50 Questions related to the public administration and polity of Himachal Pradesh, with answers and brief explanations
1. Question Which of these was not a princely state or Thakurai merged to form the Mahasu district in 1948? (Options: Koti, Darkoti, Ghund, Ani)
Answer Ani
Explanation: Mahasu district was formed by the merger of several princely states and thakurais; Ani was not among them for the initial formation of Mahasu.
2. Question ‘Jyeshthang’ and ‘Kanishthang’ are local names for what in the village council (khap) of Malana?
Answer Upper House and Lower House
Explanation Malana is known for its ancient democratic system, and its village council operates with a bicameral structure referred to by these traditional names.
3. Question What is the name of the web software used by the Himachal Pradesh Transport department for issuing driving licenses?
Answer Sarathi
Explanation Sarathi is part of the Parivahan Sewa initiative by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, used across India, including Himachal Pradesh, for services related to driving licenses.
4. Question. Out of Himachal Pradesh’s total area, how much falls under the ‘Scheduled Area’ category?
Answer A significant portion, including Lahaul & Spiti district, Kinnaur district, and Pangi & Bharmour tehsils of Chamba district.
Explanation Scheduled Areas are designated to protect the interests of tribal populations, and Himachal Pradesh has several such areas.
5. Question The Himachal Pradesh government renamed the ‘Kanya Sashaktikaran evam Kalyan Board’ to what?
Answer Saksham Gudiya Board Himachal Pradesh
Explanation This change was made to reflect the board’s enhanced focus on the empowerment and welfare of girls in the state.
6. Question Under which scheme are all women aged 10-75 living below the poverty line covered in case of death or disability in Himachal Pradesh?
Answer Various social security and insurance schemes provide coverage, specific scheme names and coverage details may vary and are updated.
Explanation Himachal Pradesh implements several state and centrally sponsored schemes aimed at providing financial security to vulnerable women.
7. Question Which service is included as a public service under the HP Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011?
Answer Issuance of various certificates, licenses, and utility connections within stipulated timelines.
Explanation The Act aims to provide time-bound delivery of notified public services to citizens.
8. Question What was the name of the movement started by the Kisan Sabha where Lakshmi Singh and Vaid Surat Singh were key leaders?
Answer Pajhota Andolan
Explanation This was a significant peasant movement in the Sirmour princely state, protesting against feudal exploitation and administrative policies.
9. Question Which movement’s main goal was to make the government more democratic?
Answer Praja Mandal Movement
Explanation Praja Mandals were people’s movements in the princely states of India, advocating for civil rights and responsible, democratic governance.
10. Question When did Himachal Pradesh first get the right to vote in elections under the new constitution?
Answer 1951-52
Explanation The first general elections in independent India, based on universal adult suffrage, were held during this period, including in Himachal Pradesh.
11. Question In which year did the H.P. government adopt the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme?
Answer 2013
Explanation RUSA, a centrally sponsored scheme to improve higher education, was launched in 2013 and adopted by various states, including Himachal Pradesh.
12. Question Who wrote the book ‘Polyandry in the Himalayas’?
Answer Dr. Y.S. Parmar
Explanation Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar, the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, authored this sociological study on the practice of polyandry in the Himalayan region.
13. Question Which districts of H.P. were selected for the implementation of the BACKWARD REGION GRANT FUND by the Government of India?
Answer Chamba and Sirmaur
Explanation These districts were identified to receive additional funds under this central government program aimed at redressing regional imbalances in development.
14. Question What was the targeted average annual growth rate for Himachal Pradesh during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017)?
Answer Around 7-8% was generally the target for many states, though specific H.P. targets might vary.
Explanation Five-Year Plans set out growth targets for various sectors and overall economic development for states and the country.
15. Question Which village Panchayat in Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh unanimously elected all women members during the December 2010 – January 2011 elections?
Answer Kamru
Explanation The Kamru Panchayat in Kinnaur set an example by unanimously electing an all-woman body, highlighting women’s empowerment in local governance.
16. Question In which year was “Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana” launched in Himachal Pradesh?
Answer 1999
Explanation This centrally sponsored rural self-employment program was launched nationally in April 1999 and implemented across states, including Himachal Pradesh.
17. Question “Mukhya Mantri Bal Uddhar Yojana” of Himachal Pradesh Government is restricted to children belonging to which families?
Answer Children in need of care and protection, including orphans, abandoned children, and those from vulnerable backgrounds.
Explanation This scheme aims to provide support, rehabilitation, and welfare services to vulnerable children in the state.
18. Question Who was the Chairman of the joint meeting of Shimla Hill States Rulers and Praja Mandal representatives held in January 1948 at Solan?
Answer Raja Durga Singh of Bagha
Explanation This conference, held at Solan, was a significant step towards the formation of Himachal Pradesh, discussing the integration of princely states.
19. Question Which was the main opposition group in the Himachal Pradesh Legislature during the 1950s?
Answer The political landscape was evolving, with groups like the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party and Socialist Party elements present.
Explanation In the early years after the formation of Himachal Pradesh, the Indian National Congress was dominant, and various smaller parties and independents formed the opposition.
20. Question Who headed the committee of the Government of India which recommended the transfer of more subjects to the Territorial Council in H.P. in 1962?
Answer Ashok K. Sen
Explanation The Ashok K. Sen Committee was constituted to look into the administrative setup of Union Territories, including Himachal Pradesh’s Territorial Council.
21. Question With whose assistance is the Himachal Pradesh Government’s organic farming and water harvesting project being implemented?
Answer Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been a key partner in such projects.
Explanation International collaborations often support states in implementing large-scale development and environmental projects.
22. Question Youths of which age group are eligible to avail the skill development allowance announced by the Himachal Pradesh Government in the 2013-14 budget?
Answer Typically between 16 to 35 years.
Explanation Such schemes aim to enhance employability among youth by providing financial assistance for skill training, with defined age eligibility.
23. Question Which scheme has been introduced in place of Kishori Shakti Yojana in the districts of Himachal Pradesh?
Answer SABLA (Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls)
Explanation SABLA was a centrally sponsored scheme launched to empower adolescent girls by focusing on their nutrition, health, and life skills, subsuming earlier schemes like Kishori Shakti Yojana.
24. Question Which sector had the highest outlay (in percentage terms) in the Annual Plan 2011-12 of Himachal Pradesh?
Answer Social Services sector often receives a significant portion of the budget.
Explanation State annual plans allocate funds based on developmental priorities, with social sectors like education, health, and welfare usually being prominent.
25. Question When Himachal Pradesh was formed in 1948, which was the smallest Princely State/Thakurai to join it (in terms of area)?
Answer Kuthar
Explanation Several small princely states and thakurais merged to form Himachal Pradesh, and Kuthar was notable for its small geographical area.
26. Question For distribution of essential commodities, all families in Himachal Pradesh have been divided into four categories. Two of them are: Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) families. Which are the other two?
Answer Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Annapurna families
Explanation These categories under the Public Distribution System (PDS) help target food subsidies to the most vulnerable sections of society.
27. Question How did the status of Himachal Pradesh change after the states were reorganized in 1956?
Answer It became a Union Territory.
Explanation Following the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission, Himachal Pradesh, which was a Part C state, was designated as a Union Territory.
28. Question In which year was the Himalayan Hill States Regional Council formed?
Answer 1946
Explanation This council, comprising rulers of hill states and Praja Mandal representatives, played a role in discussing the future administrative setup of the region.
29. Question In which year was the ‘Himachal Pradesh Abolition of Big Landed Estates and Land Reforms Act’ passed?
Answer 1953
Explanation This was a landmark legislation aimed at abolishing feudal land tenure systems and ensuring land to the tiller in Himachal Pradesh.
30. Question In which year did the first legislative assembly come into existence in Himachal Pradesh?
Answer 1952
Explanation After Himachal Pradesh became a Part C state, a 36-member Legislative Assembly was constituted following elections.
31. Question In which Princely State did the people demand the abolition of ‘Begar’, leading to police firing on agitators?
Answer Dhami
Explanation The Dhami firing incident in 1939 was a result of protests by the Dhami Praja Mandal against the ruler’s policies, including the practice of ‘begar’ (forced labor).
32. Question What was the ruler of Bilaspur state planning to do when the British quit India in 1947?
Answer Initially, the ruler, Raja Anand Chand, was keen on Bilaspur remaining an independent entity or exploring other options rather than immediately acceding to India.
Explanation Many princely states had a period of deliberation regarding their accession to India or Pakistan, or maintaining independence.
33. Question When did a popular Ministry headed by Dr. Y.S. Parmar assume office in the Part ‘C’ state of Himachal Pradesh?
Answer March 24, 1952
Explanation Dr. Y.S. Parmar became the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh after the Legislative Assembly was formed.
34. Question In which year did the Punjab hill states merge with Himachal Pradesh?
Answer 1966
Explanation As a result of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, hilly areas of Punjab like Kangra, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, and Shimla were merged with Himachal Pradesh.
35. Question Who was the Chief Commissioner of Himachal Pradesh between March 1951 and February 1952?
Answer Bhagwan Sahai
Explanation During its time as a Chief Commissioner’s Province and then a Part C state, Himachal Pradesh was administered by Chief Commissioners and later Lieutenant Governors.
36. Question In which year was the Himachal Pradesh Compulsory Primary Education Act passed?
Answer 1953 (An earlier version, later a more comprehensive one in 1997 was enacted)
Explanation Himachal Pradesh made early legislative efforts to promote compulsory primary education.
37. Question On which item was more than 50% of the First Five-Year Plan expenditure incurred in Himachal Pradesh after it became a Part ‘C’ State?
Answer Road construction and transport infrastructure.
Explanation Given its hilly terrain, improving connectivity through road development was a top priority for the state’s economic development.
38. Question In which year was the Himachal Pradesh Abolition of Big Landed Estates and Land Reforms Act passed?
Answer 1953
Explanation This Act was crucial for land reforms in the state, aiming to empower tenants and redistribute land.
39. Question In which year did Shimla become the capital of Himachal Pradesh?
Answer 1966 (effectively, formally later)
Explanation After the merger of Punjab hill areas in 1966, Shimla became the administrative center and eventually the formally declared capital of the enlarged Himachal Pradesh.
40. Question What did the system of “Begar” prevalent in Himachal Pradesh and some other states before Independence mean?
Answer Forced or compulsory labor without remuneration.
Explanation This was a feudal practice where subjects were compelled to provide various forms of unpaid labor to the state or local chiefs.
41. Question In which princely State did Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar serve as a District & Sessions Judge?
Answer Sirmaur
Explanation Before his active political career leading to the formation and leadership of Himachal Pradesh, Dr. Y.S. Parmar served in the judicial services of the Sirmaur princely state.
42. Question In which state of Himachal Pradesh did the Kisan Sabha effectively run a parallel government during the Pajhota Andolan in 1942?
Answer Sirmaur
Explanation The Pajhota Andolan in the Sirmaur princely state was a significant peasant uprising against the local ruler and British policies, where the protestors briefly established their own administration.
43. Question Which princely state was initially hesitant and refused to join the Indian Union when the British rule ended in India in 1947?
Answer Bilaspur
Explanation Raja Anand Chand of Bilaspur initially explored options for Bilaspur’s independent status before acceding to India.
44. Question When did the Chief Commissioner’s Province of Himachal Pradesh come into existence?
Answer April 15, 1948
Explanation Himachal Pradesh was formed by the integration of 30 princely states of the Shimla hills and was initially administered as a Chief Commissioner’s Province.
45. Question Which princely state, then a separate Part C State, was merged into Himachal Pradesh in 1954?
Answer Bilaspur
Explanation Bilaspur, which had been administered as a separate Part C state, was merged with Himachal Pradesh on July 1, 1954.
46. Question What was the effect of the States Reorganisation Commission’s report on the administrative status of Himachal Pradesh?
Answer Himachal Pradesh became a Union Territory.
Explanation Based on the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission in 1956, Himachal Pradesh was designated as a Union Territory.
47. Question What change occurred in the geographical area of Himachal Pradesh as a result of the reorganization of Punjab in 1966?
Answer Several hilly areas of Punjab, including Kangra, Kullu, Lahaul & Spiti, and Shimla, were merged with Himachal Pradesh.
Explanation This significantly increased the area and population of Himachal Pradesh.
48. Question In which year did Himachal Pradesh attain full Statehood, becoming the 18th state of India?
Answer January 25, 1971
Explanation After being a Union Territory for several years, Himachal Pradesh was granted full statehood on this date.
49. Question Which political party gained a majority in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections held in 1977?
Answer Janata Party
Explanation In the elections held after the Emergency, the Janata Party formed the government in Himachal Pradesh, similar to the trend in many other Indian states.
50. Question When was the ‘Territorial Council’ formed in Himachal Pradesh, replacing the Legislative Assembly?
Answer 1957
Explanation When Himachal Pradesh became a Union Territory in 1956, the Legislative Assembly was dissolved, and a Territorial Council with limited powers was formed in 1957.