Special Status State: Recently, the 18th Lok Sabha elections were completed in India. In which the NDA alliance has once again got the majority. The NDA alliance has got 292 seats while the All India Alliance has got 240 seats. Last time, the BJP had got the majority on its own, but this time it has to form the government with the help of allies.
In which Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party Janata Dal United and Andhra Pradesh’s Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party have a big contribution. Meanwhile, now there are chances of these two states being given the status of special states. What are the benefits of making a special state? How does one get the status of a special state? How many states in India currently have this status?
When did it start?
The status of special category state in India was decided in 1969 by Mahavir Tyagi, the chairman of the fifth finance commission, on the basis of the Gadgil formula. Under this, Assam, Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir were given the status of special states. According to the Gadgil formula, social, economic and geographical conditions were kept in mind while assessing it. The National Development Council of India had prepared some criteria for granting the status of special state.
These include the state’s per capita income, its source of income, the state’s terrain, whether it is hilly or inaccessible, population, and other parameters. Special provisions are made for a state under Section 371 of the Indian Constitution, under which it is given special category status.
What are the benefits of this?
When a state gets special category status, then that state gets many benefits. The central government gives special exemption to that state. Along with this, more grants are given as compared to other states. 30% of the total budget of the government is spent on these states. If the amount given to these states is not spent in a year, then it is carried forward to the next year. The same happens in normal states. If the amount is not spent there, then that amount lapses. That means it cannot be carried forward.
These states have the status of special category states
Currently, 11 states in India have the status of special category states. Most of these states are from the Northeast. These include Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Assam. The hilly states include Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.