Nagpur: Despite being established with the aim of addressing the developmental backlog and long-standing neglect of the Vidarbha region, the Vidarbha Statutory Development Board remains incomplete as the state government has failed to appoint its members. A public interest litigation (PIL) filed by social activist Nitin Ronge on the issue was scheduled for hearing on Monday, but it was postponed following a request from both parties.
During the previous hearings, several key arguments were presented by both the petitioner and the state government. The petitioner cited Supreme Court judgments emphasizing that no region should be left behind in terms of development and that the Governor holds a legal responsibility to ensure equitable growth across the state.
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24 May 2025
Proposals Pending for Streamlining Board Functioning
Appearing for the Union Government, advocate Deshpande informed the court that proposals to facilitate the smooth functioning of regional development boards, under Article 317(2) of the Indian Constitution, are still pending with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The High Court noted that the Central Government has been granted multiple opportunities to respond, yet there has been no affidavit or policy directive submitted in relation to the concerns raised in the PIL. The court expressed surprise over the continued inaction, especially when earlier orders had clearly expected a formal response from the Union Government.
Why the Appointment of Members is Stuck
The absence of member appointments to the board has stalled developmental suggestions and initiatives, raising fears of Vidarbha once again falling behind in progress.
The state government has yet to file any substantive response to the petitioner’s concerns.
While expectations from the Central Government remain high for a positive response, no concrete action has yet been taken.
Conclusion
The High Court emphasized that continued regional imbalance and disregard for constitutional mechanisms could amount to administrative failure. The court is now expecting both the Central and State Governments to submit detailed affidavits and outline a clear path forward in the upcoming hearing.
