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Patna: The deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said that the Planning Commission had no role in giving special status to the state as it was accorded according to norms approved by the National Development Council.
He said notwithstanding the denial of special category status to Bihar, the Centre has a substitute plan for the state to cope up with development deficit. |
"Special state status can't be ensured for one state as there are various technicalities involved. The chief minister (Nitish Kumar) has raised the demand, but the issue is the sole discretion of the National Development Council which has laid down certain criteria for it," Ahluwalia told reporters here after holding high-level meeting with the chief minister.
Noting that special state status only secured extra resources, Ahluwalia said "we have a special Bihar plan as a substitute which we want to enhance to cope with the development deficit, an issue raised by the chief minister."
"Bihar has made significant improvement all these years in almost all sectors and it needs extra resources for growth which we have recommended this year," Ahluwalia said.
"We will also try to mobilise the central agencies for speeding up work under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and flood protection," he said, adding the commission had recommended extra resources for reaching critical help to the state.
Asked about the state's demand for special package for floods, the deputy chairman said he would discuss the issue after returning to Delhi.
"Long term measure for flood protection is being discussed at the Planning Commission which has just created a national mission," he added.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar said the Planning Commission had recommended doubling the allocation of funds under the Shram Vikas Yojana from Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 2,000 crore this year and approved the proposals for funds for revival and modernisation of the Barauni and Kanti thermal power plants.
In reply to a question on the plan size for the state, he said "we have to increase the plan outlay for which we made a request to Ahluwalia."
The chief minister said the Planning Commission's help has also been sought following the indications of reduction in the state's share in central taxes in 2009-10.
A wide ranging issues, including plan expenditure to work going on in other sectors came up during the meeting, Kumar said.
Special problems relating to floods, power, education, hospitals, lack of doctors, use of water and coal linkages for projects were also discussed, he added.
Later in the evening Ahluwalia, along with the chief minister, attended the book release function. The book Parivartan Aur Rajniti has been penned by the former bureaucrat and now Janata Dal (United) Rajya Sabha MP, N K Singh.
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