No case is made out for special category status for Bihar, Govt tells Parliament

In his written reply, the minister said the special category status for plan assistance was granted in the past by the NDC to some states that were characterised by a number of features necessitating special consideration.

नीतीश कुमार केंद्र और राज्य की सत्ता के लिए अपना ज़मीर, अपनी अंतरात्मा, बिहार की अस्मिता, बिहारवासियों की आकांक्षाओं और बिहार के वोटों की महत्ता को बेच चुके हैं!

“नीतीश कुमार तुरंत इस्तीफ़ा दें, बोला था विशेष राज्य का दर्जा दिला देंगे! अब केंद्र ने मना कर दिया!”
– श्री… pic.twitter.com/yCLmiwZRzU

— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) July 22, 2024

These included hilly and difficult terrain, low population density or sizeable share of tribal population, strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries, economic and infrastructural backwardness and non-viable nature of state finances, Chaudhary said in the reply.

At the all-party meeting on Sunday, the JD(U) and the YSRCP had raised their demand for special category status for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh respectively. The BJD too reminded the BJP about its promise of special category status for Odisha made ahead of the 2014 elections. Another BJP ally, Union minister and LJP (RV) president Chirag Paswan, also joined the JD(U) in demanding the special category status for Bihar.