Editorial 1 : Drying up
Introduction: Reduced river flows and falling water tables have made the summer harsher in several parts of the country. India is going to face the intense heat waves in coming future, due to climate chance, and in this situation drying up the waterbodies presents double whammy to the policy makers and common people.
The heat wave and water crisis across India
- Bengaluru Faces Early Water Crisis: Drought conditions worsen existing water shortage.
- Delhi Grapples with Scorching Temperatures and Water Shortage: Heatwave reignites dispute over Yamuna water allocation.
- Delhi-Haryana Water Dispute Reignited: Supreme Court order contested.
- Supreme Court Orders Water Release from Himachal Pradesh: Aims to alleviate Delhi's water shortage.
- Haryana Accused of Non-Compliance: Delhi claims Haryana not following court directive.
The policy level lacunas regarding water management in India
- The Narendra Modi government has accorded importance to providing tap water connections, but the health of aquifers continues to be neglected.
- The country has historically tried to address water deficits by focusing on supply-side parameters.
- In line with such an approach, the Centre has asked states to prepare inventories of water bodies as a first step towards preventing the encroachment of these aquifers.
- Much more needs to be done to tackle long-standing shortfalls.
- There is very little coordination between departments that deal with surface and groundwater, irrigation resources and drinking water.
- The few water-sharing arrangements between riverine states come apart during shortage seasons.
- And plans to harvest rainwater remain largely on paper, despite floods and dry spells alternating with worrying regularity in most parts of the country.
Recent initiatives are work in right direction
- In recent years, programmes such as the Sahi Fasal Campaign, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and Atal Bhujal Yojana have taken early steps to encourage efficient use of water in agriculture.
- Optimal use of irrigation resources is essential. However, demand-side management of water resources also requires analyses of practices at the household and industrial levels.
- Currently, the data on per capita water availability for different users is sketchy.
- Emergencies, such as the latest shortage in Delhi, usually precipitate knee-jerk responses such as imposing fines for wasting water, when the need is to incentivise water conservation, reuse, and recycling.
What more can be done to tackle the water scarcity in Indian Cities?
Infrastructure and Management:
- Leakage Reduction: A significant portion of water is lost through leaky pipes. Upgrading and repairing water infrastructure is crucial.
- Rainwater Harvesting: Encouraging rainwater harvesting in homes, apartments, and commercial buildings can create a supplementary water source.
- Wastewater Treatment and Reuse: Treating wastewater for irrigation and other non-potable uses can reduce pressure on freshwater supplies.
Conservation and Efficiency:
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Educating citizens on water conservation methods like fixing leaky faucets, taking shorter showers, and using water-efficient appliances can significantly reduce demand.
- Tariff Reforms: Implementing tiered water pricing structures can discourage excessive water use by charging higher rates for exceeding a certain limit.
- Promoting Water-Efficient Technologies: Encouraging the use of water-saving technologies like low-flow toilets and showerheads can reduce household water consumption.
Supply Augmentation:
- Desalination: While energy-intensive, desalination plants can provide a viable source of freshwater in coastal cities.
- Interlinking Rivers: Transferring water from surplus river basins to deficit regions can be a solution, but environmental and social impacts need careful consideration.
Institutional and Governance:
- Improved Water Governance: Effective water management requires robust institutions with clear policies, enforcement mechanisms, and community participation.
- Conflict Resolution: Developing clear water-sharing agreements and dispute resolution mechanisms between states can prevent conflicts like the one between Delhi and Haryana.
Technological Innovations:
- Smart Water Management Systems: Implementing real-time monitoring and leak detection systems can optimize water distribution and minimize waste.
- Drought-Resistant Crops: Encouraging the use of drought-resistant crops in urban agriculture can reduce water demand for landscaping and green spaces.
Conclusion: India is facing the problem of bourgeoning urbanisation. The water availability is going to be a big problem going forward. The recurring water crises should compel rethinking on sustainable use of fast-depleting aquifers.
Editorial 2 : A new federal bargain
Introduction: The return of coalition politics in India will bring questions of federalism and Centre-state relations back to the fore. The BJP’s greater reliance on its regional allies, and its expanded stake in southern India, offers the potential for a federal reset. But whether this will happen is unclear.
The coming of BJP led majority government and status of federalism
Since 2014, the BJP has introduced a number of changes in the domain of Centre-state relations.
Modi 1.0
- The government began by abolishing the Planning Commission and establishing in its place Niti Aayog with a mandate for strengthening cooperative federalism.
- It went on to establish the Goods and Services Tax, arguably the most significant reform to fiscal federalism since the promulgation of the Constitution.
Modi 2.0
- The government began its term in office with the abrogation of Article 370, a move that underlined a turn towards a deeper degree of centralisation and the use of a secure parliamentary majority to pursue one-nation policy ideas that often rode roughshod over the interests of states.
- The poll-eve pledge to proceed with “One nation, one election” was to be a continuation of this agenda.
General election 2024: A battle for federalism
- Going into the election, the tensions over the future of federalism were clear.
- The pending exercise of delimitation was the focal point for a brewing north-south divide in which less populous, Opposition-dominated southern states feared a radical redistribution of parliamentary representation to more populous BJP-dominated northern states.
- This threatened to throw open central elements of India’s fiscal federal pact to destabilising partisan conflict.
- The legitimacy of the redistributive model of fiscal federalism through which taxes collected in richer southern and western states are redistributed to poorer northern states was at stake.
The Return to Coalition Government
Introduction of Multiple Centres of Power
- Governing in coalition introduces multiple centres of power.
- Pushes against centralisation of decision-making in the Prime Minister’s Office.
- Regional parties may not necessarily strengthen federalism.
Regional Parties’ Interests
- Advance interests of their parties and states.
- Negotiate for cabinet and ministerial positions.
- Advocate for state-specific demands, e.g., special status for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.
- Raise national interest questions like the caste census.
- Limited focus on Centre-state relations or federalism vision.
Threats to Federal Bargain
- Special-interest regional politics may threaten wider federalism.
- Risk of impression that resource distribution is partisan.
- Could extend BJP’s “double engine” sarkar idea to NDA coalition.
Uncertainty of Divergence from BJP’s Vision
- Coalition partners’ alignment with BJP’s “one nation” vision unclear.
- Examples of regional party support for centralising policies:
- TDP MP’s support post-Article 370 abrogation.
- JD(U)’s support for “one nation, one election”.
Potential for Renewed Federalism
- Period of political change as a reflection point for federalism.
- Changed north-south electoral map as an opportunity.
- Need for a pan-India federal bargain to restore Centre-state trust.
Prime Minister Modi’s Appeals
- Modi’s calls for cooperative Centre-state working since 2014.
- Priority to strengthen institutional dialogue space.
Empowering the Inter-State Council
- Established post-Sarkaria Commission in the 1980s.
- Located within the Ministry of Home Affairs, limiting its authority.
- Need for greater independence and statutory responsibilities.
- Would support dispute resolution and inter-state cooperation.
- Platform for policy areas needing joint government action.
Building Trust Over Delimitation Exercise
- Announcement for a genuine consensus-building process.
- Federal solution respecting representation and state autonomy.
- Precedents like the inter-state dialogue for tax harmonisation.
Conclusion: The general election 2024 has thrown a surprising result to many. The coalition era has returned to Indian politics. Harnessing this moment to offer a new vision for federalism, in which the Centre and states can build trust and work together, would be to the benefit of all parties as India looks to the future.