Day 37 – Q. 3 The fights between central government and state government on implementation various developmental programs ultimately costs dearly for the common man? Critically examine.

The fights between central government and state government on implementation various developmental programs ultimately costs dearly for the common man? Critically examine.

केंद्र सरकार और राज्य सरकार के बीच विभिन्न विकासात्मक कार्यक्रमों को लागू करने की लड़ाई आखिरकार आम आदमी को महंगी पड़ती है? समालोचनात्मक जाँच कीजिए।

Approach

Candidates can start the answer by giving idea of federalism or centre state disputes and then highlight how it costs the common citizens and also provide alternate views as per the demand of question.

Introduction

Federalism is a system of government in which powers have been divided between the centre and its constituent parts such as states or provinces. It is an institutional mechanism to accommodate two sets of politics many times it leads to dispute due to which common man suffers.

Body

Welfare policies, schemes & dispute around cost beneficiaries:

• Health Sector: Central government’s initiative of Ayushman Bharat to provide Universal health coverage was hindered by some states for example West Bengal refusing to join scheme left many beneficiaries out of services.
• New Education Policy: Central government wants Uniform standards of education across the country so as to ensure accessibility and equity in access to education across the country was opposed by some states it impacts loss of holistic education to common man.
• Agricultural marketing Sector: The recent Farm Acts which allow farmers to sell their produce outside the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) and aim to promote inter-state trade.
• Lack of unified agricultural market along with state’s reluctance to adopt Model APMC Act and their lack of enthusiasm to join e-NAM platform has restricted Centre’s capabilities to objective of doubling farmer’s income by 2022.
• Aadhaar based schemes: Similarly West Bengal government’s case in 2017 it was filed under Article 32 of the Constitution challenging the validity of the ‘Aadhaar Act’. These activities strangled development schemes based on Aadhaar.
• Pandemic policy: There has been accusations and counter accusations by states and Centre in the efficacy of national lockdown, who should be accountable for the second wave of covid, deficiencies I oxygen and hospital infrastructure in overall it impacts welfare of people.

Such disputes, fights represent the devolution in authority also it facilitates common man:

• After initial challenges of Pandemic, the Union government ceded adequate space and autonomy to the states for strengthening their healthcare facilities, managing the localised lockdowns, and implementing social security measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
• West Bengal, Delhi, Telangana and Odisha who were staying out of the Ayushman Bharat programme better entitlement-based health scheme in states.
• National education policy was viewed by Tamil Nadu government as a policy against social justice, federalism, pluralism and equality.
• As per the few oppositions ruled state government farmers the law was framed to suit big corporations who seek to dominate the Indian food and agriculture business and will weaken the negotiating power of farmers.

Way forward

• The inter-state tribunals, the NITI and other informal bodies have served as vehicles of consultations between the Union, states and UTs in such situations.
• These bodies have been instrumental in tackling difficult issues democratically through deliberations while upholding the cooperative spirit between the Union and states.
• Politically motivated fights must be abandoned and must not be entertained by the institutions. Instead, determined efforts must be made to resolve them within the political arena.
• The States must restrain themselves while defying the implementation of Central laws, if done it might lead to the breakdown of constitutional machinery.