Can Smaller States Promise Better Governance?
By siliconindia   |   Thursday, 17 November 2011, 03:15 IST   |    5 Comments
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Arguing against the division, any states regardless of its size and population, will remain undeveloped if the devolution of funds, functions and functionaries are not done effectively to the local bodies. As long as the inequalities in income are widening so drastically, there cannot be an overall development in the state as most of the states' and the central government's core focus is only on economic reforms with a total neglect of quality of living or basic needs such as health, education, employment or other basic requirements. Development largely depends on the extent to which power is devolved to the local authorities. It's well proven over the years as how a small state like Kerala under different chief ministers over the years and a bigger sate like Bihar under Nitish Kumar have seen tremendous development. And to cite an example, Jharkhand created by dividing Bihar, could not make any significant developments over the years. The demands for smaller states arise from ethnic identities and from the sense of insecurity which are valid reasons; however, development or good governance is largely depends on devolution of power.

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