Will Rajasthan ever get a status of a special state?
Neeti ’Gopendra’ Bhatt -
There has been a constant demand for granting special status to Rajasthan for the last seven decades ever since the independence of India, but the various central governments have not fulfilled it till date. While every Government of Congress and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) remained in power in the state pressing this demanding time and again and citing the geographical conditions of the state and requested the Central Government to ponder into it seriously. Now it has become customary that every year prior to the Union Budget this demand is raised by the state government, but the net result remains status quo.
Although, Congress ruled in the Center for long fifty five years while BJP and other parties for more than fifteen years its astonishing that the Governments being the power keep supporting this demand, but once in power go oblivious of it.
The state of Rajasthan has every reason to be declared as a special status in view of the attributes as detailed here.
Rajasthan may be granted status like Hilly and Border States
Disappointed for not being granted the status as a special state, the ruling Governments changed their stand and raised the demand to grant the status as a special state to be declared as a ‘Water Deficit State’, but this mate with the same fate as earlier ones. Even ambitious irrigation projects of the state are not being approved.
Recently, in the pre-budget meeting headed by the Union Finance Minister, Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, Urban Minister for Housing, Shanti Dhariwal represented the state and demanded to declare ambitious thirty-five core worth ambitious ‘Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project’-Parvan
Irrigation project should declare as National Project.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has also submitted this demand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This has been one of the favorite projects of Vasundhara Raje, former Chief Minister and she made Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare it a special state at a rally held in Jaipur, but unfortunately, this ambitious project is yet to be implemented. It is worth to mention here that the present Central Minister for Jal Shakti hails from Rajasthan.
Why Rajasthan needs to be declared as a special state
Geographically Rajasthan is the largest state of India and also a state with the largest borders with Pakistan. One of the largest deserts of the world 'Thar' also exists in Rajasthan.
Geographically, the oldest ‘Arawali Hill’ range divides the state into two parts. Topographical, river waters go waste and end up in the Arabian and Indian Ocean. The topographic conditions of the state are such that the rivers and rain waters flowing here drain down into the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. There is not a single perennial river in the state except for Chambal. The state is often hit by the drought and famine.
A large area of Chambal known as ‘beheads’ is situated in the state.
The livelihood of the people here depends on farming only. Because of deceitful monsoon in the state, farmers and other people are forced to immigrate to the neighboring states of the country or abroad for employment.
Surface and Ground Water in Rajasthan is only 1%
Only one percent water of the country’s total water is available here, while in the 15 percent land of the country a population of 7-8 crore’s inhibit.
More than 250 blocks under Dark Zone in Rajasthan
Habitation of the state is spread in remote helmets in the desert, tribal and hilly terrains of the state. It is no less than a difficult task to make available roads, water and other basic amenities.
More than 250 blocks of the state are under dark zone. In the rest of the areas, the groundwater level has reached to a terribly low. During summers water supply has to be replenished through water-trains and water-tankers. In normal days including state capital, Jaipur is a big challenge. The problem of fluorinated water is intense in most parts of the state and has its detrimental effect on the human lives. People fall victim to dental decay and disability. Part of Nagaur district is known as a ‘Deformity Belt’ (Banka Patti)
Financial Status
Cost on developmental works is also very high as compared to other states. At the same time financial resources are limited with the state. Reducing the center sponsored projects and share of the states in the central grants always remain a big problem for the state. Major revenue of the state is spent on salaries of the employees of the state leading to the lack of funds or funds for developmental works in such a situation. Gadia Luhar (nomadic ironsmith) residing in the southeastern belt of Rajasthan is still too backward. The population of scheduled tribes is twelve percent and the scheduled cast is about seventeen percent in the state.
Rajasthan is a repository of mineral deposits
Rajasthan is a mineral-rich state. Besides zinc, copper, rock phosphate, limestone, lignite, marble, granite stone and other building stones other mineral deposits are abundant in the bed of the Arawali Hills. The state has industries too based on these minerals.
Transporting road, water, electricity and other essential basic amnesties to these dispersed populations is nothing short of an ordeal. Here the service cost for development works is also much higher than other states. The state has limited financial resources. The number of centrally sponsored schemes is getting reduced and in this too, due to the decrease in the central grant ratio of the participation of the states, the state faces huge difficulties and troubles. A large part of the state's revenue is spent on the salaries and allowances etc. of the state employees. In such a situation there is always a lack of funds for development work.
Territory of immense potential for tourism
The region is replete with sites of immense tourist attraction. Every inch of the land here reflects an open art gallery. It is no exaggeration to call it as the state of ‘Open Arts Gallery’. The huge historic forts and grand palaces and Havelies symbolize rich heritage of the state, enchanting mountainous sand dunes of dessert, world fame tiger reserves and other forest and bird sanctuaries, many religious and archeological assets, tourist sites are world-famous. History of Rajasthan is abounding with valor, brave men and women along with sacrifices, devotion and charity. The rich art, culture, festivals, natural beauty, handicrafts, textiles hospitality, delicious cuisines, captivating songs, dances and music of the state attract everyone to towards it.
Indigenous and foreign tourists are fond of Rajasthan. Every third foreign tourist visiting makes it point to visit Rajasthan. Although, state do not have beaches and icy cold valleys, but has the biggest ‘Indira Gandhi Canal Project’, natural lakes, various islands located within various damn projects, hill station Mt. Abu, sub-zero temperatures during winters in the district Churu, etc. never let you feel short of tourism attractions.
Prosperity despite Poverty
Despite all these natural prosperity, colorful Rajasthan is lagging behind as compared to other states and poor in terms of the overall development. Rajasthan fall in the category of sick states. Owing to their business proficiency and skilled working styles, Rajasthanis (Marwaris) are spread across the globe and synonymous with the contribution in the development of the areas they inhabit.
Sincere efforts have been made for the development of the state after the independence of India, but not a single big project like Indira Gandhi Canal Project has been not been initiated in the state. It is imperative that the state gets special central aids to make the thirsty land of Rajasthan green, so that the biggest arid state of the country may aptly face the complex problems, like- drought, famine, potable water and complexities of geographical anomalies. Still Rajasthan is not getting its rightful water from the Ravi, Vyas, Sutlej, Yamuna, Narmada etc.rivers from the states of Punjab, Haryana, Utter Pradesh, Delhi, etc. For decades many international issues are lingering. Ambitious projects to link the rivers are also stuck up.
Rajasthan is all eligible to get enlisted in the category of special states like- North-Eastern states, Jammu and Kashmir and other hilly states. Central Government may include Rajasthan bearing in the mind arenaceous, hilly and tribal-state with the life full of grave scarcity and complexities or a state with acute shortage of water. Its claim to be developed as a ‘Heritage Stare’ cannot be ignored.
If Rajasthan gets its rightful special aids and support from the center, there is no reason that it becomes a leading state of the country.
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