NEW DELHI, India: The ‘The Sarkaria Commission ‘on Centre State relations is understood to have rejected the demand for curtailing the powers of the Centre saying that a strong Centre is necessary to preserve the unity and integrity of the country.
In its voluminous report submitted to the government recently, the Commission does not find any need for drastic changes in the Constitution. In its view the fundamental provisions of the Constitution have done reasonably have done reasonably well and’ with‘stood the stresses and strains of the heterogeneous society in the throes of change.
In the financial sphere also, the Commission does not see any justification for major modification in the basic scheme of the Constitution dividing the fields of taxation between the Centre and the State.
It has, however, favored amendments to provide for sharing of corporation tax, and levy of consignment tax and tax on advertisement and broadcasting.
The only suggestion given in this respect by the Commission is that residual matters other than taxation could be in the concurrent list.
Without directly referring to Anandpur Sahib Resolution, the Commission has opined that there should be no limiting of the powers of Constitution.
The various suggestions asking for transfer of subject to the state or concurrent list have been rejected.
Transfer of subjects like preventive detention, education, labor and electricity. The Commission says, would disturb the basic scheme of the Constitution and therefore not called for.
The Commission has, however, commended a process of consultation by the Centre on all concurrent subjects, which is not being, done at present.
The Commission is also on the favor of the suggestion that the devolution of funds from the Centre to the State should be made automatic.
The Commission has recommended that an expert committee should be set up to examine taxation reforms and resource mobilization and make suitable recommendations.
It has observed that the present division of functions between the finance commission and the planning commission are reasonable and must continue.
The terms of reference of the finance commission should be drawn up in consultation with the state governments. The Commission has suggested that similar expert bodies should be set up at the state level also.
The Commission has rejected all suggestions to modify the role of the Rajya Sabha and the Centre‘s powers in regard to the reorganization of the states should be retained.
In its report, the Commission is understood to have recommended that in the event of a political breakdown necessitating Central intervention under Article 352, 355, 356, the possibility of forming an alternative government should be first explored.
AHMEDABAD: Most people in this textile city are scandalized by the extent of loot in the Bofors deal recently reported by the Indian Express.
Politicians and most professionals assert that the Government owes it to the people to bring out all the facts of the scandal for the disclosures made it evident that money had been paid to the agencies which had no role in helping either the buyer or the supplier to any advantage.
Strongly reacting to the latest exposures, the CPI leader, Mr. Ashok Punjabi, said the Rajiv Gandhi government must resign
Article extracted from this publication >> February 19, 1988
