This book explores hitherto unaddressed dimensions in federalism studies in India. It traces continuities and changes in Indian federalism since independence and especially economic liberalization. Beginning with the 1990s, due to the emergence of multi-party system, coalition governments, change in judicial temper and the onset of privatization and globalization in the economy, there has been a trend towards greater federalization in India. However, in the context of one-party majority in a coalition government since 2014, new aspects have emerged in Indian federalism.
The volume engages with several facets of federalism: administrative federalism; environmental and resource federalism; changing dynamics of fiscal federalism; and multi-level governance. With comparative data and case studies across different states of India, it brings together a range of issues, including Article 356 and its dysfunctions; land acquisition; decentralized governance; tribal rights; the roles of central and state governments; concerns regarding Citizenship Amendment Act; recent abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A; Delhi and statehood; climate change; MGNREGA; implementation of ICDS and the cooperative and competitive nature of Indian federalism.
Comprehensive and topical, this book will be useful to scholars and researchers of political science, federalism, comparative federal studies, political studies, comparative politics, public administration, governance and development studies. It will also interest policy makers, bureaucrats, government organizations, NGOs, and civil society activists.
Foreword by Wilfried Swenden
Introduction: Dialectics of Collaborative and Competitive Federalism
Rekha Saxena
Part I. Administrative Federalism
1. Article 356 and its Dysfunctions: Analysis of its Misuse in Indian Federal System
Subhendu Ranjan Raj
2. Indian Forest Service: Mandate and State Governments
Rekha Saxena and Rajesh Ranjan
3. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India: Digital Sway versus Digital Sovereignty
Niraj Kumar and Mahendra Prasad Singh
4. Delhi and Statehood: Problematic Law and Order and Federal Trade-Off
Amna Mirza and Bhav Nath Jha
Part II. Environmental and Resource Federalism
5. Land Acquisition, Movement Actors and Federalism: The Anti-POSCO Movement in Odisha
Biswajit Mohanty and Babita Verma
6. Forest Governance, Tribal Rights and State: A Study of the Third Layer of Federal Structure in India
Kamal Nayan Choubey
7. Climate Change and Sub-National Government: Uttar Pradesh
Avantika Singh
Part III. Changing Dynamics of Fiscal Federalism
8. Regional Business Chambers and Federalization in India
Himanshu Roy
9. Globalization, Welfare State and Cooperative Federalism in India
Alisha Dhingra
10. Evaluating Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) through Inter-Governmental Engagement: Jajpur District of Odisha
Sangita Dhal
11. Role of Street-Level Bureaucrats in MGNREGS Implementation: Jharkhand
Rahul Mukand
Index
Biography
Rekha Saxena is Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, India.
"In an era of populist nationalism, it is important to better understand Indian federalism. This book offers insightful perspectives on federalist cooperation and competition through practical case analyses of important policies."
John Kincaid, Professor, Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, USA
"Timely and well-documented. Young scholars throw light on varied aspects of the multilevel federal system which holds India together."
Balveer Arora, Chairman, Centre for Multilevel Federalism & Former Professor & Rector-Pro Vice-Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
"This book is a welcome contribution to scholarship exploring the operation of federal principles in the most highly populated federation in the world."
Nicholas Aroney, Professor Constitutional Law, University of Queensland, Australia
"This volume indeed lives up to its title in covering the new dimensions. Rekha Saxena has done a wonderful job of bringing together an upcoming crop of scholars to provide insights into current issues of federal practice in India. By looking at intergovernmental relations through the lens of globalization, environmental policy and fiscal federalism the volume provides readers with a better understanding of the imperatives and motivations behind recent policy choices made by governments in India. I highly recommend this volume for anyone interested in contemporary India."
Rupak Chattopadhyay, President and CEO, Forum of Federations, Canada
