Functions & Responsibilities of the Union & the States

Certainly, I’d be happy to analyze the mechanisms for collaborative decision-making between the Union and the States in India and their influence on the policymaking process.

The Indian Constitution establishes a federal structure, where powers are divided between the Union government and the State governments. To facilitate coordination and collaboration between the Union and the States, the Constitution provides for several institutional mechanisms:

Inter-State Council (ISC):

• The ISC is a constitutional body established under Article 263 of the Constitution.
• The Prime Minister chairs it and comprises Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories, as well as selected Union Ministers.
• The primary functions of the ISC include:
  • Investigating and discussing subjects in which the Union and the States have a common interest.
  • Making recommendations for better coordination of policy and action concerning these subjects.
  • Deliberating upon such other matters of general interest to the States as may be referred to it.
  • The ISC serves as a platform for the Union and the States to discuss and resolve issues related to Centre-State relations, resource allocation, and policy harmonization.

National Development Council (NDC):

• The NDC is a non-statutory body that was established in 1952 to strengthen and mobilize the effort and resources of the nation for the implementation of the Five-Year Plans.
• The Prime Minister chairs it and comprises Chief Ministers of all States, Administrators of Union Territories, members of the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog), and select Union Cabinet Ministers.
• The NDC’s key functions include:
  • Reviewing the working of the national plan, including assessing resources for the plan.
  • Considering important questions of social and economic policy affecting national development.
  • Recommending measures for the achievement of the aims and targets set out in the national plan.
• The NDC provides a platform for the Union and the States to deliberate on the development priorities, allocation of resources, and the implementation of national development plans.

The collaborative decision-making mechanisms of the ISC and NDC have a significant influence on the policymaking process in India:

• They facilitate greater coordination and consensus-building between the Union and the States on policy issues.
• They enable the States to voice their concerns and priorities, which can then be incorporated into the national policymaking process.
• The recommendations and decisions of the ISC and NDC often serve as the basis for formulating and implementing national policies and programs.
• The collaborative approach helps to address the challenges of fiscal federalism, resource distribution, and regional imbalances.
• However, the effectiveness of these mechanisms has been a subject of debate, with concerns raised about their limited decision-making powers and the lack of binding enforcement of their recommendations.

Overall, the Inter-State Council and the National Development Council play a crucial role in facilitating the collaborative decision-making between the Union and the States, and their influence on the policymaking process is significant, albeit with some limitations.