		State of Odisha

Orissa Province was a province of British India created in April 1936 by partition of the Bihar and Orissa Province. It is now the State of Odisha.

On 1 Apr 1912 Bihar and Orissa were separated from Bengal to form the Bihar and Orissa Province. On 1 Apr 1936, Bihar and Orissa Province was split to form Bihar Province and Orissa Province. Parts of the Ganjam District and the Vizagapatam District of Madras Presidency were transferred to Orissa Province along with portions of the Vizagapatam Hill Tracts Agency and Ganjam Hill Tracts Agency.

History

On 14 Oct 1803, Orissa was occupied by the British Raj. Under the Raj, it was a division of the Bengal Presidency with its capital in Cuttack. It had an area of 35,664 km² and 5,003,121 inhabitants in 1901. The province included the Orissa Tributary States. On 1 April 1912, the province of Bihar and Orissa was detached from Bengal, and the Orissa Tributary States were under the authority of the governor of Bihar and Orissa. In 1936, Orissa became a separate province with five districts.

The Government of India Act provided for the election of a provincial legislative assembly and a responsible government. Elections were held in 1937, and the Indian National Congress took a majority of the seats but declined to form the government. A minority provisional government was formed under Krushna Chandra Gajapati, the Maharaja of Parlakimedi.

Minister	Portfolio
Krushna Chandra Gajapati	Home, Finance, Law and Commerce
M. G. Patnaik	Revenue, Education and Commerce
M. L. Rahman	Public Works, Local Self-Government and Forests

The Congress reversed its decision and resolved to accept office in July 1937. Therefore, the Governor invited Biswanath Das to form the government.

Minister	Portfolio
Biswanath Das	Premier, Home, Finance and Education
Nityanand Kanungo	Revenue and Public Works Departments
Bodhram Dube	Local Self-government, Health, Law and Commerce

In 1939, along with Congress ministries in other provinces, Das resigned in protest of the Governor-General's declaration of war on Germany without consulting with Indian leaders, and Orissa came under Governor's Rule till 1941 when Krushna Chandra Gajapati was again made the Premier. This government lasted till 1944.

Minister	Portfolio
Krushna Chandra Gajapati	Premier
Godabarish Mishra	Finance and Education
Maulvi Abdus Sobhan Khan

Another round of elections were held in 1946, yielding another Congress majority, and a government was formed under Harekrushna Mahatab.

Minister	Portfolio
Harekrushna Mahatab	Premier
N. K. Chaudhary
Nityanand Kanungo
Lingaraj Misra
R. K. Biswasray

Governors

• 1 Apr 1936 - 11 Aug 1938 Sir John Austen Hubback (1st time) (b. 1878 - d. 1968)
• 11 Aug 1938 - 8 Dec 1938 G. T. Boag (acting) (b. 1884 - d. 1969)
• 8 Dec 1938 - 1 Apr 1941 Sir John Austen Hubback (2nd time) (s.a.)
• 1 Apr 1941 - 1 Apr 1946 Sir William Hawthorne Lewis (b. 1888 - d. 1970)
• 1 Apr 1946 - 15 Aug 1947 Sir Chandulal Madhavlal Trivedi (b. 1893 - d. 1981)

Chief ministers

• 1 Apr 1937 - 19 Jul 1937 Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo (b. 1892 - d. 1974) Non-party (1st time)
• 19 Jul 1937 - 4 Nov 1939 Biswanath Das (b. 1889 - d. 1984) INC
• 4 Nov 1939 - 24 Nov 1941 Governor's Rule
• 24 Nov 1941 - 29 Jun 1944 Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo (s.a.) Non-party (2nd time)
• 29 Jun 1944 - 23 Apr 1946 Governor's Rule
• 23 Apr 1946 - 15 Aug 1947 Harekrushna Mahatab (b. 1899 - d. 1987) INC

See also

• Eastern States Agency
• Orissa Tributary States