A special category status to Bihar has been a long-standing demand of the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal- United (JDU) which it had also reiterated at the all-party meeting held Sunday ahead of the Budget session of the Parliament.

Bihar Special Status: In a major setback for the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), a key ally of the ruling BJP, the NDA government Monday rejected the party’s demand for a special status to Bihar, saying that it cannot be granted as per the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) report 2012.

The Narendra Modi-led NDA government on Monday said that the special status to Bihar cannot be granted as per the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) report 2012, dealing a big blow to Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (U) which is a key ally of the BJP.

“The Special Category Status for plan assistance was granted in the past by the National Development Council (NDC) to some States that were characterised 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 neighbouring countries, (iv) economic and infrastructural backwardness and (v) non-viable nature of State finances,” Union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply to Jhanjharpur MP Ramprit Mandal.

“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,” Chaudhary added.

A special category status to Bihar has been a long-standing demand of the JDU which it had also reiterated at the all-party meeting held Sunday ahead of the Budget session of the Parliament.

Bihar Chief Minister-led Janata Dal (United) is a key constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP who dropped down to 240 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, falling short of the majority mark of 272 and now dependent on its NDA partners to form a majority government at the Centre.

Notably, the Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has also demanded a special status for Andhra Pradesh. JDU and TDP have 28 Lok Sabha seats between them

(With inputs from agencies)