FEDERALISM

About:

• Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s Health Summit, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the GST Council, which comprised the Union and State Finance Ministers, was a successful experiment in practical federalism.
  
  
• Similar to the GST Council, Indian healthcare and agriculture sectors also need a federal institution to coordinate State and Central policies and schemes.
  
  
• It is because, while “BOTH HEALTH AND AGRICULTURE ARE STATE SUBJECTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION”, Centrally sponsored schemes are carried out in both sectors.
  
  
• Both the Centre and the States spent resources, ran schemes, and established hospitals and other institutions.
  
  
• But by having a federal body, Implementation would be the responsibility of the States, with the Centre responsible for coordination.