The political and administrative reorganization of states and territories has been a continuous ongoing process in India since the mid-nineteenth century. This process has involved the creation of new states, the merging of existing states, and the reorganization of administrative units within states.
One of the earliest examples of state reorganization in India was the creation of the province of Bengal in 1856. This was followed by the creation of other provinces, such as Bombay and Madras, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These provinces were formed by merging smaller administrative units, such as princely states and territories, into larger units.
In the post-independence period, the process of state reorganization has continued, with a focus on the creation of states based on linguistic and cultural factors. One of the most significant examples of this was the States Reorganization Act of 1956, which led to the creation of several new states, such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, based on the principle of linguistic homogeneity.
More recently, there have been calls for the creation of new states, such as Telangana, which was created in 2014, and the proposed state of Gorkhaland in West Bengal. There have also been efforts to reorganize existing states, such as the creation of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
Overall, the political and administrative reorganization of states and territories in India has been a continuous ongoing process since the mid-nineteenth century, with a focus on creating states based on linguistic and cultural factors and reorganizing existing states for administrative purposes.
Reorganisation of States is a continuous and ongoing process because
1. Advantages of Reorganisation of states
- People of the region gain control over its resources and an organic model of growth can emerge to address their economic aspirations.
- Political stability that arises from better representation of people creates a conducive environment for investment in the region. Thereby encouraging regional economic development.
2. However Reorganisation of states itself is not the solution because
- New states may find themselves lacking in infrastructure (administrative and industrial), which requires time, money and effort to build. As was observed in the creation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh.
- The stabilization of the government and administrative institutions requires time for resolution of various issues such as division of assets, funds and of the state civil services.
- Territorial issues, disputes over water sharing (e.g. Krishna water dispute between Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra), disagreements over capital (as observed in the case of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over Hyderabad) are some other issues that can hinder the economic progress of these States and the country.
Mere creation of newer states out of the existing ones cannot guarantee faster and inclusive economic development in the region. The economic benefits from the creation of new states can only be reaped if it is followed by establishment of good governance, sustained socio-political stability and better coordination with the rest of the country. Hence reorganisation of States is a continuous and ongoing process.
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