Privy Purse abolished. from "summary" of Indian Polity For Upsc Prelims by Laxmikanth
The Privy Purse was a financial allowance of the former royal families of India which has been abolished. This allowance was meant to provide a dignified lifestyle to the royal families and was funded by the Indian government. The abolishment of this allowance was a significant move towards the full integration of former princely families into the Indian republic.- The Privy Purse, once an influential monetary allowance, was abolished in the 1970s by the Indian government in order to move away from its colonial past and towards a more equitable future.
- This purse had been given to former princes and hereditary rulers of states that were integrated into the union post-independence as part of their accession agreement with India.
- It paved the way for the Forty-fourth Constitutional Amendment Act (1978., which removed Article 291 and ended the payment of any kind of privy purses.
- As a result of ending the Privy Purse, many royal families who preferred tradition were forced to change with the times and adopt professions to sustain themselves.
- It was meant to help maintain their privileged lifestyles - supplementing lost royal wealth and compensation for giving up power.
- The payment arrangement was revised several times over the years but eventually done away with when the landmark verdict of Kesavananda Bharati's case in 1973 was passed by the Supreme Court.
- With this abolition, the court also took steps to ensure that the newly formed states would never be discriminated against within India and the fiscal advantages associated with the privilege of ruling end.
