With the central government increasing its hold over the states in administrative, financial, and legislative domains, experts warn against the steady dilution of federalism and its multifold consequences. When it comes to financial matters, they contend that "one nation one tax" under the GST regime has made states heavily dependent on the Centre for release of dues.
In law-making, every second bill proposed by parliament is opposed by the states as encroaching on state subjects, for instance, the contentious farmers laws, dam safety law; the list goes on. During the pandemic, states complained the directions issued by the Central government made the states appear as subordinate partners. Many fear that federal space shrunk to the detriment of the constituent states.
On the other hand, supporters of a strong Central government defend this 'asymmetrical federalism', by stating that only a strong Centre can ensure political stability, and not cave into polarising and secessionist forces. Moreover, because of India's massive cultural heterogeneity and threats to national security, proponents deem this arrangement as necessary for the very survival of the nation.
What do such Centre-state entanglements say about India's federalism? And what should we be batting for - a more federalised structure or a stronger Centre?
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PANELISTS:
Mr. N K Singh
Seasoned bureaucrat, Leading Economist, Prominent Politician - Bhartiya Janta Party, Former member of Rajya Sabha, and presently the head of 15th Finance Commission of India. Formerly, he was a member of the Planning Commission and handled assignments of Union Expenditure and Revenue Secretary. He was also an Officer on Special Duty to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Mr. Praveen Chakravarty
Eminent Political Economist, Leading Columnist, Chairman of the Data Analytics department, and Senior Office Bearer, Indian National Congress. He has co-authored with former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and many others. He has served in the Unique Identity Project (Aadhaar) and in the National Skills Development Agency.
Ms. Avani Kapur
Lead, Accountability Initiative, working towards Responsive Governance and Fellow, Centre for Policy Research. She leads research studies on fiscal federalism, health, nutrition, sanitation, and education financing.
Dr. Niranjan Sahoo
Senior Fellow, Governance and Politics Initiative, ORF and South Asia member for the Carnegie Rising Democracies Network. He writes on governance reforms, federalism, decentralisation, service delivery, electoral reforms, democracy, human rights, insurgencies, affirmative action and social exclusion.
Dr. Wilfried Swenden- Senior Professor of Indian and South Asian Politics, University of Edinburgh, and foremost expert on multi-level governance and federalism. He co-convened the ECPR Standing Group on Federalism and Regionalism, the largest European network in the field of territorial politics and he was also Vice-Chair of IPSA RC28, Research Committee on Comparative Federalism and Multi-Level Governance, International Political Science Association.
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DISCLAIMER:
We invite thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum. The guests in our sessions express their independent views and opinions. Argumentative Indians does not profess to subscribe, agree or endorse the same or be in anyway responsible for the stance, words and comments of our guests.
