On 4th August 1949, Shri B. Das [Orissa General] at the Constituent Assembly spoke as follows;
“Sir, this House had no opportunity to discuss this subject [distribution of revenues within a Union and a State – Article 249 old and 260 old]which concern a 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 power, it was discussed later with a House and was incorporated in the report in the second series. In July-August 1947 discussion, the question was left hazy, but, Sir, you at least pointed an Expert Committee to go into this question of the financial provision 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 the charge. Sir, the Expert Committee in Para 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 service and general development. If these services on which the improvement of human wellbeing and the increase of the country’s productive capacity so much depend properly planned and executed it is necessary place at the disposal of the Provincial Government adequate resources of their own without their having to depend on the variable munificent or affluence of the centre.”
“Sir I have watched the Finance Department of the Government of India, 1925, it has always maintained, it moved that it will give some charity with the provinces they think that their primary responsibility is Defence of India and bringing about Social, Economic, Justice to the teeming millions of India after we have attained Independence. Sir, this Expert Committee was appointed in accordance with wishes of this House so that their recommendations could be given effective but what is the attitude of the present Finance Department? It goes on merrily it colonial pattern expenditure without realizing the primary obligation to the people of India and without giving a share of the revenues of India to the provinces so that they can develop a social and economic wellbeing of the people of India.”
Comments: The speech remains ones, the subject of economics shall be taught even at the secondary school so that every citizen will have the ability to comprehend the revenue and expenditure of various governments from Centre to State to local Panchayat.