Reviewing Rationale for Special Status
Friday, August 12, 2022
  • Circulation
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Sports
  • Business
  • More
    • RSS in News
    • Special Report
    • Culture
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • Education
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Obituary
SUBSCRIBE
No Result
View All Result
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Sports
  • Business
  • More
    • RSS in News
    • Special Report
    • Culture
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • Education
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Obituary
No Result
View All Result
Organiser
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Culture
  • Defence
  • RSS in News
  • Subscribe
Home General

Reviewing Rationale for Special Status

Archive Manager by WEB DESK
Jun 9, 2014, 12:00 am IST
in General
Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement chairman Sohail Abro

Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement chairman Sohail Abro

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterTelegramEmail

Opinion: Reviewing Rationale for Special Status

The demand for special status by states is as old as the creation of states in India. The way this provision has been misused or used as a tool by the Congress-led governments at the Centre raised questions over its validity. Everybody knows that many deserving states were denied the grants, while some states which failed to properly use their own resources were obliged. The latest demands from Odisha, Bihar, Seemandhra or other states should be seen in this context.

Achievements of states can be classified on the following formula for providing special status

  •  Industrial and agricultural development
  •  Gramodyog development
  •  Labour relations
  •  Skill development
  •  Land reforms
  •  Employment generation
  •  Water and energy conservation, environment protection
  •  Live stock development
  •  Road connectivity
  •  Education
  •  Girl child and girls education
  •  Infant mortality rate
  •  Men-women ratio
  •  Health
  •  Sanitation
  •  Drinking water facility
  •  Electrification
  •  Fulfillment of S/C, S/T reservation
  •  E-governance
  •  Administrative and Police reforms
  •  Control on crimes
  •  Crime against women
  •  Control on communal and social violence, etc.

 

The concept of a special category status was first introduced in 1969 when the 5th Finance Commission sought to provide certain disadvantaged states with preferential treatment in the form of central assistance and tax breaks. At that time three states Assam, Nagaland and J&K were granted special category status, but later on eight other states—Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand—were also granted that status because they all are situated in the Himalayan region.
During the UPA-II regime, the states like Bihar, Odisha and Tamil Nadu, citing their backwardness, also demanded special status. The Centre constituted a six member expert committee under the chairmanship of Raghuram G Rajan (presently RBI Governor) in May 2013 to consider backwardness of the states for evolving a composite development index of states. The committee submitted its report on September 2, 2013. It evolved an under-development index/need index based on ten indicators—monthly per capita consumption, education, health, household amenities, poverty rate, female literacy, percentage of SC/ST population, urbanisation rate, financial inclusion and connectivity.
The Committee recommended that the states, which score 0.6 and above on underdevelopment index are ‘least developed’ states, states that score below 0.6 and above 0.4 are ‘less developed’ states, while the states that score below 0.4 are ‘relatively developed’ states. The 10 ‘least developed’ states currently scoring above 0.6 could be targeted for specific additional support. These states are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
A committee member Dr Shaibal Gupta gave a note of dissent while raising some valid questions on the methods for selection of indicators and construction of the index. According to him, index is faulty hence the report did not present a true picture. The flaws of Rajan Committee Report can be understood on the basis of under-development index alone. As per this index, Gujarat by scoring 0.49 points, falls in less developed states category and at the same time Mizoram scoring 0.49 points also falls in the same category. Can Gujarat and Mizoram be at par on development counts? In the same way J&K scores 0.50 points. Can anyone explain how Gujarat and J&K are equal on development grounds? Not only this, Sikkim by scoring 0.43 points and Tripura by scoring 0.47 points, are much ahead from Gujarat. It is clear that this Report was prepared with a hidden agenda—to counter the popular ‘Gujarat model’. The UPA later awarded Rajan for this ‘wonderful task’ by making him RBI Governor.
After the formation of new government at the Centre, more states are demanding special status. Hence, it is necessary to re-examine the backwardness index of states so that every State can get fair share of funds from the Centre. If even a single State lags behind, the country cannot become prosperous or developed nation.
While backwardness is considered as parameter for allocation of funds, the States’ own efforts and achievements should also be considered for it. They too should work hard. Parameters for fund allocation should be based upon reward and punishment. As of now the states get funds from the Centre, but they don’t use that properly.
States affected by communal violence can be punished. As of now it makes no difference for funds allocation. Even states get special funds in the name of rehabilitation of riot victims. If the states get special funds for communal violence too, why would they try to curb them?
-Dr Ravindra Agrawal(The writer is a senior journalist)

Download Organiser App
ShareTweetSendShareSend
Previous News

Barren Sandbank to 'Molai Woods'

Next News

States : Muslim Organisations Against Omar

Related News

India-UK Free Trade Agreement, fifth round of talk successfully concluded

India-UK Free Trade Agreement, fifth round of talk successfully concluded

Luxembourg and ISRO discuss collaboration opportunities in space sector

Luxembourg and ISRO discuss collaboration opportunities in space sector

Udaipur beheading: NIA arrests 9th accused named Muslim Khan for his active role in the conspiracy

Udaipur beheading: NIA arrests 9th accused named Muslim Khan for his active role in the conspiracy

India-Bangladesh strengthen defence ties at the Tri Service Talks

India-Bangladesh strengthen defence ties at the Tri Service Talks

Tibet’s resistance to decades of coercion and colonial suppression of China

Tibet’s resistance to decades of coercion and colonial suppression of China

SC order puts Mosque built on temple land in a spot of bother

SC order puts Mosque built on temple land in a spot of bother

Comments

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Organiser. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.

Latest News

India-UK Free Trade Agreement, fifth round of talk successfully concluded

India-UK Free Trade Agreement, fifth round of talk successfully concluded

Luxembourg and ISRO discuss collaboration opportunities in space sector

Luxembourg and ISRO discuss collaboration opportunities in space sector

Udaipur beheading: NIA arrests 9th accused named Muslim Khan for his active role in the conspiracy

Udaipur beheading: NIA arrests 9th accused named Muslim Khan for his active role in the conspiracy

India-Bangladesh strengthen defence ties at the Tri Service Talks

India-Bangladesh strengthen defence ties at the Tri Service Talks

Tibet’s resistance to decades of coercion and colonial suppression of China

Tibet’s resistance to decades of coercion and colonial suppression of China

SC order puts Mosque built on temple land in a spot of bother

SC order puts Mosque built on temple land in a spot of bother

Malayalam film promo ‘Nna Thaan Case Kodu’ about ‘potholed roads’ in Kerala sparks controversy

Malayalam film promo ‘Nna Thaan Case Kodu’ about ‘potholed roads’ in Kerala sparks controversy

Rs 10k Crore escalation for Mumbai Metro 3 project! Who’s responsible?

Rs 10k Crore escalation for Mumbai Metro 3 project! Who’s responsible?

Kerala: Medical reports of Endosulfan victims buried for seven years

Kerala: Medical reports of Endosulfan victims buried for seven years

J-K: Tiranga Shikara rally held at Dal Lake in Srinagar

J-K: Tiranga Shikara rally held at Dal Lake in Srinagar

  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Cookie Policy
  • Refund and Cancellation
  • Delivery and Shipping Policy

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Business
  • RSS in News
  • Special Report
  • Sci & Tech
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Books
  • Interviews
  • Travel
  • Health
  • Obituary
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Circulation
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Refund and Cancellation

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies