Question

Which of the following statements about the West Bengal Memorandum are correct?

1. It wanted the Centre’s jurisdiction confined to a limited set of subjects.

2. It sought state consent for reorganisation of states.

3. It proposed that 75% of central revenue be allocated to states.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1 and 3 only
• D. All are correct

Answer 1

Answer:

D. All are correct

The West Bengal Memorandum (1977)

• The West Bengal Memorandum, formally titled the 'Memorandum on Centre-State Relations,' was adopted by the Left Front government of West Bengal in 1977, shortly after they came to power.
• It was a significant document in the history of Indian federalism, advocating for a radical restructuring of Centre-State relations in India.
• The memorandum reflected the growing demand among various regional parties and state governments for greater autonomy and decentralization of power, especially after the Emergency period.

Key Demands of the West Bengal Memorandum:

• Limiting Central Jurisdiction: The memorandum strongly advocated for confining the Centre’s jurisdiction to a limited set of essential subjects such as defence, foreign affairs, communications, and currency.
• It proposed that all other subjects should be transferred to the exclusive domain of the states, thereby significantly expanding the State List and reducing the Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
• This demand aimed to strengthen the federal structure by ensuring greater legislative and administrative autonomy for the states.
• State Consent for Reorganization: The memorandum sought to make it mandatory for the Centre to obtain the explicit consent of the concerned state legislatures for the reorganization of states (formation of new states, alteration of boundaries, etc.).
• Currently, under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution, Parliament can form new states or alter existing ones merely by ascertaining the views of the concerned state legislatures, which are advisory and not binding. The memorandum's demand aimed to give states a decisive say in their territorial integrity.
• Fiscal Decentralization (75% Revenue Allocation): A critical demand was the proposition that 75% of the total central revenue generated from all sources should be allocated to the states.
• This was a demand for a much higher share of revenue for states compared to existing arrangements, reflecting the states' perennial complaint about financial dependence on the Centre.
• The memorandum highlighted the need for a more equitable distribution of financial resources to enable states to undertake development projects and welfare schemes effectively.
• The existing system of revenue sharing is primarily determined by the recommendations of the Finance Commission, which is constituted every five years. The actual share transferred to states is significantly less than 75%.

Context and Impact:

• The West Bengal Memorandum, along with similar demands from other states and parties (e.g., Akali Dal's Anandpur Sahib Resolution), spurred a national debate on Centre-State relations.
• While many of its radical demands were not implemented, they contributed to the appointment of various commissions to examine Centre-State relations, such as the Sarkaria Commission (1983) and later the Punchhi Commission (2007).
• These commissions, although not endorsing all the demands of the memorandum, did recommend measures for greater decentralization and cooperative federalism, acknowledging the need to address state concerns.