Q12 · UPSC Civil Services Mains 2018 · GS I · 15 marks · 3 min read

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Discuss whether formation of new states in recent times is beneficial or not for the economy of India.

Topic: World's Physical Geography. Syllabus: Salient features of world’s physical geography. Same official PYQ from year-wise 2018 and World's Physical Geography.

Revision summary

Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand (2000) and Telangana (2014) are the recent cases. Gains are closer administration, resource focus, and sometimes faster urban and service growth. Costs are bifurcation disputes, new capitals, and no automatic end to poverty in mineral belts. Telangana’s Hyderabad economy rose while Andhra Pradesh paid a reorganisation price. New states help the Indian economy only when fiscal capacity and asset-sharing are real.

Model answer

Flow diagram

flowchart TD
  D[Regional demand] --> N[New state]
  N --> G[Closer budget identity investment]
  N --> C[Capital cost water cadre disputes]
  G --> E[Conditional growth]
  C --> E
  F[Fiscal capacity governance] --> E

Conclusion

  • Prefer administrative devolution, Sixth Schedule and district councils, and Finance Commission grants before another round of state-carving.
  • Where a state is formed, lock asset-sharing, river boards, and a time-bound capital plan so the economy does not pay a permanent political premium.

Recent new states have been beneficial where a neglected region gained a government and a growth engine, as in parts of Telangana and Uttarakhand. They are not a general economic law: split costs, water disputes, and weak mining governance can cancel the map change. The fair answer is conditional yes, not automatic yes.

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