Great Nationalism, Little Nationalism and Problem of Integration: A Tentative View

Author(s): Amalendu Guha

Source: Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 14, No. 7/8, Annual Number: Class and Caste in
India (Feb., 1979), pp. 455+457-458
Published by: Economic and Political Weekly
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4367362 .
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G r e a t Na t iona lism L it t le Na t iona lism
a nd Pr oble m of Int e gr a t ion
A Te nt a t ive Vie w
Ama le nd u G uha
Spa t ia l polit ica l be ha viour a nd pr oble t ns of int t e gr a t ionin Nor t he a st Ind ia ha ve t o be und e r st ood in
t he ir spe cif ic hist or ica l cont ,e xt . The pr e se nt shor t pa pe r is a n a t t e mpt a t f ocusing on t his cont e xt .
Pa r t 1 of t he pa pe r t r a ce s t he gr owt h of na t iona lismin Ind ia in ge ne r a l a nd Pa r t It e xa mine s it s spe -
cif ics inNor t he a st Ind ia , wit h a vie w t o e xpla ining t he polit ica l be ha viour pa t t e r n a s obse r ve d in t ha t
r e gion.
I
A NATIONAL ITY is a st a ble commu-
nit y of cult ur e , hist or ica lly e volve d
wit hin a d e f init e t e r r it or y, on t he ba sis
of commone conomic t ie s a nd la ngua ge
a nd , a lso of t e n wit h one or mor e of
ot he r such commonf a ct or s. A na t iona -
lit y, so d e f ine d , ha d , in some ca se s, it s
r ud ime nt a r y be ginnings in consolid a t e d
f e ud a l mona r cbie s. But it s f ur t he r
d e ve lopme nt s, a nd e ve n it s be ginnings
in most ca se s, we r e int e gr a lly linke d
wit h t he r ise of ca pit a lism.
In Eur ope , t he r ising ca pit a list
cla sse s f ound it conve nie nt t o e mpha sise
t he se pa r a t e cult ur a l id e nt it ie s of t he ir
r e spe ct ive r e gions so t ha t f e ud a lism
could be pulle d d own by na t iona l d e -
mocr a t ic move me nt s, a nd t he ir own
cla ss int e r e st s could be pr oje ct e d a ppa -
i'e nt ly a s wid e r na t iona l int e r e st s,
t hr ough ne wly f or me d bour ge ois st a t e s.
Ea ch of t he se ca pit a list cla sse s pose d
it se lf a s t he e xclusive spoke sma n f or
a ll me mbe r s of t he r e giona l-cult ur a l
f or ma t ion, i e , t he na t iona lit y it be long-
e (I t o. This is how na t iona lismwa s
bor n a s a spir it ua l se nt ime nt , sha r e d in
common by me mbe r s of t he conce r ne d
na t iona lit y. It wa s a lso a move me nt
wit h a d e f init e id e ology a nd pr ogr a mme .
Ba sica lly a nt i-f e ud a l in cha r a ct e r , such
na t iona l move me nt st e nd e d t o culmina t e
int o t he e st a blishme nt of bour ge ois
d e mocr a t ic st a t e s so t ha t t he r e could be
ur nhind e r e d d e ve lopme nt of ca pit a lism
on t he ba sis of wid e ne d a nd pr ot e ct e d
na t iona l ma r ke t s.
It wa s t hr ough Br it ish colonia lisa t ion
t ha t t he gr ound f or simila r na t iona l
move me nt s wa s pr e pa r e d in Ind ia a nd ,
f or t ha t ma t t e r , a lso in it s nor t he a st
r e gion. In t he a bse nce of a ca pit a list
cla ss ba se , t he e me r ge nce of na t iona -
lism be f or e t ha t wa s not possible .
Br it ish r ule unif ie d d isjoint e d a nd r e -
mot e pa r t s of t he count r y t hr ough a
ce nt r a lise d syst e nmof a d minist r a t ion a s
we ll a s a ne t wor k
of r a ilwa ys a nd
communica t ions it built d ur ingt he la t e
l9t k ce nt ur y. The pur pose wa s t o
br ing Ind ia int o t he or bit of wor ld
ca pit a lismso t ha t e xploit a t ion could be
int e nsif ie d .
Conse que nt upon t he se pr of ound
cha nge s, ne w mid d le cla sse s, or ie nt e d
t o ca pit a lism, we r e f ound ope r a t ing
a mongst Ind ia 's va r ie d linguist ic com-
munit ie s a t sub-r e giona l, r e giona l a nd
a ll-Ind ia le ve ls. The se mid d le cla sse s
we r e obje ct ive ly oppose d t o f or e ign
d omina t ion ove r t he home ma r ke t .
He nce , t he y looke d f or wa r d t o e st a -
blishing t he ir own d omina t ion inst e a d ,
so t ha t ind ige nous ca pit a lism could
t hr ive t he r e by. Pr ot e ct ion of home
ma r ke t - a ga inst f or e ign compe t it ion
e me r ge d a s a sloga n. To pr omot e t he ir
owr int e r e st s, t he se cla sse s r a llie d
popula r suppor t be hind t he m, by e x-
ploit ing spir it uL a l se nt ime nt s ba se d on a
communit y of cult ur e . This ha ppe ne d
bot h a t t he r e giona l a nd t he a ll-Ind ia
le ve ls. Alongsid e of Ind ia n na t iona lism
one of t e n he a r d of Be nga li or Ma r a t hi
or Assa me se na t iona lisma s we ll. The se
na t iona lisms sust a ine d -a nd we r e in
t ur n sust a ine d by
-
Ind ia n pe ople s'
common st r uggle a ga inst Br it ish r ule .
The la t t e r wa s incr e a singly id e nt if ie d a s
t he ma inobst a cle on t he wa y of f ur t he r
gr owt h of t he Ind ia ncla ss socie t y.
All pa r t s of Ind ia a nd a ll Ind ia n
na t iona lit ie s d id not come und e r Br it ish
r ule a t one a nd t he sa me point of t ime .
Nor we r e t he y a t t he sa me st a ge of
socio-e conomic d e ve lopme nt whe n t he y
d id . Mor e ove r , e ve n t he d e gr e e of
Br it ish ce nt r a lise d cont r ol wa s not t he
sa me a ll ove r Ind ia - some we r e
d e f init e ly und e r -a d minist e r e d a s com-
pa r e d t o ot he r s. This une ve nne ss wa s
bound t o le a ve it s impr int on t he ma ni-
f e st a t ion of nia t iona lisma t t he va r ious
le ve ls, bot h in t e r ms of chr onology a nd
in t e r ms of t he e mot iona l cont e nt a nd
id e nt it y.
It wa s br oa d ly a long t wo t r a cks t ha t
Ind ia n na t iona lismwa s d e ve loping f r onm
it s ve r y be ginnings in t he mid -19t h
ce nt ur y -(i) gr e a t na t iona lismon a n
a ll-Ind ia pla ne a nd (ii) lit t le na t iona lism
on a linguist ic-r e giona l pla ne . G r e a t
na t iona lisme me r ge d a s t he id e ology of
t he na sce nt pa n-Ind ia n big bour ge oisie
who wa nt e d a n a ppr opr ia t e sha r e of
t he gr owing Ind ia -wid e bomr e ma r ke t
f or t he mse lve s t o t he e xclusion of (or
in colla bor a t ion wit b) f or e ign ca pit a -
list s. The y a lso wa nt e d a n ind e pe nd e nt
unit a r y st a t e t o se cur e it . This wa s
a cce pt a ble a lso t o la r ge se ct ions of t he
pr of e ssiona l mid d le cla sse s of ce r t a in
a d va nce d r e gions like coa st a l Bomba y
a nd Be nga l. For t he y we r e conf id e nt
of se izing a la r ge sha r e of a ll t he pr o-
f e ssiona l a nd ot he r oppor t unit ie s t o
come up in such a n Ind ia -wid e compe -
t it ive ma r ke t , be ca use of t he ir e a r ly ini-
t ia t ion t o English e d uca t ion a nd a d -
minist r a t ion. The Ind ia nNa t iona l Con-
gr e ss r e pr e se nt e d gr e a t na t iona lism, in
it s or igina l und ilut e d f or m, d ur ing t he
ye a r s 1885-1917.
L it t le na t iona lism, on t he ot he r ba ncd ,
e m(ie r ge d a s t he id e ology of t he
r e gion-
ba se d sma ll bour ge oisie (i
e , t he
r e giona l mid d le cla sse s) who f e a r e d
compe t it ion f r ommid d le cla sse s of
ot he r r e gions a s we ll a s f r omt he pa n-
Ind ia n big bour ge oisie . L it t le na t io-
na lism, t he r e f or e , st ood f or a n e xclu-
sive cont r ol of t he r e giona l ma r ke t s by
t he ir r e spe ct ive mid d le cla sse s.
The conce pt of a unit a r y na t iona l
st a t e wa s not a suit a ble id e a l f or lit t le
na t iona lism. It looke d f or wa r d t o a
mult i-na t iona l st a t e wit h a f e d e r a l se t -
up t ha t would gua r a nkt e e subst a nt ia l
r e giona l a ut onomy t o e a ch na t iona l
id e nt it y. In it s e xt r e me a nd la t e f or m
(in e xce pt iona l ca se s) lit t le na t iona lism
st ood , a lt e r na t ive ly, e ve n f or se ce ssion,
or d ua l cit ize nship a nd sove r e ign po-
lit ica l st a t us.
How we r e gr e a t a nd lit t le na t iona l-
isms int e r -r e la t e d ? In t he cour se of
t he ir hist or ica l e volut ion, t he y in
ge ne r a l move d in unison, cont inua lly
t e nd ing t o me r go wit h e a r h ot he r ; but
on occa sions, t he y a lsot e nd e d t o d a sh
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ECONOMIC AND POL ITICAL WEEKL Y Annua l Numbe r Fe br ua r y 1979
he a d long a ga inst e a ch ot he r in oppo.
sit e d ir e ct ions. On t he whole , d ur ing
t he pe r iod of our a nt i-impe r ia list
st r uggle s, t he y move d in t he sa me
d ir e ct ion, a nd ove r la ppe d wit h e a ch
ot he r . The y t hus got int e r t wine d .
Ind ia n na t iona l move me nt since 1917
involve d a se r ie s of compr omise s be t -
we e n gr e a t a nd lit t le na t iona lisms so
t ha t a ll na t iona list f or ce s could bt o
consolid a t e d t o a chie ve t he comt non
obje ct ive . G a nd hi wit h his conce pt of
linguist ic pr ovince s ushe r e d in t his
pioce ss. The d omina nt cla ss vie w on
t he na t iona l que st ion, a s a r e sult , und e r -
we nt subst a nt ia l cha nge s, in f a vour of
a nd t owa r d s r e cognit ion of mult i-na -
t iona l int e r e st s, bot h be f or e a nd a f t e r
ot ur Ind e pe nd e nce .
It wa s in t his pr oce ss, a s wor ke d out
a bove , t ha t ca st e s, t r ibe s a nd loca l com-
munit ie s we r e be ing a bsor be d int o
la r ge r e nt it ie s a long e it he r of t he t wo
a lbove -me nt ione d t r a cks. The lit t le
na t iona lit ie s, t oo, we r e impe r ce pt ive ly
ge t t ing int e gr a t e d wit h a st ill la r ge r
na t iona l e nt it y
-
t he Ind ia n na t ion-
hood in t he ma king.
In t he Ind ia n cont e xt , t he r e wa s a nd
is a lso a gr owing und e r st a nd ing t ha t
only by e limina t ing bour ge ois d ist or -
t ions couild a ba sis f or t nr e na t iona lism
be f ound -a lso t ha t one 's loya lt y t o
r e giona l cult ur e is quit e compa t ible
wit h t r ue na t iona lisma nd int e ma t iona l-
ism, once cla ss e xploit a t ion is r e move d
f iomt he sce ne .
II
For e conomy in a d minist r a t ion, t he
Br it ish r ule r s or ga nise d t he conque r e d
nor t he a st e r n t e r r it or ie s int o a mult i-
lingua l, composit e pr ovince .
Only
Be nga li of a ll la ngua ge s of t he pr ovince
ha d some of f icia l r e cognit ionf or limit e d
pur pose s d ur ing t he ye a r s 1837-73. It
wa s wit h t his ba ckgr ound t ha t Assa me se
lit t le na t iona lismha d . it s be ginnings,
a longsid e of gr e a t na t iona lism. Thr ough-
out t he 19t h ce nt ur y, r e giona l a nd a ll-
Ind ia consciousne ss co-e xist e d pe a ce -
f ully a ll ove r t he pla ins of Nor t he a st
Ind ia . In t he hills a r e a s, howe ve r ,
na t iona lism
-
gr e a t or lit t le
-
wa s
conspicuously a bse nt d u-r ing t he ce n-
t ur y. The r e it is a 20t h ce nt ur y phe no-
me non, a ssocia t e d wit h t he r ise of
loca l, e d uca t e d mid d le cla sse s d ur ing
t ht int e r -wa r a nd Wor ld Wa r II pe r iod .
The pe ople of t he pla ins of Assa m
we r e a ssocia t e d wit h a pr ovincia l
le gisla t ur e since 1906; a nd t he pe ople
of t he pa r t ia lly e xcluid e d hills a r e a s,
ie , t he Kha si, G a r o a nd Mikir Hills,
since 1937. 1Hnwe ve r , in t he la t t e r ca se ,
t he d e gr e e of polit ica l pa r t icipa t ion
wa s pe r f unct or y. Na ga la nd , Mizor a m,
Ar cna cha l (Ne f a ) a nd t he N C Hills
we r e t ot a lly e xclud e d f r om a ny kind
of const it ut iona l r e f or ms unt il 1947.
This une ve n const it ut iona l a nd a d minis-
t r a t ive d e ve lopme nt , a s much a s t he
une ve n e conomic pr ogr e ss, a lso cont r i-
but e d t o t he be la t e d ne ss of na t iona lism
ir i t he nor t he a st e r n Ind ia n socie t y.
Dif f e r e nt se gme nt s of it ca me und e r
t hEl spe ll of na t iona lism a t d if f e r e nt
t ime s. Anot he r point t o not e is t ha t
gr e a t na t iona lism ha d only ma r gina l
inmpa ct on t he hills pe ople s; a nd t he
le a st or lit t le impa ct on Na ga la nd a nd l
Mizor a m, in pa r t icula r . The r e a r e
ge ogr a phica l a nd hist or ica l r e a sons f or
t ha t .
'T he Kha si (a nd Pua r ) pe ople we r e
f ouind a lr e a d y or ga nise d int o r ud ime n-
t a r y st a t e f or ma t ions, whe n t he y ca me
und e r t he Br it ish. Conscious of t he ir
loca l pr ivile ge s, t he Kha si chie f s be -
ga r ior ga nisingt he mse lve s int ovolunt a r y
a ssocia t ions since 1900. This f a ct or a nd
t he loca t ion of t he pr ovincia l ca pit a l in
Shillong since 1874 la r ge ly a ccount e d
f or t he e a r ly polit icisa t ion of t he
Kha sis, r e la t ive ly t o ot he r hills pe ople .
It wa s only d ur ing Wor ld Wa r II t ha t
t he G a r os, t he Mizos a nd t he Na ga s
ha d t he ir f ir st na t iona lit y-wid e polit ica l
or ga nisa t ions f or me d . This pr oce ss of
polit icisa t ion wa s e sse nt ia lly linke d
wit h lit t le na t iona lism.
The f or ma t ion of a n e d uca t e d ,
Chlr ist ia nmid d le cla ss he lpe d t he pr o-
ce ss. In 1901 t he r e we r e only 26
Clhr ist ia nsin Mizor a m. By 1951, t he y
const it ut e d 90 pe r ce nt of t he Mizor a m
popula t ion. Simila r pr ogr e ss of Chr is-
t ia nit y, t hough not e qua lly spe ct a cula r ,
wa s t he r e in ot he r hills a r e a s a s we ll.
In t he ma t t e r of lit e r a cy, t oo, t he le ve l
a chie ve d in t he hills compa r e d f a vour -
a bly wit h t he a ll-Ind ia a ve r a ge . In
some ca se s, it wa s e ve n much highe r ,
a s in Mizor a mwhe r e t he ma le lit e r a cy
r a t e wa s 46.2 pe r ce nt a nd f e ma le
lit e r a cy r a t e 16.7 pe r ce nt in 1951.
Chr ist ia nit y cont r ibut e d not only
t o
t he lit e r a cy move me nt , but a lso t o t he
d e ve lopme nt of t r iba l d ia le ct s a s
wr it t e n la ngua ge s in Roma n scr ipt .
Thus, t he la ngua ge be ca me int e r -
a lia a unif ying a nd mod e r nising f a ct or
in t he hills, f ina lly le a d ing t o t he
gr owt h of hills r ;a t iona lit ie s a nd t he ir
lit t le na t iona lisms. In Mizor a m, f r omt he
ve r y be ginning, Mizo na t iona lism ha d
a n a nt i-f e ud a l cont e nt . It wa s d ir e ct e d
pr iima r ily a ga inst t he a ut ocr a t ic chie f s.
This a nt i-f e ud e a lcont e nt is pr e se nt , t o
a le sse r e xt e nt , in t he na t iona l move -
me nt s of ot he r hills d ist r ict s a s we ll,
d e pe nd ibg upon t he d e gr e e of a ut o-
cr a cy t he ir chie f s e xhibit e d . The ba sic
cont e nt of t he lit t le na t iona lisms of
t he hills a r e a s howe ve r wa s a nd st ill
is a nt i-t r iba l, in t he se nse t ha t it st a nd s
f or t he t r a nsf or ma t ionof a t r ibe or a
gr oup of t r ibe s, wit hin a we ll-d e f ine d
t e r r it or y, int o a d ist inct na t iona lit y.
Tr ibe s, like ca st e s, a r e
e xpe ct e d t o ge t
d issolve d in t ha t pr oce ss t o ma ke r oom
f or na t iona lism, in t he sa me wa y a s
,it t le na t iona lit ie s in t he Ind ia n cont e xt
a r e e xpe ct e d t o ge t d issolve d t o ma ke
r oomf or a n a ll-Ind ia na t iona lism.
In oa L r vie w, gr e a t na t iona lism a nd
lit t le na t iona lism a r e
compa t ible , but
not ne ce ssa r ily a nd a lwa ys wit hina cla ss
socie t y. The mid d le cla ss of a la t e -
d e ve loping, sma ll na t iona lit y is ne ce s-
sa r ily we a k. This e xpla ins why t he
gr owing mid d le cla sse s of t he hills
a r e a s we r e le ss involve d in t he mod e r n
pha se of t he a nt i-impe r ia list st r uggle s
t ha n t he ir count e r pa r t s in t he pla ins.
The se ve r y mid d le cla sse s, a f t e r ind e -
pe nd e nce , we r e ne ve r t he le ss a ble t o
f or ce cha nge s int o t he Ind ia n const i-
t ut ion t o cr e a t e ne w a ut onomousna t io-
na l st a t e s wit hin t he Ind ia n Union.
He lwe ve r , t he lopsid e d ne ss of t he e co-
nomic d e ve lopme nt , in t he int e r e st s of
t he Ind ia n monopoly house s, pose s a
ne w d a nge r -t ha t of t he se lit t le a ut o-
nomous se gme nt s be ing swa mpe d bv
f lood s of immigr a t ion. To a void t his,
Nor t he a st Ind ia ne e d s a d if f e r e nt pa t -
t e r n of e conomic d e ve lopme nt , wit h
e mpha sis on ma ximum ut ilisa t ioin of
loca l ma npowe r , e ve n if t ha t
me a ni
slowing d own of t he pa ce of mod e r n
d e ve lopme nt in t he conve nt iona l se nse .
Ot he r xvise , lit t le na t iona lism will pr o-
ba bly t a ke t he Na ga -Mizo pa t h t o
se pa r a t ism.
The r e is no a d mllinist r a t ive or milit a r y
shor t -cut t o a chie ve me nt of na t ionhood .
Ind ia n na t iona lisma i a nd t he a ssocia t e d
pr oce ss of st a t e f or ma t ions a r e st ill in
t hce ma king. Tod a y t he only wa y t o d e -
e mpha sise t he t r iba l e xclusive ne ss a s
we ll a s d if f e r e nce s in r e ligion, ca st e s
a nd e t hnicit y is t o r e a lise t he impor t -
a nce of cohe sion of r e spe ct ive r e giona l
communit ie s. In t he ve r y pr oce ss of
t his be ing a chie ve d , r e giona l commu-
nit ie s will a lso f e e l t o be t he mse lve s
pa r t s of t he bigge r Ind ia n socie t ie s.
Me a nwhile t he Ce nt r e -st a t e r e la t ions
ne e d a t hor ough r e shuf f ling t o ma ke
such volunt a r y e mot iona l int e gr a t ion
possible .
To conclud e , Ind ia is a mult i-na t io-
na l st a t e which is not d lomina t e d by
a ny pa r t iculla r na t iona lit y. No single
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Annua l Numbe r Fe br ua r y 1979 ECONOMIC AND POL ITICAL WEEKL Y
na t iona lit y ha s a n a bsolut e ma jor it y in
Ind ia , so f a r a s t he nume r ic-a lst r e ngt h
is conce r ne d . No single na t iona lit y
d omina t e s a ll f a ce t s of powe r a nd in-
f lue nce e it he r . Be sid e s, a ll t he na t io-
na lit ie s d e ve lope d a hist or ic se nse of
unit y in cour se of t he ir common
st r uggle s a ga inst t he Br it ish r ule , a nd
t he y we r e f ound ke e n t o r e t a in t his
se nse of unit y e ve n a f t e r Ind e pe nd e nce .
In t he pr oce ss of e conomic t r a nsit ion,
hund r e d s a ncl t housa nd s of wor ke r s
f r omd if f e r e nt linguist ic gr oups be ca me
int e r mingle d . The Ind ia n wor king
cla ss, t he r e f or e , st a nd s a s much a bove
pa r ochia l lit t le na t iona lisma s a bove
a ggr e ssive gr e a t na t iona lism. In it s
conce pt ion, t r ue na t iona lism, ca n a bsor b
wha t is good in lit t le na t iona lisma nd
st a nd s a lso f or int e r na t iona lism. It
st a nd s f or Ind ia n unit y wit hin t he
mult ina t iona l st a t e of Ind ia . It looks'
f or wa r d t o a Unit e d Ind ia or ga nise d on
t he ba sis of (i) t he r e cognit ion uF
Ind ia n mult ina t iona lit y, (ii) f e d e r a l
pr inciple s of st a t e or ga nisa t ion wit h
single cit ize nship a nd (iii) pr ot e ct ion
of t he d e mocr a t ic r ight s of a ll na t iona l
minor it ie s a nd t he ir la ngua ge s a ll ove r
Inid ia , includ ing t he r ight of se lf -
d e t e r mina t ion.
[An e a r lie r d r a f t on t his pa pe r wa s
pr e se nt e d a t a Se mina r he ld a t Shillong,
nd ce r t he a uispice sof t he Nor t h Ea st
Hills Unive r sit y on 1 Se pt -2 Oct 1978.]
Ra ilwa y Fina nce s
A G ENERAL e xa mina t ion of t he
f ina r ncia lposit ionl of Ind ia n Ra ilwa ys
by t he Ra il Ta r if f Enquir y Commmit t e e
ha s come t o t he conclusion t ha t "t he
f ina ncia l posit ion of t he Ra ilwa ys ha s
not be e n sa t isf a ct or y".
At pr e se nt t he r a ilwa ys a r e r e qujir -
e d t o pa y d ivid -lnd a t 5.5 pe r ce nt on
ca pit a l inve st e d upt o Ma r ch 1964 a nd
6 pe r ce nt on f r e sh inve st me nt t he r e -
a f t e r . In t he Dr a f t Sixt h Pla n, t he
Pla nning Commnissionha s sugge .st e d
t ha t t he . "r e t lur nf r om inve st me nt in
Ce nt r a l a nd st a t e e nt e r pr ise s should
be r a ise d by e conom-lie s a nid pr ice
a d just me nt s t o a post -t a x le ve l
of a bout 10 pe r ce nt ". Act ua lly,
Ra ilwa ys ha ve not be e n a ble t o me e t
t he ir obliga t ions e ve n und e r t he
e xist ing Conve nt ion. The wor king of
t he Ra ilwa ys ha s r e sult e d in a d e f icit ,
a f t e r pa yme nt of d ivid e nd , a lmost con-
t inuously since 1966 67. Conse que nt ly,
t he Ra ilwa ys ha ve ha d t o t a ke loa ns
f r om t he G e ne r a l Re ve nue s t o me e t
t he d ivid e nd lia bilit y whe n t he ne t r e -
ve nue wa s not suf f icie nt f or t he pur -
pose (Rs 309 clr or e s) a nd t o me e t t he
e xpe nd it ur e on d e ve lopme nt
wf or ks
which a r e r e quir e d t o be f ina nce d f r om
sur plus r e ve nue s (Rs 153 cr cr e s). The
t e mpor a r y bor r owings on t his a ccount
out st a nd ing a t t he e nd of 1976-77
a mount e d t o Rs 463 cr or e s. Fur t he r ,
t he se d e f icit s ha ve be e n incur r e d in
spit e of t he f a ct t ha t t he pr ovision
ma d e f or d e pr e cia t ion ha s not be e n
a d e qua t e r e sult ing in consid e r a ble
a r r e a r s in r e ne wa ls a nd r e pla ce me nt s,
a nd t he pr ovision ma d e f or pe nsiona r y
lia bilit y ha s a lso be e nle ss t ha nwa r r a nt -
e d l.
The Ra il Ta r if f Commit t e e is of t he
vie w t ha t , a mong ot he r f a ct or s, t he
f a ct t ha t t he incr e a se in t he f a r e s a nd
f r e ight cha r ge s ha ve not ke pt pa ce wit h
incr e a se in t he pr ice le ve ls is ma inly
r e sponsible f or t he unhe a lt hy f ina nicia l
posit ion of t he Ra ilwa ys. In t his con-
ne ct ion, it ha s be e n br ought out t ha t ,
d ur ing t he pe r iod 1950-51 t o 1976-77,
while t he a ve r a ge cost pe r Ra ilwa y e m-
ploye e ha s incr e a se d by 400 pe r ce nt ,
t he pr ice of coa l by 370 pe r ce nt a nd
t ha t of mine r a l oils by 443 pe r ce nt , t he
a ve r a ge e a r nings pe r pa sse nge r kilo-
me t r e a nd pe r t inne kilome t r e of
good s ha ve incr e a se d only by 134 pe r
ce nt a nd 180 pe r ce nt , r e spe ct ive ly.
Visve sva r a ya Ir on
&k St e e l L imit e d
Bha d r a va t i 577 301
(KARNATAKA)
Ma nuf a ct ur e r sof Alloy & High G r a d e st e e ls,
Mild a nd Tor St e e l, Pig Ir on
St e e l Ca st ings, C. I. Ca st ings,
SpunPipe s (Ca st Ir on) Fe r r o
Alloys, Ce me nt , Fe r r o Sili-
con, Re f r a ct or ie se t c.
Re gd , Of f ice & Bha d r a va t i-577 301
Fa ct or y
Br a t nch Of f ice s:
Ba nga lor e 'Bha d r a va t i', 812 , 6t h Floor ,
J. C. Roa d ,
Ba uiga loi-e -560 002.
Bomba y 4, Asha Ma ha l,
46, Pe d d e r Roa d ,
Bomba y-400 026.
Ca lcut t a VI Floor , Eve r e st House , 46,
Chowr inghe e ,
Ca lcut t a -700 016.
De lhi - Pr a ka sh De e p Build iig,
C-9, II Floor ,
S. D. A. Ha uz Kha s,
Ne w De lhi-11O 016
Ma d r a s 1 Floor , Mysor e Ba nk Build ing,
N. S. C. Bose Roa d ,
Ma d r a s-600 001.
AQg
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