Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today reiterated his long-standing demand for special status to the state. The Bihar cabinet even passed a resolution today urging the Narendra Modi-led Centre to grant special category status to Bihar. Taking to X, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that Bihar needs Rs 2.5 lakh crore for various welfare schemes after the caste-based census. Kumar said that Bihar’s caste-based census was a first in the country and on its basis, the reservation limit has been increased.
“On the basis of social, economic and educational status data of caste-based census, the reservation limit for Scheduled Castes has been increased from 16 per cent to 20 per cent, the reservation limit for Scheduled Tribes has been increased from 1 per cent to 2 per cent, reservation for extremely backward classes has been increased. The limit has been increased from 18 per cent to 25 per cent and the reservation limit for backward classes has been increased from 12 per cent to 18 per cent, that is, the reservation limit for socially weaker sections has been increased from 50 per cent to 65 per cent. 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker people of the general category will remain applicable as before. That is, the total reservation limit for all these categories has been increased to 75 per cent,” said Kumar.
He further said that about 94 lakh poor families have been found in Bihar including all the categories based on the caste-based survey and an amount of up to Rs 2 lakh will be provided in installments for employment to one member of each of those families. He also said that the limit of Rs 60,000 being given to 63,850 houseless and landless families for purchasing land has been increased to Rs 1 lakh. Besides, these families will be given Rs 1 lakh 20 thousand to build houses.
“The 39 lakh families who are living in huts will also be provided permanent houses, for which an amount of Rs 1 lakh 20 thousand per family will be provided. Under the Sustainable Livelihood Scheme, now Rs 2 lakh will be given instead of Rs 1 lakh to help extremely poor families. An amount of approximately Rs 2 lakh 50 thousand crore will be spent in the implementation of these schemes,” said the Chief Minister.
बिहार को विशेष राज्य का दर्जा प्रदान करने की पुनः मांग की।
देश में पहली बार बिहार में जाति आधारित गणना का काम कराया गया है। जाति आधारित गणना के सामाजिक, आर्थिक एवं शैक्षणिक स्थिति के आंकड़ों के आधार पर अनुसूचित जाति के आरक्षण सीमा को 16 प्रतिशत से बढ़ाकर 20 प्रतिशत, अनुसूचित…
— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) November 22, 2023
The Chief Minister said that a huge amount of money is required for these works and the target is to complete them in 5 years. “If Bihar gets the status of a special state by the Central Government, then we will complete this work in a very short time,” he said.
Responding to Nitish Kumar’s demand, Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary said, “Nitish Babu, your share in Bihar’s budget of Rs 2,61,000 thousand crore is only Rs 32,000 crore, the remaining Rs 2,29,000 crore is given by the central government under the leadership of Narendra Modi. Nitish Babu, the development of Bihar is not possible while you are on the throne. Nitish ji, for the welfare of Bihar, you need to take special rest, only then the development of Bihar is possible.”
Responding to Nitish Kumar’s threat of holding a state-wide movement for special category status, BJP MP Sushil Modi said that no state will be given special status as the concept itself has been done away with.