Whenever I get a Call from my Friends at Hyderabad, Only two common Questions , How is Cold at Delhi, How is your MBA Going and they receive every time only a common question from this side, and that is pretty obvious one. Yes, your guesses are very much true, “What has happened with regards to Telangana”. Many of my friends at Delhi ask me “Hyderabad is part of?” I am really bewildered to answer this, because I myself is not sure is it part of Andhra, or Telangana, or will it be a Union territory.
The Bandhs, Rallies, Students Unions, Holidays in Schools and Colleges, damage of public property have become words of daily routine. Jai Telangana has become a word more common than Good Morning or Good Day. The movement initiated by Potti Sri Ramulu on a Wednesday(Oct 1, 1952) is just being imitated by Mr. Chandrasekhar of TRS (Telangana Rasthra Samiti) on a Saturday (Nov 29, 2009.)
The question in front of the central government is whether to form separate Telangana or just control the situation. If the state is not formed, there are many explicit costs like Loss of Business due to daily Bandhs,(this has been materialised during December 2009 when Brick and mortar and Tollywood has left Hyderabad leading to heavy business loss) ,Loss to the public property, damage to Childs Education, economic distress and many more. But there are certain benefits like savings in very high administrative costs in formation of new state, allocation of resources etc.
But there are many inherent benefits of the formation of separate state. From the previous instances it is visible that, the new small states (Jharkhand, Uttaranchal) were developing at an unimaginable rate after their separation. This will also solve the issues being continues since almost 6 decades. But it is per se necessary to even consider the affects of this decision. Just the initiation of movement has made the political parties throughout India Overactive. Their demands for creation of smaller states like Vidharba, Bundelkhand, etc. Is government in a position to afford the heavy administrative costs as well as economic costs of small states?
But seeing the justifications given by TRS or JAC (Joint Action Committee, formed for the purpose of formation of Telangana)like , Telangana is the highest contributor for revenues of Andhra Pradesh, but has least share in expenditure, All the job opportunities are diverted towards Andhra and Rayalsema region, Telangana is growing at a impressive rate but at a very high costs, and many more.
So In my opinion, the Telangana shall be formed as a new state, but utmost care shall be taken in reorganization, it shall not be on based of Linguistic, but rather development based. This may lead to peaceful living of Telugus in both the states.
It is for sure that there would be development after the formation of the new state at least the capital of the new state would witness development. Something is better than nothing. The only problem associated with this issue is that it will trigger the demand for creation of more new states that are unnecessary.
ReplyDeleteDear Mashusudan, wel-written post,... the question is to decide the basis of the division.... as we know Indian politics, it is as divisive as it could be...I worry that despite all benefits of small states this will only lead to politicians find another way to divide people.....??? Is division the only way to ensure equitable distribution of opportunity, wealth and income???? Pls reply
ReplyDeleteI really Agree with you Harsh, Formation of state is not at all an issue, rather it is necesaary, but Forming a state for the means of power or political will, and at the cost of education of students, business of millions and lifes of common man... IS it required? And as you have rightly said, This will defnitly trigger a issue of many more small states.
ReplyDelete@ Dhruv, Thanks a lot. I am also worried for the same reason, as I said before, though reasons stated for the new state is apt but the hidden agenda is not clear. And Division is not the means of distribution, but seeing the losses due to political distress and also if the political matives are ignored, then it is justified to have a seperate state..
It is ridiculous to think that carving out a seperate state will bring progress. There have been so many leaders elected from Telangana in the last 50 years and even some who ruled Andhra Pradesh as CM. What makes analysts think that the problems of Telangana will be solved by statehood that have not been solved so far? People want food, clothing and shelter. Politicians want power - this is the primary reason why Telangana has always surfaced over the past 50 years; not because people wanted seperate statehood. Politicians have created a euphoria over statehood with false promises of progress and false claims of discrimination and trying to profit handsomely from the process. It is amazing how gullible people are - rather than demanding progress from their elected leaders, they would rather bank on a promise of progress from seperate statehood. In the meantime the politicians can amss a few hundred crores and retire comfortably while the people continue to suffer. I don't think anyone proposing Telangana can actually give projected plan of how growth will be achieved by seperate statehood - it is purely an emotional issue. There is no economic rationale or progress rationale behind this.
ReplyDelete