Central Grants and State Autonomy (Hardbound - 1995)

The present book examines the problems of constitutional theory and practice of federalism with special reference to the centralizing tendencies of the central voluntary grants and the autonomy of the states in India. These are studied within the theoretical framework of three federal theories — classical theory of federalism, origin theory of federalism and theory of co-operative federalism.

In terms of conceptual framework, the problem of this study has three dimensions — structural dimension, contextual dimension and operational dimension. It has three determinants — constitutional determinants, socio-economic determinants and political determinants.

The book examines how the existing socioeconomic conditions compel the states to accept the central voluntary grants. It analyses how the operational aspects of the central voluntary grants have built-in mechanism to penetrate into state autonomy. It has explained the various dimensions of central means of penetration into state fields through the central voluntary grants. It has identified the areas of state into which the central grants have made penetration. It has evaluated trends in centralizing tendencies of the central grants. It has measured reactions of leaders, political parties, reports of commissions, academicians, etc., to such centralizing tendencies.

Though there are several books on Indian federalism in general and on centre-state financial relations in particular, yet the present book is the first of its kind in presenting all pervading picture of article 282 which was considered as an insignificant article by the framers of the Indian Constitution but which has become the most powerful weapon in the hands of the Planning Commission and of the Central Government to penetrate into state autonomy in the name of grants and planned development.

Dr. S.H. Patil is a Professor of Political Science in Karnatak University, Dharwad. He took his B.A. (Hons.) (1961), M.A. (1963) and Ph. D. (1976) from Karnatak University, Dharwad. He is the author of The Congress Party and Princely States, Gandhi and Swaraj, A Text Book of Political Thought (from Plato to Machiavelli) and Modern Western Political Thought (from Hobbes to Laski). His forthcoming book is Evolution and Working of the Indian Political System.

His articles have been published in the following academic journals: Gandhi Marg (New Delhi), India Quarterly (New Delhi), Journal of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies (New Delhi), Indian Journal of Politics (Aligarh), Political Science Review (Jaipur), The Journal of Karnatak University, Social Sciences (Dharwad), and ISDA Journal (Thiruvananthapuram).

He has been regularly contributing articles on current affairs to Samyukta Karnataka, one of the leading Kannada daily newspapers in Karnataka. His several group discussions and talks have been broadcast by All India Radio, Dharwad.

He has been a member of the Indian Political Science Association since 1964, was its Executive Member in 1969, has presented several papers at its conferences and has presided over one of its panels in 1987. He has participated in several regional and national seminars.