13.4 Regionalism-and-Regional-Inequality

Regionalism and Regional Inequality

2020-04-27 15:26:58

3 Regionalism

2020-06-19 08:10 : 13

  • Is sub national identity uniting around the ideology of a particular region, culture etc is called regionalism.
  • It could be economic, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, political regionalism.

3.1 Reasons for Conflicts

  • Imposing a particular ideology or culture - 1950s Hindi imposition and linguistic division of states.
  • Economic reasons -
    • Economic favouritism towards a particular region led to backwardness of others and formed the states of Telangana, Jharkhand.
    • Economic exploitation and loss of opportunities viz in Assam against outsiders/Bangladeshi immigrants
  • Political reasons -
    • Political exploitation of feelings of regionalism viz in Khalistan movement, Telangana.
    • Aspirations of people to be politically autonomous

3.2 Types of Regionalism

  • Parochialism - narrow minded outlook of ones region, ill-treating people of other regions. Shiv Sena against South and North Indians, ULFA against Biharis.
  • Regionalism - demand for separate statehood
  • Secessionism - Ex movements in Nagaland, Kashmir
  • Inter State disputes - sharing of river water, land boundaries.

3.3 Effects of Regionalism

3.3.1 Positive Effects

  • Helps strengthening the nation by dissolving fissures and dissent
  • Brings balanced regional development

3.3.2 Negative Effects

  • Hampers economic growth, creates instability and erodes faith of investors
  • Internal security challenges
  • Increases political opportunism
  • Increases government spending on elections, economic packages etc

3.4 Measures Taken to counter it

  • Establishment of Planning Commission and now NITI Aayog
  • 5th and 6th schedule
  • Linguistic organisation of states
  • Inter-state council
  • Special grants to backward classes

3.5 Suggestions

  • Imbibing nationalist outlook in students through school curriculums.
  • Interdependence among states
  • Grass-root democracy
  • Better utilisation of organisational machinery ex NITI Aayog
  • Proper sharing of economic resources

5.2 2nd ARC On Regional Disparities

  • Composite criteria for ID backward areas including poverty, literacy, infant mortality rates
  • U S gov should adopt formula for Block wise devolution of funds, Governance need be strengthened in backward areas
  • System of rewarding states, achieving significant reduction in intra state disparities be introduced