Sir, this House had no opportunity to discuss this subject which concerns the social well-being of the entire population of India. In July 1947, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the President of the Union Constitution Committee, reported and gave a small Chapter (Part VII) on Finances and Borrowing Powers. It was discussed later in the House and was incorporated in the report in the Second Series. In the July-August 1947 discussions, the question was left hazy. But, Sir, you at least appointed an Expert Committee to go into this question of the financial provisions of the Union Constitution. That Expert Committee reported sometime early in 1948. This sovereign House never discussed that report of the Expert Committee. The Drafting Committee must have taken into account the report of the Expert Committee and modified the articles under discussion. But, Sir, I must say that these articles remind me of similar articles in the Government of India Act, 1935. They do not show any tendency of the Finance Department of the Government of India to part with the resources arbitrarily commandeered, so that the Provinces can live happily and prosperously and do their duty by the people under their charge. Sir, the Expert Committee in paras 27 and 28 have spoken about the needs of the provinces and the Centre. They say :
“The needs of the provinces are in contrast, almost unlimited, particularly in relation to welfare services and general development. If these services, on which the improvement of human well-being and increase of the country’s productive capacity so much depend, are to be properly planned and executed, it is necessary to place at the disposal of Provincial Governments adequate resources of their own, without their having to depend on the variable munificence or affluence of the Centre.”