Sushil Modi urges Centre to revisit parameters for special status

Speaking at the pre-budget meeting of the state finance ministers with Union finance minister in New Delhi on Wednesday, he reminded him about his assurance in Parliament that the Centre would revisit the parameters fixed for granting special category status to any state.

Stating that Bihar’s per capita income is one-third of the national average he attributed the shortfall to a massive deficit in central funds transfer required for fiscal equality. He claimed that the states which have been accorded special category status earlier have made significant strides on development front and they are far ahead of Bihar on development indices.

According to him there are other backward states that are below the national average on key development parameters like high level of poverty, low per capita income, low level of industrialization and poor infrastructure. These backward states deserve fresh policy initiative to overcome their backwardness and reach the national average on various development parameters. The policy frameworks for mainstreaming all these backward states deserve urgent consideration and innovative response," the deputy CM said.

Modi reiterated creation of an economic corridor in the eastern parts of the country. He said, in western India, the Centre has been investing in an economic corridor. “The eastern parts of the country, which are the poorest in road infrastructure, need creation of an economic corridor more urgently. We have highlighted the need to create an eastern economic corridor from Raxaul to Paradeep Port via the upcoming bridge over Ganga at Bakhtiyarpur. A dedicated port on the eastern coast would not only boost the state's economy but also of the neighbouring states. It is also desirable to establish dry ports in Bihar so that producers in the state can have access to global market, thus, partially overcoming disadvantages of landlocked states," he said.