While states often rely on the Centre for significant funding and resource allocation to achieve development goals, complete dependence is not strictly necessary. States have their own revenue sources and can implement development projects within their jurisdiction. However, due to the distribution of taxes in most federal systems, including India, a degree of reliance on the Centre for development funding is common.

The Centre typically controls a larger share of tax revenue, which is then distributed to states through various mechanisms. This financial structure makes states dependent on central funds for major development initiatives. In a federal system like India, power is divided between the Centre and states, allowing them to have autonomy in certain areas while still requiring central support for large-scale projects. Different states have varying resource capacities and development needs, which can necessitate greater reliance on central funding for some regions.

Ideally, the Centre and states should collaborate to identify development priorities and ensure an equitable distribution of resources. However, achieving this requires a political ecosystem that fosters cooperation rather than conflict. Unfortunately, India lacks such an ecosystem today. No political party is focusing on fostering constructive Centre-state relations, and instead, they engage in mutual blame games and fault-finding, even during times of crisis.

A glaring example of this is the recent collapse of a tunnel in the SLBC project, where eight individuals remain trapped with minimal chances of survival. Despite the government’s best efforts, rescuers have yet to reach them. Rather than acknowledging the challenges and offering support, the Opposition BRS is more focused on criticizing the Chief Minister for not visiting the site. Instead of uniting during a disaster, political parties exploit such incidents to settle scores, showing little empathy toward the affected individuals and their families.

Similarly, in Andhra Pradesh, the opposition leader is more concerned about securing the status of Leader of the Opposition than addressing public grievances. He has even declared that he will not attend assembly sessions until his demand is met, demonstrating a lack of concern for the suffering of the common people. Such political behavior reflects the growing disconnect between politicians and the citizens they are supposed to serve.

The need of the hour is a shift in political culture—one that prioritises development over party politics and cooperation over confrontation. Instead of engaging in endless disputes, political leaders must recognise their shared responsibility in nation-building. Disaster management, economic growth, and social welfare should transcend political differences. Only through constructive collaboration between the Centre and states can India achieve balanced and sustainable development.

For this to happen, political parties must rise above their narrow interests and work towards a governance model that emphasizes accountability, transparency, and genuine public service. Until this transformation takes place, Centre-state relations will continue to be characterized by conflict rather than cooperation, ultimately hindering India’s progress.