Statehood is neither a necessity nor a solution to grievances related to developmental disparities in a state, former media advisor to the prime minister Dr Sanjaya Baru said in an indirect reference to the Telangana issue while delivering the Burgula Ramakrishna Rao Endowment Lecture at the Osmania University here on Wednesday.
He attributed the increasing trend of regional sentiments in political debates to the focus on statehood and bureaucratic solutions. He pointed out that local level political and administrative leadership can play a very important role in the developmental process, and conversely, also play a destructive role.
He said inter-regional variations in development were the norm in all continental economies and it is a fact that some regions do better than others. “Western, north-western and southern India have consistently been ahead of eastern, central and north-eastern India with respect to economic indicators,” he explained.
“Regions that have not made the transition to agrarian capitalism are unlikely to urbanise and industrialise, without which growth is not possible. Beyond the economic challenge, there is a political challenge as well,” Baru felt.