No special status to Bihar_ Centre declares categorically in Lok Sabha

Patna,; A day after the working president of JDU and Rajya Sabha member,Sanjay Kumar Jha demanded special category status to Bihar,the Union government on Monday rejected the demand

The union minister of state for finance,Pankaj Chaudhury informed the Lok Sabha during question hour,the case of special status to Bihar is not made out.

Replying to Ramprit Mandal of JDU,Chaudhury said in 2012, the inter ministerial group had also turned down the demand.He said"

(a) and (b): The Special Category Status for plan assistance was granted in the past by the National Development Council (NDC) to some States that were characterized by a number of features necessitating special consideration. These features included (i) hilly and difficult terrain, (ii) low population density and/or sizeable share of tribal population, (iii) strategic location along borders with neighboring countries, (iv) economic and infrastructural backwardness and (v) non-viable nature of State finances. The decision was taken based on an integrated consideration of all the factors listed above and the peculiar situation of the State. Earlier, the request of Bihar for Special Category Status was considered by an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) which submitted its Report on 30th March, 2012. The IMG came to the finding that based on existing NDC criteria, the case for Special Category Status for Bihar is not made out.

Sanjay Jha on Sunday at the all party meeting chaired by the Defence Minister,Rajnath Singh had demanded special status to Bihar.

Both the Houses of Bihar legislature had passed a resolution seeking special status to the state.JDU had launched a mass signature campaign too to press the demand and a memorandum was submitted to the President by leaders of all parties.