Politics of Special Status

Political parties in Jharkhand are demanding and lobbying for it to be declared a “Special Status State”. However, it is not very clear how the state will benefit from such a status. The political parties feel that the higher budgetary allocation that this will lead to the state will make a difference with development work and the creation of infrastructure. However, this seems a distant dream, particularly in a state where corruption is institutionalised from top to bottom, where the state is not able to spend even the allocated budget, and where political parties and their leaderships do not seem to have commitment and vision for the state. In
such a situation, the grant of a special status will only increase corruption and loot by the politicians, middlemen, and bureaucrats. An increase in corruption would well impoverish the state and its people further.