Day 39 – Q 5. What have been the strategies of the government to address regionalism in India? Illustrate.
5. What have been the strategies of the government to address regionalism in India? Illustrate.
भारत में क्षेत्रवाद को संबोधित करने के लिए सरकार की रणनीति क्या है? उदाहरण देकर स्पष्ट करें।
Introduction:
Regionalism is a sub-nationalism and political concept. It is a movement which seeks to politicize the territorial predicaments of its regions with the aim of protecting its regional interest. Generally, regionalism evolves on the basis of some social and cultural characteristics like ethnicity, caste, creed, language, color or culture.
Body:
Regionalism may help in solving some socio-political and economic problems at local level, but it is one of the big obstacles in national integration. In India, trends of regionalism are being observed in states like Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Maharashtra, Punjab, Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, etc. Such kind of sub-nationalism has already posed some serious problems for India, especially in form of Punjabiat and Kashmiriat.
After independence Indian government adapted various strategies to overcome the issue of regionalism.
- Provision of autonomy within 5th Schedule and 6th Schedule.
- Linguistic reorganization of states with passage of States Reorganization Act of 1956.
- Three language formula, special grants to backward states.
- Federal institutions like Inter-State Council, NITI Aayog, GST Council.
- Creation of new states like Telangana and Uttarakhand.
- Initiatives like ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat’ to promote the spirit of national integration through a deep and structured engagement between all Indian States and Union Territories through a year-long planned engagement between States.
- Incentives for Promoting Investment in Backward Regions like Income Tax Concession and tax Holiday in order to give stimulus to new industries in backward regions.
Conclusion:
While regionalism highlights regional issues and provides an opportunity address them, it also has negative impacts like instability, internal security challenge, affects national politics. Uniform development of all regions should be taken up so that no region feel isolated and left behind. Government needs to come with innovative solutions so that problems of regionalism are meaningfully solved.
Best answer: Ankur
