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Q.2) In discussions on reforms, or debates about public expenditure, there is an excessive focus on the Union government. However, on reforms and public expenditures, we also need to focus on scrutinising the states. Comment. (10 marks)

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Swatantra

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“Mentor’s comments”

  • https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/reforms-and-public-expenditures-lets-not-forget-to-scrutinise-states-7351650/
  • In the intro, mention the importance of scrutiny of three arms i.e. executive, legislature and judiciary.
  • In the body, mention how actions of the centre are rigorously scrutinised for example attention given to recommendations of the Union Finance Commission, scrutiny of the expenditure of the union, and the acts passed by the union governments. While doing this, states are spared of the detailed scrutiny about their expenditure, efficiency and reforms etc. So, there is a need for scrutiny of the states’ functions as well.
  • Conclude by mentioning the importance of scrutiny to increase the productivity of the state legislatures.

Comments

32 responses to “Q.2) In discussions on reforms, or debates about public expenditure, there is an excessive focus on the Union government. However, on reforms and public expenditures, we also need to focus on scrutinising the states. Comment. (10 marks)”

  1. Gauri Shankar Meena Avatar
    Gauri Shankar Meena

    Payment Id pay_HHlJ1R1WIIMdGT

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Gauri Shankar,

      First mention about the scrutiny at the union level, then come to states. That will substantiate the statement given in question and also give a comparative analysis.

      You can mention about the debates on Union Finance Commission, parliamentary standing committees, presence of Rajya Sabha for checks and balances etc

      Points mentioned about states are good. Also you can bring in the role of media, pressure groups etc

      Overall a nice attempt, just try to write about every part of the question.

      Keep writing. 🙂

      3.5/10

  2. Anupam Singh Avatar
    Anupam Singh

    Ref_id # 422544

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Anupam

      Please go through the article mentioned above, you will get some good points. You mentioned just about media scrutiny, there are other dimensions also. Such as lack of legislative councils in states, very low number of sittings for state assemblies, lack of any standing committees in states, no debate about state finance commission, lack of data of legislative proceedings etc. Mention these points.

      Introduction is good but no need to write which list contains how many subjects, just mention will do. Instead write about how all the above listed points are present at union level.

      Try to add more dimensions in such questions for getting extra marks. Common points will be mentioned by everyone. You can take help of the above tagged resources.

      Read some other answers. Keep writing. 🙂

      2.5/10

  3. SUMITA DOWERAH Avatar
    SUMITA DOWERAH

    Payment Id: pay HFrdyJMOEZ9967. Please review, Sir.

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Sumita

      You have written well. Introduction is good, in the body you can mention more points about presence of Rajya Sabha and functioning of parliamentary standing committees at union level but absence of these instruments for scrutiny and checks in most of the states.

      What you can do is make a small table comparing the issues of union and state.

      Rest of the points are good. Conclusion can be shortened a bit, direct write that states met for only 29 days on an average pre-pandemic, you can also add role of media here.

      Nice attempt, read some other answers and keep writing. 🙂

  4. ankita thakur Avatar
    ankita thakur

    Payment id-HJHAZEWKSzM3CX

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Ankita

      You have written well. Introduction is good, in the body you can mention more points about presence of Rajya Sabha and functioning of parliamentary standing committees at union level but absence of these instruments for scrutiny and checks in most of the states.

      What you can do is make a small table comparing the issues of union and state.

      Rest of the points are good.

      Also write a short way forward , you can mention steps like- need to maintain and update legislative data, ensure a minimum sitting of the assembly, formation of standing committees etc.

      Conclusion can be shortened, use the points if you have many, no need to write filler statements in such case.

      Read some other answers. Keep writing. 🙂

  5. Soundarya Shamala Avatar
    Soundarya Shamala

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    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Soundarya

      No need to write so much on executive, legislature and judiciary ; write one line and move ahead. Question is on states, so give more space to that.

      Also what you have written is more like just a way forward, mention some existing problems with a bit of data- legislative assemblies met just for 29 days in even pre-pandemic years, no legislative council in most states unlike Rajya sabha, no standing committees unlike parliament, 59% bills passed on same day of introduction, no scrutiny on fiscal devolution of states- mention some of these points.

      Then, you can write what needs to be done.

      Use two pages like UPSC papers. You will be able to structure the answer better.

      Read some other answers. Keep writing. 🙂

  6. vamsidhar namburi Avatar
    vamsidhar namburi

    #0000422551
    please review

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Vamsidhar

      You have written well; included most of the points.

      You can also include the role of media with examples like the recent agriculture bills.

      Rest of the points are good, you can make a table comparing union and states and include more content if you have.

      Nice attempt, keep writing. 🙂

  7. Utkarsha Yadav Avatar
    Utkarsha Yadav

    Please review
    Payment Id pay_HHWzC2O9xhkaqA

    1. Utkarsha Yadav Avatar
      Utkarsha Yadav

      Please review
      Payment Id pay_HHWzC2O9xhkaqA

    2. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Utkarsha

      Start the answer neatly, if you cramp so much in the beginning, in spite of good points that will be a drawback.

      Points are very good. Structure of the answer is good too.

      In the graph, you have compared different lok sabha functioning, instead if you present a graph comparing states and union functioning, it will be better. That will be more relevant to the question.

      If you want you can make a table comparing union and states on the issues you have mentioned as points.

      That will give you more space and you can write a short way forward- need to maintain and update legislative data, ensure a minimum sitting of the assembly, formation of standing committees etc.

      Nice attempt, keep writing. 🙂

      4.5/10

  8. Kartikey Singh Avatar
    Kartikey Singh

    pay_HHogiMPYpQ87sC

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Kartikey

      You have made a good attempt, included many points but also try to write about the structural inadequacies in the state government also such as legislative assemblies met just for 29 days in even pre-pandemic years, no legislative council in most states unlike Rajya sabha, no standing committees unlike parliament, no scrutiny on fiscal devolution of states to the 3rd tier of government etc

      What you can do is make a small table comparing the issues of union and state.

      Also segregate way forward and conclusion, the answer will look better.

      Read some other answers too. Keep writing. 🙂

  9. AABHA RANI Avatar
    AABHA RANI

    Razor payment id: HHOoNABVzCCLcD

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Aabha

      You have mentioned some points but I think you have got too repetitive, the last two points in the scrutiny section and conclusion part are same, that too you have repeated the question.

      Better write a way forward, that will give you some extra marks, use points like- need to maintain and update legislative data, ensure a minimum sitting of the assembly, formation of standing committees etc.

      Introduction is good.

      Points in the body of the answer are good, you can mention the role of media also, give example like agriculture bills which was intensely scrutinized but no news of state bills, also you can mention about lack of debates about state finance commission and its fund devolution to panchayats etc.

      Read some other answers. Keep writing. 🙂

  10. Harshaa Sharma Avatar
    Harshaa Sharma

    Idpay_HJ2s89guguFYwg@swatantra

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Harshaa

      You have understood the gist of the answer and written well, but try to present better.

      Mention some data points such as legislative assemblies met just for 29 days in even pre-pandemic years, 59% bills passed on same day of introduction, in fiscal scrutiny you can mention about debt position of states or mention schemes like UDAY. These will enrich your answer. Also in role of media, you can give example of agriculture bills.

      Also, you should write a short way forward in such questions, use points like- need to maintain and update legislative data, ensure a minimum sitting of the assembly, formation of standing committees etc.

      Nice attempt but you should write a bit more about the points, you have word limit and space both left.

      Read some other answers and keep writing. 🙂

  11. Dr. House Avatar
    Dr. House

    REF ID: #0000425733
    Please review @Swatantra Sir

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Dr House

      In the conclusion, you have repeated the same points again, better to convert it into way forward-use points like- need to maintain and update legislative data, ensure a minimum sitting of the assembly, formation of standing committees etc.

      Also you can mention about media scrutiny of important union government reforms like agriculture bills, labour codes etc but no debate about such reforms of the state government, issues of state also being effectively turned into a union subject. Mention about lack of scrutiny of state finance commissions too in the fiscal part.

      Remaining points in the body of the answer are good. Presentation is fine too.

      Read some other answers and keep writing.

  12. Arpit Singh Avatar
    Arpit Singh

    Payment id HHU8LODcXby9Db

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Arpit

      Please go through the article attached above, you will get some good points.

      In the first page you have mentioned about structures present for union government, those are there for state government also, question is about how effective are they and whether their scrutiny is done or not.

      You can mention some of these points- legislative assemblies met just for 29 days in even pre-pandemic years, no legislative council in most states unlike Rajya sabha, no standing committees unlike parliament, 59% bills passed on same day of introduction, no scrutiny on fiscal devolution of states etc

      Also mention about role of media, reforms of union government such as agriculture bills, labour codes are intensely debated upon but no such scrutiny of state reforms.

      Reforms needed part is good.

      Question is more about the DIFFERENCE in scrutiny b/w centre and states, so points like tax collection, subsidies etc which are common for both(in fact more for centre) won’t be of much value.

      Read some other answers, keep writing. 🙂

  13. shubham yadav Avatar
    shubham yadav

    Please review it sir
    Pay I’d – pay_HHhwlNw9vfR4HH

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Shubham

      You have started well but lost way after some time. Question is more about states, so mention what are the problems at present, what you have written is more of a way forward.

      You can mention some of these points- legislative assemblies met just for 29 days in even pre-pandemic years, no legislative council in most states unlike Rajya sabha, no standing committees unlike parliament, 59% bills passed on same day of introduction, no scrutiny on fiscal devolution of states etc

      Also mention about role of media, reforms of union government such as agriculture bills, labour codes are intensely debated upon but no such scrutiny of state reforms.

      Then you can mention some steps that need to be taken and finally conclude.

      You have tried well but I think content part is lacking a bit, go through the article attached above. It will help you a lot.

      Keep writing. 🙂

  14. shivanshu pandey Avatar
    shivanshu pandey

    pay_HH4AoVE2qPd386

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Shivanshu

      You have attempted well, mention some data about the issues mentioned by you -legislative assemblies met just for 29 days in even pre-pandemic years, no legislative council in most states unlike Rajya sabha, 59% bills passed on same day of introduction – these will add value to the answer.

      Rest of the points are good, you can also mention about role of media (lack of scrutiny of state policies), in fiscal reforms, mention about lack of debate on state finance commissions.

      You can also write a short way forward in such question if time and space permit, use points like- need to maintain and update legislative data, ensure a minimum sitting of the assembly, formation of standing committees etc.

      Nice attempt, keep writing 🙂

      3.5/10

  15. Mradul sharma Avatar
    Mradul sharma

    ref id- #0000422539

    1. Swatantra Avatar
      Swatantra

      Mradul

      Link the answer with some current affairs also, you can write about the intense media scrutiny on issues like farm bills, labour codes, covid crisis etc for centre but lack of debate about state bills and reforms.

      Rest of the points you have mentioned, that should be enough for a 10 marker.

      You can also write a short way forward in such question if time and space permit, use points like- need to maintain and update legislative data, ensure a minimum sitting of the assembly, formation of standing committees etc., then conclude.

      Good answer, keep writing. 🙂

      4.5/10

  16. Vishnu Agrawal Avatar
    Vishnu Agrawal

    Order id: 0000422561
    @Swatantra sir please review.

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