Q.What are the demands raised by States in their quest for greater autonomy?

States have periodically demanded more autonomy from the Centre because they feel political, financial and administrative power is too concentrated at the central level, and because some States want their regional language and culture protected from domination by others. …

Since the decline of single-party dominance from the mid-1960s, many States and political parties have periodically demanded greater autonomy from the central government. One demand concerns the division of powers itself: States such as Tamil Nadu, Punjab and West Bengal, and parties like the DMK, the Akali Dal and the CPI(M), have argued that the balance of powers should be tilted in favour of the States, with more important powers assigned to State governments rather than being retained by the Centre.

A second demand is for financial autonomy — States have asked for independent sources of revenue and greater control over economic resources instead of being dependent on central grants and assistance. In 1977, for instance, the Left Front government of West Bengal brought out a document demanding a restructuring of centre-State financial relations, and the autonomy movements in Tamil Nadu and Punjab also carried an implicit demand for greater financial powers for the States. …