Governance Challenges in Inter-State Border Regions
Indian Polity & Governance
- PYQs5
- Articles1
Background
UPSC often asks about regional disparities, challenges to inclusive growth, and the complexities of governance in a federal system, especially in geographically sensitive or marginalized areas.
Inter-state border regions in India often face unique governance challenges, including underdeveloped infrastructure, limited access to essential services like education and healthcare, and complex socio-economic ties that transcend administrative boundaries. These areas require specific policy attention to address regional disparities and ensure equitable development.
Facts & tables
- Infrastructure Deficit
- Lack of critical infrastructure such as roads, educational institutions, and tertiary-care medical facilities.
- Cross-border Dependency
- Residents often depend on neighboring states for education, medical treatment, and economic opportunities.
- Impact of Inter-State Policies
- Actions by one state (e.g., border blockades during COVID-19) can severely impact residents of the adjacent state's border regions.
- Regional Neglect
- These regions are often blind spots for state planners and political leadership, leading to persistent backwardness.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Federal Structure & Centre-State Relations |
| Conceptual area | Physical & Regional Geography |
| Conceptual area | Welfare Schemes & Social Policies |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| State Governments | Responsible for development |
| Inter-State Council | Resolves disputes |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Statement-based questions
Prelims angle: Institutional roles and functions
- Border regions often suffer from infrastructure deficit.
- Dependency on neighboring states for services (education, health).
- Inter-state policy actions (e.g., border blockades) can severely impact residents.
- Need for specific development programs for border areas.
- Elections highlight the neglect and demands of these regions.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2023 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2022 | Conceptual understanding, Institutional roles and functions |
Timeline
-
Federal Structure & Centre-State Relations
Conceptual area
-
Physical & Regional Geography
Conceptual area
-
Welfare Schemes & Social Policies
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2022
Conceptual understanding, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2023
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
How plurality and democracy go hand in hand
The article highlights how regions like Manjeshwar (Kerala-Karnataka border) suffer from backwardness, lack of infrastructure, and dependency on the neighboring state for essential services, exacerbated by inter-state policy actions (e.g., COVID-19 border blockade), illustrating the specific governance challenges in border areas.
See also
No related topics linked yet.
Past papers
2022–2025 · 5 questions
In the news
How plurality and democracy go hand in hand
The article highlights how regions like Manjeshwar (Kerala-Karnataka border) suffer from backwardness, lack of infrastructure, and dependency on the neighboring state for essential services, exacerbated by inter-state policy actions (e.g., COVID-19 border blockade), illustrating the specific governance challenges in border areas.
Try these PYQs
With reference to 'Scheduled Areas' in India, consider the following statements:
1. Within a State, the notification of an area as Scheduled Area takes place through an Order of the President.
2. The largest administrative unit forming the Scheduled Area is the District and the lowest is the cluster of villages in the Block.
3. The Chief Ministers of the concerned States are required to submit annual reports to the Union Home Ministry on the administration of Scheduled Areas in the States.
How many of the above statements are correct?
* Statement 1 is correct: As per Article 244(1) of the Constitution's Fifth Schedule, Scheduled Areas are areas that the President may declare to be such by order after consultation with the Governor of that State. * Statement 2 is correct: District is considered as the largest administrative unit which forms the Scheduled Area while the lowest administrative unit is the cluster of villages in the Block. * Statement 3 is incorrect: The Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India states in para 3 that the Governor of each State having Scheduled Areas therein shall annually, or whenever so required by the President, make a report to the President regarding the administration of the Scheduled Areas in that State and the executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of directions to the State as to the Administration of the said areas.
Consider the following:
1. Demographic performance
2. Forest and ecology
3. Governance reforms
4. Stable government
5. Tax and fiscal efforts
For the horizontal tax devolution, the Fifteenth Finance Commission used how many of the above as criteria other than population area and income distance?
Based on principles of need, equity and performance, overall devolution formula is as given in the chart:
If a particular area is brought under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which one of the following statements best reflects the consequence of it?
The Fifth Schedule of the Constitution deals with the administration and control of Scheduled Areas as well as of Scheduled Tribes residing in any State other than the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. The governor can make regulations for the peace and good government of a scheduled area after consulting the tribes' advisory council. Such regulations may prohibit or restrict the transfer of land by tribal to non tribal members or among members of the scheduled tribes, and regulate the allotment of land to members of the scheduled tribes. Option B is incorrect. According to the provisions of Paragraph 4, under Article 244(1) of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, the Tribes Advisory Councils (TAC) shall be established in each State having Scheduled Areas therein and, if the President so directs, also in any State having Scheduled Tribes but not Scheduled Areas. The tribal advisory council is an advisory body, not a governing body. Option C is incorrect. Bringing any particular area under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India does not convert the area into a Union Territory. Option D is incorrect. Bringing any particular area under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India does not get declared as a Special Category State.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I :India's public sector health care system largely focuses on curative care with limited preventive, promotive and rehabilitative care.
Statement-II: Under India's decentralized approach to health care delivery, the States are primarily responsible for organizing health services.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
* Statement I is correct: India's public healthcare system prioritises curative care, which focuses on treating existing illnesses. Preventive, promotive, and rehabilitative care, which aims to prevent diseases, promote good health, and help people recover from illness, receive less emphasis. * Statement II is correct: India's healthcare system follows a decentralised approach. The central government sets policies and provides financial assistance, but individual states are responsible for organising and delivering health services to their populations. This allows for flexibility based on local needs and contexts.
Therefore, the answer is Both Statement I and Statement II are correct.
Which of the following statements with regard to recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission of India are correct?
I. It has recommended grants of ₹4,800 crores from the year 2022–23 to the year 2025–26 for incentivizing States to enhance educational outcomes.
II. 45% of the net proceeds of Union taxes are to be shared with States.
III. ₹45,000 crores are to be kept as performance-based incentive for all States for carrying out agricultural reforms.
IV. It reintroduced tax effort criteria to reward fiscal performance.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The 15th Finance Commission made recommendations to promote better fiscal discipline, education, and agriculture reforms, while adjusting tax devolution among states. ✅ Statement I: Correct 4,800 crores were recommended (2022–23 to 2025–26) to incentivize states for improving educational outcomes. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect The Commission recommended 41% of Union taxes to be shared with states, not 45%. ✅ Statement III: Correct It proposed a ₹45,000 crore performance-based incentive for states to implement agricultural reforms. ✅ Statement IV: Correct It reintroduced the 'tax effort' criterion, rewarding states that better mobilize revenue in relation to their GSDP.