Special status not possible for Bihar: Montek

It will not be possible for the Centre to tweak the criteria for special state status so as to only benefit Bihar, which has been pitching strongly for it, the Plan panel said on Monday.

"It will not be possible (for the central government) to revisit the criteria for special status only in the context of Bihar...," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told reporters here.

"At the same time, the existing criteria for special status can be reviewed only by National Development Council which has set the norms," he added.

The Centre has informed the Bihar government of its stand and it was communicated to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Delhi recently, Ahluwalia said.

Changing special status criteria for Bihar not possible: Montek Ahluwalia

He said he had advised Kumar that it would serve Bihar better if it sought special package for development instead.

"The point is that Bihar needs financial resources for development and the Centre is open to the idea of extending special package to the state.

"Bihar needs more resources to fund development. That can be done by the Centre through a special package," he said, adding that the Centre was committed to give special treatment to the state.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been persistently demanding special status for the state and his party had flayed the Centre for its rejection by the inter-ministerial group.

Kumar had also announced holding of a rally in Delhi on March 17 to force the Centre to concede the demand.