Sunday 30 October 2011

GD TOPIC - Creation of new states


Creation of new states:

      Creating new states has been a very debatable issue. As of now with the demands for new states like Telengana somewhat materializing, other regions are reiterating their demand for a new state. 
       Recently, the centre had consented to creating the state of Telengana from Andhra Pradesh. There has been a very mixed response to the creation of the new state. There has been riots for the cause of Telengana and there has been counter-riots for a United Andhra Pradesh as it is now. 
    The last time India created new states was in 2000 when the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand were formed from Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Many states have been facing riots for the creation of smaller states from big states. 
As part of our special series on ‘GDs on Topical Issues’ we discuss today the arguments that you can give with respect to the stand that you take during the GD round on the topic of creating new states from existing states.

ARGUEMENTS IN FAVOUR
-- Large states breed alienation among vast sections of people. For instance, in Maharashtra, a relatively prosperous state, development has been limited to the areas in and around the Mumbai-Pune industrial belt. Hence, creation of new smaller states from existing large states can address these issues. -- Large states tend to dominate economically and politically over smaller ones. This calls for the creation of smaller states. -- Smaller states are easier to administer. Small states make it easier for people to reach their governments. Grants and development funds are easier to distribute and development is more even in various regions. Also due to smaller size and population, governments are more responsive to people’s needs.  -- Smaller states have enormous potential to develop. The states of Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand are living examples of total makeovers of states from poor, underdeveloped regions to highly successful, highly industrialized states. They have uplifted the conditions of the people. 

ARGUEMENTS AGAINST
-- Regional imbalance is a short term phenomena in large states. In the long term development spreads evenly across all parts of the state.  -- Fears of domination by large states could be taken care of by greater devolution of political power to the masses and by creation of economic opportunities.  -- Smaller states, apart from being economically unviable, are often wracked by deep fractures between various social and ethnic groups.  -- The idea of new states means dividing more and more people based on region. This affects the national integrity and unity. This factor is one of the greatest disadvantages of creating new states.


CONDITIONAL ARGUEMENTS
 

-- Even though, it is highly advantageous to have new states in our country where it can address the issue of poverty, it should not be created unless absolutely necessary.  -- It should not be created unless the centre is satisfied that creating a new state is the only situation to help the poor people in that region. Because otherwise, it creates a sense of disunity and also pressurizes the centre for precious resources it already lacks.