Patna: The Bihar cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, passed a resolution urging the Centre to grant special category status to the state.
Nitish Kumar himself shared the development on social media soon after the cabinet meeting concluded.
In a detailed social media post, Nitish Kumar highlighted the necessity for the fresh demand, citing the findings of a caste survey conducted in the state.
He emphasised the rise in the population of deprived castes, leading to an increase in quotas for SCs, STs, and OBCs from 50 to 65%. Additionally, Kumar outlined various welfare measures for the benefit of approximately 94 lakh families living in poverty, including financial aid and housing assistance.
The Chief Minister indicated that the proposed initiatives would require an expenditure of Rs 2.50 lakh crore, to be implemented within five years. However, Kumar expressed confidence that with special category status, the schemes could be accomplished in a shorter period.
Notably, Nitish Kumar has been advocating for special status since 2010, organising rallies, and addressing the issue on various platforms. His recent fervour in demanding special status coincides with the rise in quotas, aiming to galvanise support among deprived castes.
The BJP's Sushil Modi responded to Kumar's demand, asserting that no state would be granted special status, citing reports by the Raghuram Rajan committee and the 14th Finance Commission, which concluded against the feasibility of providing such status to any state.
In a counter to Nitish Kumar's threat of a state-wide movement, if the demand for special status remains unmet, Sushil Modi emphasised the Central government's substantial financial contributions to Bihar and highlighted the impracticality of granting special status.
Nitish Kumar reiterated his commitment to the demand for special status during a recent function, emphasising the urgency for the state's development. He emphasised that the state legislature had cleared bills to increase quotas, awaiting the Governor's assent for implementation.
The bills aim to elevate reservation percentages for SCs, STs, EBCs, and OBCs, reflecting the government's focus on uplifting socially, educationally, and economically backward sections of society. Kumar expressed optimism regarding the Governor's swift approval, intending to promptly implement these provisions for the welfare of marginalised communities in Bihar.