Think small

The UP chief minister has turned out to be a surprise, but nonetheless welcome, votary of small states. She said this week that she would support the trifurcation of her state, heeding long-held demands for Harit Pradesh in the west and Purvanchal in the east. The surprise draws from a smaller point. Mayawati8217;s BSP achieved a historic majority in the recent state assembly elections based on her winnability factor across UP. It conveys, in the first instance, her confidence that she can gain the sub-regional loyalties that could crystallise in individual entities in a trifurcated UP. But we welcome her statement for the promise of reform it carries.

Politics apart, the unwieldiness and ungovernability of UP is very unsettling in today8217;s India, in which federalism has gained a deep and meaningful economic hue. States today no longer meet the social and economic aspirations of their people through handouts from the Centre. For resources and for planning, they are more self-reliant. The absence in UP of craftiness and pro-activity in reforming administration and economy is reflected, importantly, in the relative flexibility and initiative in Uttarakhand, carved out of UP less than a decade ago. State reorganisation is in need of an updated paradigm. Many aspirations for separate statehood are not so strongly driven by ethnicity or language. The demands are more on geographical considerations. And these demands are far-flung, from a demand for Telangana to be carved out of Andhra, a Vidarbha out of Maharashtra, a Bundelkhand out of MP, and a Koshala out of Orissa.

In taking a composite view, the Centre must place greatest store by governability. And UP should be a special case and put on the fast track. Because its expanse makes it incongruous amongst states in hectic competition with each other.

Arguments are routinely made for and against small states, and there is enough experience to show for either side. But, for UP the deal should be clinched by the simple fact that political leaderships and administrations in smaller daughter states would be more easily made accountable.