Question

From the list of following events which ones would you identify with the functioning of federalism? Why?

• √ The Centre on Tuesday announced Sixth Schedule status to GNLF-led Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which would ensure greater autonomy to the governing body in the Hill district of West Bengal. A tripartite Memorandum of Settlement was signed in New Delhi between the Centre, West Bengal government and the Subhas Ghising-led Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) after two days of hectic deliberations.
• √ Government for action plan for rain-hit States: Centre has asked the rain-ravaged States to submit detailed plans for reconstruction to enable it to respond to their demands for extra relief expeditiously.
• √ New Commissioner for Delhi: The Capital is getting a new municipal commissioner. Confirming this, present MCD Commissioner Rakesh Mehta said he has received his transfer orders and that he is likely to be replaced by IAS officer Ashok Kumar, who is serving as the Chief Secretary in Arunachal Pradesh. Mehta, a 1975 batch IAS officer, has been heading the MCD for about three-and-a-half years.
• √ CU Status for Manipur University: Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to convert the Manipur University into a Central University with the Human Resource Development Minister promising such institutions in the North Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Sikkim as well.
• √ Funds released: The Centre has released Rs. 553 lakh to Arunachal Pradesh under its rural water supply scheme. The first instalment was of Rs. 466.81 lakh.
• √ We’ll teach the Biharis how to live in Mumbai: Around 100 Shiv Sainiks stormed J. J. Hospital, disrupted daily operations, raised slogans and threatened to take matters into their own hands if no action was taken against non-Maharashtrian students.
• √ Demand for dismissal of Government: The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in a representation submitted to State Governor recently, has demanded dismissal of the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government for its alleged financial mismanagement and embezzlement of public money.
• √NDA government asks Naxalites to surrender arms: Amid a walkout by opposition RJD and its allies Congress and CPI (M), the Bihar government today appealed to the Naxalites to shun the path of violence and reaffirmed its pledge to root out unemployment to usher in a new era of development in Bihar.

Answer 1

• √ Yes, the agreement between the centre, state government and the GNLF involve the functioning of a federal structure as it allows autonomy in governance at the state and provincial level.

• √ Yes, it involves the functioning of federalism because flood relief is undertaken by the states while being funded by the centre.

• √ No, it does not involve the functioning of federalism because this appointment reflects a centralised authority.

• √ No, it does not reflect a federal structure as a centralised university comes under the control of the central government.

• √ Yes, it involves the functioning of federalism as the centre is providing funds to the state of Arunachal Pradesh under its rural water supply scheme. The state can then make use of the funds for its own development.

• √ No, it does not involve the functioning of federalism because it is hampering the essence of federalism. The states have autonomy but they are tied in the bond fibered by the central power and are bound to work according to the instructions of the central government as it is superior to the state. This act of Shiv Sena is a violation of citizen’s rights as well as the spirit of federalism.

• √ No, it does not involve the functioning of federalism as demand for the dismissal of a duly elected state government is an attack on the federal structure.

• √ Yes, it involves the functioning of federalism as the problem of Naxalism is being tackled by the government at the state level.