Question

The Cabinet Mission Plan proposed a two-tiered federal union of British provinces and princely states. With reference to this, describe the following:

1. Name the persons who constituted the Cabinet Mission. What was the purpose of sending the Cabinet Mission to India in 1946?
2. The federal structure proposed by the Cabinet Mission Plan.
3. The option given to the Princely States.

Answer 1

1. 1. Lord Pethick Lawrence
   2. Sir Stafford Cripps
   3. Mr. A. V. Alexander
      Their main goal was to reach an agreement between the Muslim League and the Congress to quickly transfer power from the British to Indian leaders.
2. The Cabinet Mission proposed a two-tier federal plan to maintain national unity while allowing a high degree of regional autonomy.
   1. There would be a federal union of the British Provinces and Princely States.
   2. The Union Government would handle subjects like foreign affairs, defence and communication.
   3. It would have the authority to raise funds for these areas.
   4. The Union would have its own executive and legislature, with members elected from all provinces.
3. The provinces would have full autonomy for all subjects except those managed by the Union Government.
   1. The British Provinces would be divided into three groups.
   2. Each group could decide the provincial matters they wanted to handle together.
   3. A province could leave one group and join another by a majority vote.