No case is made out for special category status for Bihar, Govt tells Parliament

No case is made out for special category status for Bihar, Govt tells Parliament

Sub: Polity

Sec: Federalism

Context: On the eve of the Union Budget presentation, the government told Parliament on Monday that the case for special category status for Bihar is not made out.

Details:

• The minister said the special category status for plan assistance was granted in the past by the NDC to some states that were characterised by a number of features necessitating special consideration.
• Earlier the request of Bihar for special category status was considered by an inter-ministerial group (IMG), which submitted its report on March 30, 2012. The IMG came to the finding that based on existing NDC (National Development Council) criteria, the case for special category status for Bihar is not made out

What are criteria for special category status ?

These included hilly and difficult terrain, low population density or sizeable share of tribal population, strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries, economic and infrastructural backwardness and non-viable nature of state finances