Summary:
“Some other time...,” he said.According to Nitish, Bihar fulfils the criteria to deserve the special category status. SuMo, who was also present, too evaded a reply. Singh has already said he will not look into the concept of special category and instead consider the criteria for a state’s backwardness as defined by the Raghuram Rajan Committee.Nitish said his government would submit its report on the special status demand to the XV Finance Commission, while the political parties in the state would submit their own joint report on the matter to it.“We have been demanding special status since 2006. A flawed impression has been created that the special status demand had become redundant in the backdrop of increase in central taxes from 32% to 42% for devolution to the states as had been recommended by the XIV Finance Commission, he said.Incidentally, the XV Finance Commission headed by former Union revenue secretary N K Singh is scheduled to visit Bihar soon. PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday pleaded afresh for the special category state status to Bihar, but chose to steer clear of the row over the fixation of minimum support price (MSP) for kharif crops as announced by the Centre.Asked about PM Narendra Modi’s election speeches in 2015 when he would talk about special category status to Bihar, Nitish said the question should be asked from the PM or deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi who was then accompanying the PM.Nitish was talking to media persons on the sidelines of his Lok Samvad programme..