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Cost of renaming a city or place in India

President Droupadi Murmu, as convention dictates, has sent out the official invitation for the G20 dinner under name 'President of Bharat'

By Ground report 06 Sep 2023

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Cost of renaming a city or place in India

President Droupadi Murmu, as the convention dictates, has sent out the official invitation for the G20 dinner under the name 'President of Bharat' instead of President of India, as India prepares to host the G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi later this week.

Numerous reports indicate that the upcoming special session of Parliament will likely address a proposal to officially rename India as Bharat. On August 31, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, announced the convening of this special session scheduled from September 18 to 22.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat subsequently confirmed that during this special session, question hour, zero hour, and private members' business would be omitted, drawing criticism from Opposition parties.

Should the government proceed with introducing a resolution to change the country's name to Bharat, it will also be viewed as a political move directed at the Opposition parties, collectively known as INDIA. The Opposition alliance, Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A), comprises 26 participating parties that intend to contest the 2024 General Elections as a united alliance.

India has witnessed several changes in the names of its cities and places over the years. Some of the recent examples are Allahabad to Prayagraj, Gurgaon to Gurugram, Mughalsarai to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar, and Bangalore to Bengaluru. But what is the process and the cost involved in renaming a place in India?

Renaming of cities in India

The cost is usually borne by the state government that initiates the renaming proposal. However, some central agencies such as railways, airports, and postal department may also incur some expenses for changing their records and infrastructure. The Indian Railways spent Rs 2.5 crore to change the name of Bombay to Mumbai on its signboards, tickets, timetables, etc. in 1995.

The proponents of renaming argue that it is a way of reclaiming the cultural and historical identity of a place that was distorted or erased by colonial or foreign rulers. They also claim that it boosts the pride and morale of the local people and attracts more tourists and investors.

However, the critics of renaming contend that it is a wasteful and divisive exercise that creates confusion and inconvenience for the public and does not address the real issues of development and governance.

Renaming of places in India is a contentious and complex issue that involves political, social, economic, and legal aspects. It also has implications for the national and international recognition of a place. Therefore, it requires careful deliberation and consultation with all the stakeholders before taking any decision.

Cost of renaming a city or state

Renaming a country or province might appear superficial, but it entails changes at various levels, including hyperlocal, district, state, national, and international. This process demands coordination from multiple public and private bodies, as well as a perceptual shift at the individual citizen level.

A country as diverse and populous as India, with its multitude of cultures, languages, and ethnicities within its borders, faces even greater complexities during such endeavors.

Earlier this year, Maharashtra renamed Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and Osmanabad to Dharashiv.

In 2016, Haryana's state government renamed Gurgaon as Gurugram, and in 2018, Allahabad underwent a name change to Prayagraj. According to government estimates, renaming Allahabad cost the state government over Rs 300 crore, as reported by India Today, citing sources in the government's finance department.

The renaming of a city or place can be a costly affair, with the average cost estimated to be around Rs 300 crore. This amount can go up to Rs 1000 crore for a major city.

The cost of renaming a city includes the expenses incurred in changing the name on all official documents, such as maps, government records, and business licenses. It also includes the cost of changing the name on signage, letterheads, and other printed materials.

Cost of Renaming Allahabad to Prayagraj

On 16th October 2018, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet renamed the historic city of Allahabad to Prayagraj. Not more than two years ago, the administration renamed the satellite city of Gurgaon in Haryana to Gurugram, sparking a lot of debate regarding the necessity of such symbolic name changes.

publive-image — Prayagraj Jn Railway Station. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

A government estimate indicates that Prayagraj’s name change cost more than Rs 300 crore. According to the government of Uttar Pradesh, Allahabad changed its name to Prayagraj in 2018.

Cost of Renaming Aurangabad

Recently, they renamed Aurangabad in Maharashtra to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, while they rechristened Osmanabad to Dharashiv.

As per the various reports, a city like Aurangabad may have required up to ₹1,000 crore. This is just to change the government documents and correspondences. This is tax money - which belongs to you and me

Cost of renaming India to Bharat

Using a similar model for India's case, we encounter a significant expense. In the fiscal year ending in 2023, India's revenue receipts, which encompass both tax and non-tax revenue, amounted to Rs 23.84 lakh crore. Olivier utilized both revenue streams in his estimation model for the cost of renaming Swaziland.

When we apply the same formula to India's revenue, the projected cost to rename India to Bharat stands at approximately Rs 14,304 crore. To put this into perspective, it's worth noting that the Central Government allocates nearly Rs 14,000 crore each month to its food security program, which provides sustenance for 80 crore Indians.