With the proposed delimitation exercise set to further shift political weight towards the populous North, many in the South see this as an erosion of federalism
As the prospect of delimitation looms large over India바카라s parliamentary landscape, growing anxiety grips the southern states. On March 7th, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wrote on , 바카라 The Union Govt's plan for #Delimitation is a blatant assault on federalism, punishing States that ensured population control & good governance by stripping away our rightful voice in Parliament.바카라
Stalin and many southern leaders are not in favour of the proposed population-based reassessment of Lok Sabha seats and pushing for economic indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be considered.
BRS working president said, 바카라I propose delimitation based on the fiscal contributions to the Nation바카라Telangana constitutes only 2.8 % of the country바카라s population, but it contributes to more than 5.2 % of the nation바카라s GDP바카라
For decades, southern and western states바카라Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat바카라have outperformed northern and central states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan in terms of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), industrial output, and human development indicators.
While Uttar Pradesh has emerged as an economic heavyweight with the fourth-highest GSDP in the country, its per capita output remains among the lowest. Meanwhile, the South, with slowing population growth, has continued to outpace much of the North in economic expansion.
A deeper look at GDP data from 2011 to 2023 reveals how northern and central states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, saw their collective GDP rise from ₹24.7 lakh crore in 2011 to ₹86.8 lakh crore in 2023, a 251.2% increase. Meanwhile, the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana saw their collective GDP rise from ₹24.6 lakh crore in 2011 to ₹93.1 lakh crore in 2023, a 278.4% increase, outpacing the North despite their slower population growth.
Tamil Nadu바카라s GSDP is nearly three times that of Bihar, while Maharashtra alone accounts for 14% of India바카라s total GDP. These states, through higher literacy rates and industrialisation, have built stronger economies despite lower fertility rates and slowing population growth. Yet, under the proposed political framework, their success could lead to diminished power in national decision-making
GDP, however, is not a perfect measure of economic development. It provides an aggregate economic output but does not account for income inequality, quality of life, or sustainability. While Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu boast high GDPs, they also grapple with regional disparities, agrarian distress, and urban congestion. A high GDP does not necessarily translate into equitable development.
Moreover, the informal sector바카라a dominant force in India바카라s economy바카라is not fully captured in GDP calculations. States with large informal economies, such as Bihar, may appear to be underperforming, but their unaccounted economic activity could be significant. Additionally, GDP does not measure welfare. Kerala, for instance, has a lower GDP than Maharashtra but leads in Human Development Index (HDI) indicators such as literacy, healthcare, and life expectancy.
The economic performance of southern states plays into a broader political tension. The South, which boasts its focus on education, industrialisation, and social reform, views itself as being held back by a centralised economic policy that disproportionately directs resources towards the Hindi belt.
A key flashpoint in this debate is the Finance Commission바카라s tax devolution formula. Southern states contribute more in taxes than they receive in return, a phenomenon often described as 바카라tax injustice.바카라 Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, for instance, generate far more GDP than they get back from the Centre in the form of aid, effectively subsidising the slower-growing northern states.
With delimitation set to further shift political weight towards the populous North, many in the South see this as an erosion of federalism and an implicit penalty for their economic prudence.