South Central Census, Delimitation & MNREGA Pushback | South Central Episode 55
Dec 19, 2025
Joining the discussion is Rathin Roy, an economist and former advisor known for his insights on fiscal federalism and economic policy. He delves into the implications of the missing census and delayed delimitation on federal dynamics. The conversation also covers the recent MNREGA revamp, exploring its impact on poverty versus federalism. Rathin emphasizes the need for states to negotiate better tax shares and highlights the economic divide between the prosperous South and the less affluent North, urging coordinated efforts to enhance development.
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Video Leak Fuels Survivor Harassment
- Dhanya describes Martin Anthony's defensive video that circulated after the Dilip case verdict and revealed the survivor's identity.
- She stresses the video spreads harmful narratives and led the survivor to file a police complaint.
Census And Delimitation Left Undone
- India missed two major federal tasks after COVID: the census and delimitation, leaving representation and data blind spots.
- Rathin Roy warns this absence amplifies longer-term political and fiscal tensions across regions.
States Can Refuse Centrally Sponsored Schemes
- States can opt out of centrally sponsored schemes if they prefer to run their own programs with state funds.
- Rathin Roy advises scrutinizing whether central contributions are capped and to demand transparency on demand-driven funding.