Nitish flags special status demand; Shah says issues in caste survey

Shah’s comment came after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the Sunday meeting raised before the Union minister his longstanding demand for including the increased quota cap in 9th Schedule of the Constitution. He also urged the Centre to grant special category status to the state, and construct Kosi High Dam to minimise annual flood damage.

After the caste survey, the Nitish government hiked reservation from 50 to 65 per cent in government jobs and institutions, and urged the Centre to incorporate the increased quota in the 9th schedule of the Constitution so that it gets immunity from legal scrutiny.

During the Sunday meeting, Nitish said, “…We expect that the Centre will soon include it (the said quota cap) in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution. In the caste-based survey, poor families were identified across all castes… 25.09 per cent of general category, 33.16 per cent of backward class, 33.58 per cent of extremely backward class, 42.93 percent of SC, and 42.70 per cent of ST are poor. These families are in all the categories, at 94 lakh…”

On special status for Bihar, Nitish said Nitish said that as Bihar will have to incur nearly Rs 2.5 lakh crore in the next five years — to deal with poverty through various schemes — the state “needs the special status” for tax exemptions and additional financial assistance.

Shah, who chaired the 26th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council, has sought a detailed proposal from the Bihar government on its demands. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and several ministers and secretaries from Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha attended the Sunday meeting. –

• With PTI inputs