Ahead of Budget, Bihar NDA allies push for financial package for state

Animesh Singh

New Delhi, July 19

Even as the Centre has ruled out the possibility of granting a special category status to Bihar, as the 15th Finance Commission, led by former Finance Secretary and ex-JDU MP NK Singh, had done away with the provision, the state is harbouring hopes of seeking a financial package.

BJP’s Deputy CM echoes demand

We have been repeatedly urging PM Modi to ensure more financial aid for Bihar. We hope some provisions will be made in the Budget. Samrat Choudhary, Bihar Deputy CM

All three allies of the NDA government at the Centre from the state — JDU, Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awami Morcha (Secular) and Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ramvilas) — are exerting pressure on the government to give financial relief to Bihar, with the Union Budget scheduled to be presented next week.

The JDU-led Bihar Government’s long-pending demand has got a boost as even the state BJP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on July 18 urged the Centre to consider the demand.

On July 23, when the Budget is to be presented, all eyes will be on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on whether any financial sops are provided to the state or not.

The special status category was initiated in 1969, based on the 5th Finance Commission’s recommendations, aimed at supporting economically and infrastructurally backward states with hilly terrains and strategic international borders.

However, the 15th Finance Commission had done away with the category, saying that it would open floodgates and several states having the abovementioned characteristics would seek special status, if it was given to one.

Meanwhile, Choudhary said in Patna on Thursday that only a special financial package from the Centre could boost Bihar’s development. Incidentally, the Deputy CM had met Sitharaman in Delhi ahead of the Budget presentation.

Manjhi as well as Chirag Paswan, who are both union ministers at the Centre, have also echoed a similar demand for Bihar. They said that though the Centre had made it clear that a special category status was not possible, a special package would be sought for Bihar.

“We are working on the interlinking of rivers in Bihar. We are demanding a special package for Bihar. We need to channelise water from flood-prone areas to drought-prone places,” Paswan said recently.

“One should be practical and focus on what we can get immediately,” Manjhi said.