“Over 10 crore people of Bihar want special category status for the state. The issue should be addressed by the Centre,”CM

Bihar fit case for special category: CM

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 02:47 AM PDT

“Over 10 crore people of Bihar want special category status for the state. The issue should be addressed by the Centre,” chief minister Nitish Kumar said here on Monday.

The CM, who returned from Delhi on Sunday, hit at the Centre for fighting shy on Bihar’s demand for special category status. He was piqued over certain quarters saying that the state does not fulfil the criteria to claim the status.

“Bihar fulfils most of the criteria and is a fit case for the special category status,” he said. In a threatening tone he said, “It is in the interest of the Centre to fulfill this public demand; else there might be public outcry.”

Nitish is believed to have discussed this issue with JD(U) president Sharad Yadav in New Delhi, and party sources said a programme has been chalked out involving the NDA MPs to raise the issue forcefully in parliament and outside to pressurize the Centre.

“Centre’s ‘niyat’ (intention) is not clear. If its attitude is positive, the criteria could be altered,” Nitish said and added, “Who can deny Bihar is a backward state? It has international boundaries, the mines, minerals, industries, tax and royalty were taken away with the creation of Jharkhand and state’s tax base has shrunk. Besides, it has inaccessible areas, its 28 districts are flood-prone and rivers that ravage Bihar originate from another country,” Nitish said.

He also demanded that at least the Centre should increase the per capita investment in public sector in Bihar – at par with the national average. “This can be done by the finance ministry, which would solve many problems automatically. A decision to relax taxes can also be taken by the finance ministry,” he added.