Open Forum

New Delhi, 20 April 2022

Of States & Governance

DECENTRALISATION CRITICAL

By Dhurjati Mukherjee

The Centre is increasingly being accused of going against the federal structure of the country by Opposition States. The centralisation trend has been manifest for past several years affecting the States, which are being impacted from both political and economic angles. There is a therefore, a critical need to examine the operations of the States along with several factors which include the rise of Hindu fundamentalism, increasing violence, rising debt and mismanagement of finances and high levels of corruption of many a Stated.  

India is a federal democracy in comparison to China, which is an authoritarian state. However, the latter has delivered better education, health and welfare measures to its citizens. The secret of its success in this regard may not be attributed to authoritarianism but the fact it has focussed on state capacity. While elections have given the Indian people more freedom, the Chinese State has given its people more predictable day-to-day life and livelihood opportunities through better governance.

The scrouge of corruption and violence rising in Indian society is of serious concern. Take the recent case of BJP-ruled Karnataka. It’s Rural Development &Panchayat Raj Minister, K. S. Eshwarappa, resigned recently, as a contractor and BJP worker Santosh Patil committed suicide after accusing him and associates of demanding a 40 percent commission to clear a Rs 4 crore bill for road work he had undertaken in a village in his home district of Belgaum in 2021. The Karnataka State Contractors Association had also accused the BJP government of demanding 40 percent commission for public works.

In West Bengal, the police machinery is seen to be virtually inactive or rather dependent on the ruling dispensation’s orders. It has led the Calcutta High Court to order CBI inquiries into six cases in the past eight months and five of the directives came since March 25. The CBI investigations had been ordered into four incidents in a span of three weeks before the fifth order came on April 12.

Apart from violence witnessed during the Assembly and later municipal polls, which continued till a few days back, the State witnessed a dastardly incident in a village in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, where around eight persons were burnt to death and several others injuredin what is seen as group rivalry within the TMC. A CBI inquiry has been ordered by the Calcutta High Court. The ruling party is also embroiled in another controversy of a rape of a minor in Hanskhali, Nadia district, where a minor was allegedly gangraped at the residence of the son of a local TMC leader. Her body was forcefully cremated, as alleged by the family, even before the death certificate was issued. The incident brings back shocking memories of a similar case in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh.

Over the years, the bureaucracy powered by politicians has failed to strengthen the States and usher in reforms. The judiciary, police and Parliamentneed to become more effective and vibrant. However, what comes across is that Prime Minister Modi has created an image of being the patriarch and sole arbitrator of all problems faced by the common man. He and the BJP, it appears do not subscribe to the view that organs of the State machinery need to work together for good governance. Worse, the impression that the legislature is frequently being ignored as decision-making is concentrated at the top, is gaining ground.

Modi’s projection as a demi-god is not solitary. Many other regional leaders,such as Chief Ministers Mamata Banerjee, Yogi Adityanath, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, K Chandrasekhar Rao, too project themselves in a similar fashion. They too don’t seem to believe in decentralisation of power and, as such, the States fail to become effective agents of social and economic transformation. Welfare programmes, it is seen, have suffered and not reached the intended beneficiaries given not just rampant corruption but also grassroot organisations being weak.

Moreover,though there is the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, planning has been largely dictated by the top. There has been no effective political and financial decentralisation. The needs and demands of rural India are not taken into cognisance whereas plans and programmes are formulated in Delhi, or other State capitals mostly to cater to political interests. Reforming institutions and implementing a decentralised framework is the need of the day. A determined political will is critical but sadly missing.   

While there is no denying that States have taken steps to usher in reforms, these are largely to attract both industry and become financially strong. And though some States have achieved remarkable success, the common man hasn’t gained much. For take the case of Gujarat, which is industrially advanced, but the rural and backward areas continue to stagnate.

There is need for States’ administration to consider digitisation and management of land records as well as give deemed mandi status to warehouses and cold storages. While Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand have done so, other States need to follow. Plus, public-private partnership in regards to discoms to increase efficiency, cut losses as well as strict monitoring to nourish these organisations back to health is necessary.

Poor governance and imbalanced development in most States is reflected in the widening disparity between incomes of the rich and the poor. According to the global Oxfam Davos report of 2022, the nation added 40 billionaires to 142 last year. On the other hand, 84% of the households suffered a decline in income and India is in line with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for the highest increase in poverty. In 2020, the number of poor doubled to 134 million, and daily wage workers, the self-employed and the unemployed committed the most suicides.  

Clearly, the government needs to get its priorities right. In the midst of the poverty, it has set a target of increasing the number of airport from 140 to 220 by 2025. The Civil Aviation Ministry justifies saying recently as many as 3.8 lakh passengers flew daily in the past week and thus it has set a target of nearly tripling air traffic to 40 crore by 2023-24. The big question is what about improving schools or health centres in backward districts of the country instead? Consultation with States about their priorities should help changing the graph.

Additionally, fund scarcity in rural jobs scheme doesn’t augur well for States and there is need for decentralisation. Even in 2021-22 fiscal, there is negative balance of Rs 15,190 crore as on this March 23, a result of Rural Development Ministry exhausting its allocated funds. This against the backdrop that States are clamouring for more funds as employment schemes would have a big impact on strengthening the rural economy.

The involvement of the robust bureaucracy and its freedom to function without political pressure too needs a re-look. The ruling dispensation needs to acknowledge its role in development and good governance.Measures such as raising revenue generation, ensuring right beneficiaries get their claims and/or subsidies, building rural infrastructure, creating employment, transparent implementation of welfare schemes, will then all fall in place. But what is most essential is that States’wellbeing can only improve if there is a political will. That is the only way.---INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)