Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Article 371(2) (Special Responsibility of Governor for Vidarbha, Marathwada, Saurashtra, Kutch)
"A special constitutional provision empowering the Governors of Maharashtra and Gujarat to establish separate development boards for backward regions like Vidarbha, Marathwada, Saurashtra, and Kutch — and to ensure equitable allocation of funds and adequate facilities for technical education, vocational training, and employment."
Article 371(2), inserted into the Constitution by the Seventh Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956, casts a special responsibility on the Governors of Maharashtra and Gujarat to ensure the balanced development of backward regions within these states. The provision empowers the Governor (acting on the directions of the President) to establish separate Development Boards for: Vidarbha, Marathwada, and the rest of Maharashtra in Maharashtra state; and Saurashtra, Kutch, and the rest of Gujarat in Gujarat state. The Governor must ensure: (a) equitable allocation of funds for developmental expenditure across these regions; (b) equitable arrangement providing adequate facilities for technical education and vocational training; and (c) adequate opportunities for employment in services under the control of the State Government, with regard to the requirements of these regions. A report on the working of these boards must be placed annually before the State Legislative Assembly. Maharashtra established Development Boards for Vidarbha, Marathwada, and the Rest of Maharashtra in 1994; their tenure expired in April 2020 and has not been renewed since, becoming a recurring political issue with calls for their revival. Article 371(2) is one of multiple state-specific special provisions under Articles 371 to 371-J — others cover Nagaland (371A), Assam (371B), Manipur (371C), Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (371D, 371E), Sikkim (371F), Mizoram (371G), Arunachal Pradesh (371H), Goa (371-I), and Karnataka (371-J for Hyderabad-Karnataka).
Important for GS2 Polity (asymmetric federalism, special category provisions, regional development) and GS1 (statehood movements — Vidarbha demand). The non-renewal of Maharashtra's Development Boards since April 2020 is a current Mains issue — it interfaces with the Vidarbha statehood demand, regional disparities in Maharashtra, and the constitutional duty under 371(2). The provision is often confused with 'special category status' (a finance-commission concept now defunct after the 14th Finance Commission).
- 1 Inserted by 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 — coincided with States Reorganisation Act
- 2 Casts SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY on Governors of Maharashtra and Gujarat
- 3 Maharashtra regions: Vidarbha, Marathwada, Rest of Maharashtra
- 4 Gujarat regions: Saurashtra, Kutch, Rest of Gujarat
- 5 Three guarantees: equitable funds, technical education facilities, employment opportunities
- 6 Maharashtra Development Boards established 1994; tenure lapsed April 2020 — not renewed
- 7 Vidarbha statehood movement cites 371(2)'s incomplete implementation
The Vidarbha Statehood Movement frequently invokes Article 371(2)'s unfulfilled promise — arguing that despite over six decades of constitutional protection, the Vidarbha region (eleven districts of eastern Maharashtra) continues to lag behind western Maharashtra in per-capita income, irrigation coverage, and industrial investment. The lapse of the Vidarbha Development Board since April 2020 has intensified this argument.
