Patna. With the Bharatiya Janata Party relying heavily on its allies to form the next government at the Centre, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party JD(U) has made it clear that it will stick to its demands like special state status. The JD(U) chief has been demanding special state status for Bihar for a long time.
The Bihar Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had passed a resolution last year requesting the Centre to grant special status to the state. The demand was made again due to the findings of the caste survey conducted in the state by the then Bihar government. However, the central government had already made it clear that it would not consider the demand for “special category status” from any state in view of the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission.
Senior JD(U) leader and Bihar minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, while talking to reporters on Wednesday, had said, “JD(U) is in the NDA and will remain in it. But there are some demands related to Bihar’s financial condition and economy which need to be addressed by the Centre.” Choudhary had said, “Bihar is managing its finances on its own. We are among the poorest states in the country. We JD(U) stand by our demand for special state status and special package for Bihar.”
Bihar Parliamentary Affairs Minister Choudhary told PTI-Bhasha on Thursday, “The Bihar government has been demanding special state status for the state since 2011-12. Earlier a resolution was passed by both the houses of the Bihar Legislature in this regard. Special package/special assistance is needed for the overall development of Bihar. Bihar is the most deserving state which needs special financial assistance from the Centre.”
He said that Niti Aayog had earlier acknowledged that Bihar has made “tremendous progress” in many areas in the last decade, but due to its weak base in the past, the state may take some more time to progress like other states in all aspects. This is why we are seeking special assistance from the Center. ” He said that Bihar’s economy is one of the fastest growing economies in India. Choudhary said that the state has not only developed consistently but has also performed better than the most developed states. We need a special package for the overall development of the state.