Note4Students: 

Prelims: State Reorganization Acts; 

Mains: Governance Issues; Regional Disparities; State Reorganization; 

Mentor comment: In India, the phenomenon of ‘Regional Disparity’ has been a persistent challenge since independence, with some regions experiencing rapid growth while others lag. These disparities manifest in various forms, such as differences in culture and language, per capita income, access to infrastructure development. The same case evolved in 1956 in the form of ‘state reorganization’ on the linguistic lines. Andhra Pradesh was the first state in India after independence to be formed on a linguistic basis. However, after 2014 bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into – Andhra Pradesh and Telangana created new governance and political doubts in the minds of policy makers. The question is now whether the organization of states should be on a linguistic basis or an administrative basis.

The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh which took during 2014 has led to a significant decline in nostalgia (the pain from an old wound) for the shared history of the two regions. People from both sides are now moving on, with little emotional attachment to their past unity.

Let’s learn.

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Why in the News?

On June 2, 2024, 10 years will be completed for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. At the 10^th year, Hyderabad ceases to be the common capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

• However, several critical issues related to various corporations and common institutions between residuary Andhra Pradesh and the new state of Telangana still need to be solved.

About the AP Reorganization Act of 2014:

• The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2014 was introduced in Lok Sabha on February 13, 2014, by the Minister for Home Affairs, Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde.
• The Bill also proposes consequential amendments to The Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008, and the First and Fourth schedule of the Constitution of India.

The Message from the Andhra Pradesh Bifurcation:

• Regional Economic Disparities (Economic): The economic disparities between the two regions have not been bridged, with Telangana outperforming Andhra Pradesh in terms of per capita GSDP. This gap has remained relatively constant over the years.
  • Urban centers and their surrounding districts are contributing a larger chunk of state revenues, while the agricultural-based regions’ share is negligible.
  • However, the GCRs (Gini Coefficient Ratio) decreased in sectoral district domestic production for all three sectors (Agriculture, industry, and services). The Gini coefficient is often used to measure income inequality.

• Question on Regional Fault Lines (Administrative): The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh has exposed regional fault lines, including political, historical, and lifestyle differences.
  • The two regions were under different political authorities for 150 years. During the late medievals, the Nizam gave away the ‘coastal’ and the ‘ceded’ districts (Rayalaseema district) to the European powers. 
  • They were ruled from Golconda and Hyderabad for a long time. However, after the independence, they were together after 1956 (the creation of the first state on a linguistic basis).
  • Such parting of ways has not yet happened with the Kannada-speaking area of the Nizam’s Hyderabad State, nor did it happen as yet with its Marathi-speaking area. 
  • Therefore, the question arises, of unity based on language being frailer compared to those of the shared visions of Kannada and Marathi elites.

Challenges around the Federal and Future Scope:

• Future of Centre-State Relations: The distribution of political power in the central legislature could become a point of friction among states, particularly if there are changes in delimitation that favor certain regions.
  • Andhra Pradesh had 42 Lok Sabha seats and was the largest State in south India. But now, with a mere 25 seats, it is smaller than Tamil Nadu which has 39 seats, and Karnataka which has 28 seats. Telangana, with 17 seats, is smaller than Kerala, thus becoming fifth in the pecking order in the south. 
  • In our federal structure, numbers do matter but grossly unequal sizes among the units can render some regions irrelevant and others more relevant in deciding who holds power at the Centre. This may result in undesirable strains in the federal structure of our Republic.
• Future of Linguistic States: Andhra Pradesh, in its first five years after the division, got bogged down in its attempt to build for itself as a ‘world-class’ capital, that would overcome the loss of Hyderabad. The next five years were consumed by profligate Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) welfarism.
  • Therefore, the Indian Republic may need to look for alternative organizing principles, such as size or population.

Conclusion: The government needs to underscore the importance of federalism in addressing regional disparities and promoting more inclusive governance. The experience of Andhra Pradesh bifurcation offers valuable lessons for policymakers, highlighting the need to address regional disparities and adapt governance structures to changing regional dynamics.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-message-from-the-andhra-pradesh-bifurcation/article68243934.ece

https://oar.icrisat.org/6224/1/Local_Economy_1-13_2012.pdf

https://prsindia.org/billtrack/the-andhra-pradesh-reorganisation-bill-2014-telangana