[Urbanstudy] such fun

[Anuj Bhuwania]

These government websites provide amazing gems sometimes. Such a
revealing account. The union ministry of urban development was formed
only as late as 1985!   ("Urban Development" being a subject on the
state list I suppose might be the reason, but why in 1985 then?)
Another interesting bit is the neat separation post-1995 of "urban
development" from "Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation." Please
dont miss the last sentence below by the way, without any  explanation
the website proceeds to call the ministry it just named "Ministry of
Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation" post-2004 by the name
"Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation." i guess,
employment loses its importance even in name.

http://mhupa.gov.in/ministry/index2.htm

"The Ministry was constituted on 13th May, 1952 when it was known as
the Ministry of Works, Housing & Supply. Subsequently it was renamed
as Ministry of Works & Housing when a separate Ministry of Supplies
came up. The name of the Ministry was changed to Ministry of Urban
Development in September, 1985 in recognition of the importance of
urban issues. With the creation of a separate Department of Urban
Employment & Poverty Alleviation on 8th March, 1995, the Ministry came
to be known as the Ministry of Urban Affairs & Employment. The
Ministry had two Departments: Department of Urban Development &
Department of Urban Employment & Poverty Alleviation. The two
Departments were again merged on 9th April, 1999 and in consequence
thereto, the name has also been restored to "The Ministry of Urban
Development". This Ministry was bifurcated into two Ministries viz.
(i) "Ministry of Urban Development" and (ii) "Ministry of Urban
Employment and Poverty Alleviation" with effect from 16.10.1999. These
two Ministries were again merged into one Ministry on 27.5.2000 and
named as "Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation" with
two Departments. They are (i) Department of Urban Development and (ii)
Department of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation.

>From 27-5-2004, the Ministry has again been bifurcated into two
ministries viz : (i) Ministry of Urban Development; and (ii) Ministry
of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation is headed by
Kumari Selja, Hon'ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for
Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation."