Page:White Paper on Indian States (1950).pdf/62

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

52

(vi) It has been provided that until other provision is made by an act of the Legislature of the United State, the right to resume Jagirs and to recognise the succession to the rights and titles of the Jagirdars will vest in the Rajpramukh.

130. The Covenant (Appendix XXXVII) was signed by the Rulers present at the Conference on 22nd April, 1948 and the State was inaugurated on 28th May 1948, by the Hon'ble Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Muhammadgarh, Pathari, Nimkhera, Jamnia and Rajgarh estates were integrated with Madhya Bharat by means of subsequent agreements entered into by the Chiefs concerned with the Rajpramukh (Appendix XXXVIII). The State comprises an area of 46,710 square miles with a population of over 7 millions and a revenue of about Rupees 80 millions.

Patiala and East Punjab States Union

131. The Patiala and East Punjab States Union comprises the six salute States of Patiala, Kapurthala, Jind, Nabha, Faridkot and Malerkotla and the two non-salute States of Nalagarh and Kalsia. The Covenant (Appendix XXXIX) for the formation of this Union was signed by the Rulers concerned on May 5, 1948, and the Union was inaugurated on 15th July, 1948, by the Hon'ble Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

132. These States lay in three separate blocks. The main block comprised the territories of the Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Malerkotla and Faridkot States in the heart of the East Punjab. It formed a fairly compact tract. The Kapurthale State consisted of three enclaves in the Jullundur Division of the East Punjab. The outlying districts of Narnaul, Dadri and Bawal, which formed parts of the Patiala, Jind and Nabha States respectively lay within the geographical orbit of the southern districts of the East Punjab.

133. In view of the fact that Patiala State, which had a population of about two millions, had been recognised as a separate viable unit, it was contemplated at earlier stages to form a Union of the East Punjab States without Patiala. These States comprised an area of 3,693 square miles with a population of 1,367,628 and an annual revenue of about Rs. 20 millions. It was, however, realised that a Union of the East Punjab plain States without Patiala would not endure. From the point of view of territorial integrity, administrative efficiency and tapping of agricultural and other resources of those States, the formation of one Union inclusive of Patiala was clearly indicated. The Ruler of Patiala expressed willingness to join the Union. As a result of the adjustments made to

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.