North-South divide at a crossroads

As the Finance Commission deliberates on the terms of reference, it is crucial that it acknowledges the existential threat facing India

I am concerned that discussions about the terms of reference of the 16th Finance Commission are happening without regard to the existential importance of the topic at this current juncture. The exercise is being viewed as a business-as-usual technocratic process.

The task before the 16th finance commission will not be business as usual. In my previous column (16th Finance Commission’s Political Challenge, October 12, 2023), I explained that there were three substantive issues that would centrally impact the commission’s recommendations. The overarching challenge that underpins these issues is the vastly increased tension between the Centre and the states, which in turn