Do our states have the mettle?
ECONOMY & POLICY

Do our states have the mettle?

As intensity of crisis hits the Centre, the central command increasingly abdicates responsibility and decision-making ability to the states. This has been witnessed during the COVID crisis and now with the mounting disaster of its virulent second wave. As stated in this column in the past, states hold the key to India’s economic growth. Dynamic chief ministers and their able finance ministers can do a jugalbandi like Narsimha Rao-Manmohan Singh and turn around the fortunes of their states.

In the past, we have seen Nitish Kumar do this in Bihar as his government constructed roads in the state at breakneck speed and brought in prosperity. The state, which used to be notorious for its potholed roads or no roads in most areas, today boasts 27,000 km of state highways and district roads and 96,417 km of rural roads, all accomplished in the past 15 years. Bridges have enabled better access for people all over the state. Bihar is now a power-surplus state and villages have electricity supply. There is hardly any area in the state that does not get 20 hours’ power supply. ‘Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal’, the piped water supply scheme, has now provided further convenience to its citizens. Bihar was poised for double-digit growth if it not been for the pandemic though as per the state’s estimates it is likely to increase its share in India’s GDP.

Although all states are staring at deficits, some states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan indicate an expansion in FY21. The speed with which a state can grapple and then normalise its healthcare, business and commerce will decide the fate of the next two years.

Read the full story here

As intensity of crisis hits the Centre, the central command increasingly abdicates responsibility and decision-making ability to the states. This has been witnessed during the COVID crisis and now with the mounting disaster of its virulent second wave. As stated in this column in the past, states hold the key to India’s economic growth. Dynamic chief ministers and their able finance ministers can do a jugalbandi like Narsimha Rao-Manmohan Singh and turn around the fortunes of their states. In the past, we have seen Nitish Kumar do this in Bihar as his government constructed roads in the state at breakneck speed and brought in prosperity. The state, which used to be notorious for its potholed roads or no roads in most areas, today boasts 27,000 km of state highways and district roads and 96,417 km of rural roads, all accomplished in the past 15 years. Bridges have enabled better access for people all over the state. Bihar is now a power-surplus state and villages have electricity supply. There is hardly any area in the state that does not get 20 hours’ power supply. ‘Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal’, the piped water supply scheme, has now provided further convenience to its citizens. Bihar was poised for double-digit growth if it not been for the pandemic though as per the state’s estimates it is likely to increase its share in India’s GDP. Although all states are staring at deficits, some states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan indicate an expansion in FY21. The speed with which a state can grapple and then normalise its healthcare, business and commerce will decide the fate of the next two years.Read the full story here

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Canal Water Boost for Mudki

In a significant push for public health and urban development, MLA Rajneesh Dahiya has announced a Rs.280 million canal water supply project for Mudki town in the Ferozepur Rural constituency. The initiative aims to provide clean drinking water to every household within Mudki’s municipal limits. Speaking about the development, Dahiya said the project falls under the Centre’s AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme and is being carried out with the support of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Local Government Minister Dr. Inderbir Nijjar. “This ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

6 Tunnel Boring Machines Idle in Chennai

Six tunnel boring machines (TBMs) deployed by the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) are currently lying idle beneath city roads, stuck in limbo due to delayed construction of underground stations at Moolakadai, Perambur, and Mandaveli. The TBMs, launched as part of Corridor 3 of the Phase II Metro project from Madhavaram to SIPCOT, have reached their designated stations but are unable to proceed as the station boxes are incomplete. Without a completed diaphragm wall or station box, the machines cannot break through or be dismantled for reuse. According to CMRL officials, the root of the dela..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Mumbai Metro 3 Nears Launch

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation shared a sneak peek of the newly completed Acharya Atre Chowk station on Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) this Sunday, drawing both praise and impatience from the public. Located on the 9.77 km stretch between Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Worli, the underground station is part of a long-anticipated corridor that promises to ease traffic and boost east-west connectivity. The social media update, posted by the handle @MumbaiMetro3, featured images of the station’s sleek new interiors. But the post quickly sparked a flurry of comments, with several users demanding c..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?