WHY SEPARATE VIDHARBHA! Lost rights are never regained by appeals to the conscience of the usurpers, but by relentless struggle- Dr B. R.Ambedkar From last so many days I am following newspaper regularly but hardly coming across any article on vidharbha issue whereas reverse thing is happening when comes to Telangana issue. in all national daily and also in magazines there are regular articles on telangana .I realised how genuinely people are trying hard for their cause. All intellects, pressure groups, group of social activist coming together for problem of this region which is helping them to gain mass support even from outside this region. When it comes to vidharbha even people of this region themselves are not aware about pathetic situation and slavery which they are caring from last 40 yrs My aim is to explore the issues related to this region and also suggesting remedy to those problems in order to strengthen movement for separate vidharbha .This is my personal view and I feel its honest attempt on my side to give best on my part for this cause. History of vidharbha and constitutional mechanism – 1.The present area of Vidharbha was earlier included in the erstwhile state of Madhya Pradesh. The demand for the separate state of Vidharbha was duly endorsed by the then Madhya PradeshLegislature.This was seen as a conflict with the demand made by the Sanyukta Maharashtra Movement in the erstwhile area of Bombay for the creation of a Marathi speaking state. 2. In furtherance of the proposal of a Linguistic Marathi speaking Province, the then leaders of Vidharbha and Western Maharashtra entered into an agreement known as the Akola act for formation of a federal state. Vidharbha still remained part of the erstwhile Madhya Pradesh after India gained Independence, a State Re-organization Commission was formed under Mr. Justice Fazal Ali. The leaders of the Sanyukta Maharashtra movement solemnly assured the leaders of the then Vidharbha region and other prominent Marathi speaking regions like Marathwada that if a Marathi state was formed,they would ensure the equitable distribution of the state resources. This assurance was reduced in writing as the "Nagpur act" in 1953. 3. The Fazal Ali commission recommended a separate state of Vidharbha in 1955. However, the report also recommended that constitutional recognition could be given to the Nagpur agreement. The members from the other areas of Maharashtra gave full support to this proposal. A new clause was thereafter Added to Article 371 of the Constitution of India with the consent of the Elected members of the State Legislature. 4. Thus, the erstwhile State of Bombay was formed which included the Vidharbha area. The seventh amendment to the Constitution of India was adopted and passed including Article 371(2) in the Constitution of India in the year 1956. 5. Agitations for a separate State for Gujarat and Vidharbha arose in the Period between 1956-1960. The then Chief Minister of the State of Bombay Promised to honour the Nagpur agreement before the Legislative Assembly.Vidharbha was given reassurance for implementation of the Nagpur Agreement and Article 371 (2) of the Constitution of India. Article 3 vested power to the parliament to create new state and alteration of boundary or any state. The constitution howerever is silent on subject or criteria for forming state it gives no guidance for the formation of new states. The first attempt for the formation of states was initiated by Motilal Nehru committee of 1928 which recommended the formation on linguistic basis .we have to keep in mind British rule having no cultural knowledge had created the provinces on administration ground, mainly Bombay, Madras , Bengal, In 1935 Sind was separated as separate province, the ours central province was part consisting of both Marathi and Hindi speaking with Nagpur as capital alas including Baster district. soon after independence security and development were main task before our leaders ,because of this even P. Nehru was against forming state on language base but linguistic identity become more and more assertive resulting in demand of states, fast unto death of Potti Sriramalu resulted in creation of first state of AP. Creation of AP paved the way for the creation of similar states .Fazal ali commission set up in 1953 for the reorganisation of the states. These people carried out tour to the nation, held nationwide consultation but didn’t keep only language as criteria, this can be understood by fact that they recommended for separate vidharbha and Telangana state and not part of Telgu or Marathi state .they were even against giving Bombay to Maharashtra ,S. K Patil ,congress leader was also opposed to giving Mumbai to Maharashtra and preferred to make it UT I.E CREATION OF BILINGUAL STATE WHICH WAS NOT ACCPETD TO FEW LEADERS from Maharashtra and under p.k Atre sanyukya Maharashtra parishad for separate Maharashtra was launched ,then chief minister Morarji Desai tried to suppress the movement resulting in death of many people they become martyers,and finally separate Maharashtra and Gujarat was created. After going through history. It is realised that no separate criteria was kept in mind while forming states that’s why many issues are still remained unresolved. Dr. B.R.Ambedkar was strong supporter of small states he welcomed the recommendation of fazal Ali committee for separate vidhrabha and telgana he was supporter of linguistic homogeneity of states in the sense of one state one language and not the one language one state thus was in favour of 2 Telgu 3 Marathi and no’s of Hindi speaking states . One language one state formula cannot be universally accepted as despite being so many Hindi speaking population scope to the formation more Hindi states still is there . His argument on smaller state was based on the fact that 1. No single state should be large enough to exercise undue influence in the federation ,he got the inspiration from American federalism thus thought that smaller states were in interest of healthy federalism, this can be understood by the point of view of the federal republic of India ,acute problems of imbalance amongst the constituent states exist. Small state like Goa is coexisting along with state like UP. Also an increase in regional consciousness at the sub state level would equivalent to an increase in the cost of managing interstate diversity 2. He thought that socially disadvantaged group sections are likely to be subjected to greater discrimination in bigger states coz of consolidation of socially privileged and dominant groups(THIS IS EXACTELY TRUE IN CASE OF MAHARAHSTRA WHERE POLITICS IS MARATHA DONINANT WITH MOER THAN 60 % MLA ARE FROM MARATHA COMMUNITY .ALSO CULTURAL HEGEMONY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN A SUCH MANNER THAT EVEN PEPOLE OF THIS REGION IS ON THE VERGE OF LOSSING THEIR OWN CULTURAL IDENTITY,HERE I WANT TO MENTION THAT HISTORY ,CULTURE ,LANGUAGE WHICH IS STILL BONE OF CONTENTION AS VARADHI IS DIFFERENT THAN MARATHI,AND FOUND ONLY IN THIS PART,GREAT CONTRIBUTION OF BULANDSHAW BAKHAT ,FOUNDER OF MODERN NAGPUR WAS HAVING NO IMPORTANCE AS COMPAIERD TO MARATHA HISTORY WHICH WAS MORE W. MAHARSHTRA CENTRIC)) OVER THE LAST HALF CENTURY TWO NEW DIMENSION HAS BEEN ADDEED POPULATION GROWTH AND VARIOUS DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES RESULTING IN POOR GOVERANCE IN large states .development planning under democracy without considering regional diversities, historical inherited infrastructure has given rise to uneven distribution of development .this distress has reached to level where harmonising development relation is not going to be possible without forming small states .it is true that very small states are not good this can be understood by the example of Goa and Zharkhand, where small nos of MLA can topple the govt. (In case of vidharbha it is often said that there is no leadership but in fact if we study Indian pol. System and Maharashtra we will come to know that we have always promoted hero worship on the name leadership, which has resulted in dynasty rule in the system ,only few elite families are ruling. In case of vidharbha such hero worship is not present; this is land where in actual sense democracy work) State to be self sustain it must have fare no’s of scientists, education institutes enterprises, political leaders, literature figure Varity of institutes, banks, colleges universities and diverse resources. That’s true that while forming new state history shroud be keep as a single factor also it should be based on futuristic thinking but at the same time we need to keep in mind that underdevelopment of regions is mostly due to historic factors (local institution and land revenue system ) and geography(soil quality ) and less with neglect .(IN CASE OF VIDHARBAH PRIVIOUS TWO FATORE HAVE PLAYED GREAT ROLE IN DEVELOPING ECONOMY TILL BRITISH PERIOD BUT SYASTEMATIC EXPOLTATION AND NEGLECT OF MAHARASHTYRA RESULTED IN BAKWAREDNESS OF THIS REGION.ALSO WE SHOULD NOT FORGET THAT NAXALISM WAS NOT PRESENT IN THIS REGION TILL 85,ITS GIFT OF MAHARASHTRA GOVT. TO THIS REGION) Smaller states can also experiment more easily with innovation and in governance and service delivery. While forming states care must be need to taken to carry out emotional integration, but in reality no such measures were taken in care while forming Maharashtra Some analysis of present day states systems – 1. India’s present states system is irrational if interpreted in terms of governance. For optimal governance requires population size of 50 million and geographical expanse of 35000 sq km.150 countries in the world and 12 states in our country are having population less than vidharbha. 2 There are empirical evidences the small states perform better than large scale on physical infrastructure, social infrastructure, law and order and poverty alleviation programmes also it is to be noted that administrative restructuring cannot solve all the problems .TISS has carried out research and clearly mentioned that investment of 1000 cr in tourism will create employment of 5 lakhs in this region. 3. The success of state depends not on size but on states capacity and human capacity. British system was unduly centralised based on land revenue consideration this is true even in present context if we consider the case of planning commission and finance commission who has been failed to develop backwards region .- Vidharbha case in this regard – Planning Commission set up a Fact Finding Team on March 2nd 2006, to study the long term causes for rural distress and to suggest measures and alternatives to meeting the imbalance in investment in backward areas of Maharashtra with specific reference to Vidarbha. The fact Finding Report of the Planning Commission (May 2006) has found the deliberate neglect of Vidarbha by Western Maharashtra politicians irrespective of political parties to which they belong and also by the administration. The 244 pages Fact Finding Report has proved that Maharashtra government has been partisan in its governance of Vidarbha.The Planning Commission Report exposes the style of functioning of Maharashtra Government in very clear words. It will be useful and helpful to bring to the notice of all the people of Maharashtra the views of the Planning Commission that can set the ball rolling for justice. The Planning Commission Fact Finding Team felt there was inadequate explanation for “this lackadaisical attitude in implementation of projects for Vidarbha and that there was ample reason to suspect collusion and connivance in not sanctioning the funds for the region and later to move for supplementary budgets, mostly for irrigation in Western Maharashtra.” The history of implementation of the allocations since 2000, when the first allocations were indicated, shows that “the State has traditionally surrendered the provisions for Vidarbha, while, paradoxically, bulk of the State’s power requirements are drawn from this region. Even the need to provide energy for giving power to pump sets has not lead to a system of prioritization. While Nasik district alone has over 2 lakh pump sets, in Vidarbha the number can be equaled only by counting the total pump sets for 5 districts. The difference is not in the water table but in the treatment. Another major area pertains to irrigation, where the region has only 4% area under irrigation compared to rest of Maharashtra with almost 20% irrigated area.” Information received from the Government of Maharashtra, Office of the Governor and the Statutory Development Board indicate that the implementation of the directives issued by the Governor of Maharashtra has not been satisfactory. The amount allocated by the Governor for the Irrigation sector and the expenditure reported by the State Government for the Annual Plans 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 shows that “while there was shortfall in expenditure to the tune of Rs.2528.21 crore for Vidarbha, Rs.1147.65 crore for Marathwada for the three Annual Plans taken together, the rest of Maharashtra region recorded an excess expenditure of Rs.1585.67 crore.” As regards inclusion of allocations made by the Governor in the Annual Financial Statement, the State Government has included those outlays as a one page annexure in the Annual Financial Statements. However, “the allocations made by the Governor have not been shown separately under the relevant heads of expenditure. Actual expenditure against allocation is likely to stay questionable as evidenced from previous track record of lack of effective monitoring and implementation systems; and lack of monitoring of implementation in identified sectors.” As regards backlog, with special reference to implementation of projects for irrigation in Vidarbha, “the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister felt that the needs of Vidarbha area can be met only by augmenting the flow of funds through Central grants….. Their desire is to expand the irrigation capacity in western Maharashtra. Currently they are busy with all last mile projects where 75% expenditure has already been made in western Maharashtra.” on being asked why similar focused and coordinated attention cannot be made for completing irrigation projects in Vidarbha area, their response is that most of the irrigation projects in Vidarbha area fall in degraded forests area (‘Juddupi’ jungle i.e. degraded forest) and that EIA has not been made available by Ministry of Environment and Forests. The subsequent carrying of the directives of the Governor on the backlog allocations shown in the Annual Financial Statement has been followed by a weak implementation. “It would not be incorrect to state that this lack of implementation in some of the major areas of development is possibly one of the major causes of the present acute distress faced in this region.” Besides the Planning Commission’s above detailed report, CAG Report 2006-07 brings out that “Western Maharashtra (WM) benefited as the Vidarbha’s backlog piled up. The diversion of funds to the influential WM and northern parts of state, ducking Governor’s directives has led to irreversible regional balance. Vidarbha has been robbed of 70% of its funds”. Provision for irrigation made by the Governor was Rs.3119.79 crore but government allotted only Rs.1391.58 crore that resulted in a backlog of Rs.2528 crore. Government subsidies have also been monopolized by the State’s powerful sugar lobby. Subsidies running into crores of rupees amounting to Rs.800 crores have been given to sugar factories and extended benefit of zero interest. Purchase tax of $ 63 million was waived for sugar factories and $ 212 million provided for buffer stock transport subsidies. “3.2 million Vidarbha farmers consume 11. % of total electricity while sugarcane belt of Maharashtra accounts for 65.5%. Six sugar growing districts of Pune Division had 3.57 lakh pump sets in excess of the quota of 2004, while Vidarbha had deficit of 2.15 lakh pumps. 60% of State’s electricity is generated in Vidarbha. It has power but is politically powerless. Pune Division is entitled to consume 512 million units (MU) of power. Agriculture pumps in the Division consumed 1079 MU with a subsidy to the pump set of Rs250 per unit. Pune got excess subsidy of Rs.144 crores in 2007 and WM got Rs.560 crores. Against this, Vidarbha out of its share of 2668 MU consumed only 985 MU due to backlog of 2.15 million pumps resulting in a loss of subsidy of Rs.420 croes” The Maharashtra Governor’s 38 pages Directive of 27th May 2009 under Article 371(2) of the Constitution regarding the irrigation sector laid on the table of Maharashtra Assembly in the Budget session is proof enough to confirm what Planning Commission and CAG Reports brought out in the their Reports. The Governor’s Directive has specifically instructed the Maha-govt. not to divert or deviate from the allocation made for irrigation. If such a diversion is noticed, the responsibility be fixed and reported to Governor. The Directive also makes the Planning Department responsible to Monitor this and send Quarterly Report to him. In addition, on the pattern of Krishna Khore, other basins benefiting Vidarbha and other areas should be developed. To check the government of Maharashtra to use all public debt for completing the irrigation projects of Western Maharashtra, Governor has strictly laid down that if such resources are raised they should be equally spent in all the areas. To keep watch on delay of irrigation projects in Vidarbha and other parts, the governor has asked the Maha-Govt. to submit Report to him about cost and time overrun of the projects in six months time. Goshi Khurd irrigation project of Vidarbha for which the foundation stone was laid by Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, in 1984 has yet not been completed. “These two Reports and Governor’s Directive have unequivocally brought out that there is no political will on the part of influential leaders of Western Maharashtra to do economic justice to Vidarbha which they have systematically avoided during the last thirty years. The economic, financial and administrative benefits of Separate Vidharbha State are briefly stated below without jeopardizing the economic interest of rest of Maharashtra – Economic and Financial Benefits 1. Separate Vidarbha will be surplus in electricity. There will be no load shading and all villages and towns will have uninterrupted supply of electricity year round. 2. This will connect all pump-sets to irrigate the farms of the farmers. Existing irrigation potential will be fully used. 3. All irrigation projects which are languishing in Maharashtra regime will be completed on priority. Out of the total cultivable area of 55 lakh hectares, only 10 lakh hectares is under Rabi Crops. Once irrigation becomes available the Rabi activity will increase and give more employment to farmers and farm labour of Vidarbha. There will be No suicides of farmers in Vidarbha. 4. Agro-processing industries and horticulture will be developed that will further boost the farm economy. 5. Electricity using small, medium and large industries will be set up with more incentives to industrialists with backward area concessions. 6. For MIHAN project that needs the feed of passengers and cargo, a Master Plan for the same will be designed and put into operation in the next two years. This will generate technical and ancillary employment. 7. The much neglected Tourism Sector will get a special attention and investment allocation. Vidarbha has number of tourists destinations which Maharashtra Government did not care to develop. 8. Vidarbha can resort to low cost organic farming suiting its dry land area, give remunerative prices to farmers and arrange for their export to European Union countries who have abandoned GM Crops. There is huge market for organic food including organic cotton. Maharashtra government even did not think on these lines. 9. Forest based and mineral based activities will be given boost for generating more revenue. 10. More thermal electricity generation to sale it to other States to generate more income/revenue. 11. Vidarbha will establish balance between revenue and expenditure for multi-faced development. Vidarbha’s estimated Budget 2009-10 is of the order of about Rs.24,000 cro with its revenue and expenditure balanced. Haryana and Punjab which are comparable in area and population to Vidarbha, have budget of Rs.28000 and Rs.30,000 cro. Respectively. Haryana and Punjab do not have Mumbai and still they have progressed faster than Maharashtra. Hence, Vidarbha State has the potential of developing fast once it is detached from Maharashtra. B. Administrative and Organizational Benefits 1. With Nagpur as the capital of Vidarbha, the seat of decision making will be easily accessible for the common people. In a short period of one to three hours people can contact the administration personally. 2. Ministers and peoples representatives will also be able to intensify their supervision and monitoring of development projects quickly. Administration will be more people oriented. 3. Ministers and MLAs will not be able to shirk their responsibilities by pointing that Mumbai Sarkar is not listening to them. They will be more responsible. 4. Number of public sectors is less in Vidarbha. The size of the government will be kept to the minimum and more private participation will be encouraged which will increase administrative and organizational efficiency. 5. Right of self determination will make all the difference in fully utilizing resources and Vidarbha’s resources will not be exploited by others as is happening now. Vidarbha State Advantage Maharashtra Separate Vidarbha State is going to be advantageous economically, financially and administratively to Maharashtra also. The major advantages are: A. Economic and Financial Advantages 1. With separate Vidarbha, entire revenue of Mumbai will be of Maharashtra. Benefit to Maharashtra. 2. No Winter Assembly session in Nagpur, hence saving of about Rs150 crop. 3. There can be one Governor for Maharashtra and Vidarbha State. Vidarbha will share half the expenditure of Raj Bhavan. Economic benefit to Maharashtra in lakhs of rupees. 4. Current expenditure on Naxal affected Chandrapur and Gachiroli will be net saving in expenditure to Maharashtra. 5. Indivisible Expenditure on administration, law and order, education and welfare schemes etc of Vidarbha will not be required to be done. Saving for Maharashtra. 6. With the economic development of Vidarbha, flow of unemployed of Vidarbha to Mumbai will reduce. Advantage Maharashtra. 7. Reverse flow of population to Vidarbha from rest of Maharashtra once the Vidarbha becomes rich as it was earlier. Advantage Maharashtra. 8. Expenditure on Public sector units/ organizations of Vidarbha will not be required. Financial benefit to Maharashtra. 9. Mumbai has space problem. Vidarbha can lease land on reasonable rate to Maharashtra. Advantage Maharashtra. 10. Maharashtra is deficit in electricity. Vidarbha makes available surplus electricity to Maharashtra at reasonable rate compared to rates charged by private companies. There will, of course, be no free electricity from Vidarbha. 11. Vidarbha Development Board will not be required which saves expenditure of few cores to Maharashtra. 12. All Plan and Non-Plan expenditure of Vidarbha will not be there which is net saving to Maharashtra. 13. On rough estimates of Budget 2009-10, Vidarbha being a State, Maharashtra will have to incur expenditure on purchase of about 2500/3000 MW electricity costing about Rs 4500 cro.and there will be loss of revenue which roughly adds to Rs.18,952 cro. But this will be financed by reduction in expenditure on Vidarbha to the tune of about Rs.22601 cro which will over compensate Maharashtra government leaving a surplus of Rs.2626 cro.. Size of Maharashtra Budget will be manageable with the exclusion of Vidarbha. This is net gain to Maharashtra once Vidarbha becomes a State. This is a matter of detailed calculations which can be undertaken in a separate Meeting. Earlier some leaders from Vidarbha had spread mis-information that Vidarbha will not be economically viable. If Maharashtra with its public debt of Rs 1 lakh and 86 thousands crore. Can be viable then Vidarbha will also be Viable. No state has been created on the basis of economic viability but on the basis of economic development with right of self determination for realizing the economic benefits denied to the people of the region. B. Administrative and Organizational Gains 1. Once Vidarbha becomes separate State, long distance administrative supervision will not be required. That will save lot of botheration. 2. With separate Vidarbha State, Maharashtra’s geographical management will be more efficient. 3. Maharashtra will be absolved of its responsibility of economic development of Vidarbha for which it has no Political Will as pointed out by the Planning Commission’s Fact Finding Committee’s 244 pages Report 2006 and CAG Report of 2006-07. 4. Vidarbha being not part of Maharashtra, Maharashtra government will not be required to engage in the exercise of diverting funds from Vidarbha to Western Maharashtra. All funds will be of Maharashtra. There will be no need for Maharashtra to take away projects from Vidarbha. 5. Problem of backlog will not be there. Benefit to Maharashtra. 6. No Article 371(2), no Directives from Governor, Maharashtra will have all administrative and financial freedom to chart out its course of development. 7. With less MLAs and MLCs in Maharashtra State with exclusion of Vidarbha, more space for Maharashtra MLAs and MLCs in Aamdar Niwas. More Bunglows and space for Maharashtra Ministers. Advantage Maharashtra. 8. Downsizing of Bureaucracy in Maharashtra as part of government servants will be transferred to Vidarbha State. Benefit Maharashtra. Mutually Agreed creation of Separate State of Vidarbha will generate more goodwill and respect of each other. Let us separate peacefully and amicably. Demand for Vidarbha State is pending with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. The earlier it is granted, better it is. Central Government need not wait for Maharashtra Assembly to bring the Resolution of Vidarbha State and pass it but can start the process of creating the State on its own. Separate Vidarbha will add to India’s GDP growth. By-prashant k pajai pajaivnit@gmail
Posted on: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 11:01:11 +0000
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