Dropping hints at according special status to Bihar, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said that Bihar will certainly be declared a backward State once a high level committee completes the task of revisiting the criteria fixed for the purpose.
Chidambaram’s statement assumes a special significance against the backdrop of the fact that the Chief Minister’s claim for the special category will get an unprecedented boost once the State gets the backward status.
Chidambaram was in Bihar on a one-day visit to attend two separate meetings on proposed Nalanda International University and State level Bankers Committee (SlBC) at Rajgir in Nalanda district.
later, he told newspersons in Patna that the Centre would announce constitution of a committee for the purpose of revisiting the criteria fixed for declaring a state backward in the next few days. The sub-committee, to be headed by the Chief Economic Adviser, Raghuram Rajan, will be asked to submit its report in one month.
Sitting next to Nitish Kumar who had earlier showered praise on the Union Finance Minister for his “positive” approach on the special status to Bihar, P Chidambaram said that he and Nitish Kumar discussed various issues pertaining to development of the State.
Speaking on the proposed Nalanda International University, Chidambaram informed that the Centre will spend Rs 2,154 crore over the next 10 years for the growth of the university.
He said that ruins of the Nalanda University should be declared as World Heritage site and he will take up the matter with the Union Culture Ministry in this regard.
On banks’ performance in Bihar, Chidambaram said that commercial banks have started taking steps for the growth of the State during the last few years but still he is not fully satisfied with their achievements.
In all, 750 new branches of commercial banks will be opened in Bihar during 2013-14 against 410 new branches inaugurated during 2012-13.
Besides sanctioning education loans to meet the growing demand, banks have also been asked to distribute 11 lakh Kisan Credit Cards among beneficiaries in the state.
On the chit fund scam in the country, the Union Finance Minister said that the government is ready for a CBI probe into the scam, adding that Kolkata High Court is already hearing a case in this regard,
If Kolkata High Court agrees, the government will order a CBI probe into the scam. He said that state governments have the responsibility for monitoring activities of the chit fund companies.
P Chidambaram also visited the state Congress headquarters, Sadaquat Ashram where the senior Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra submitted a memorandum to him, seeking adequate grants for the centrally sponsored schemes.
Congress Spokesperson and AICC Member Umakant Singh said that P. Chidambaram is the first Union Finance minister who visited Sadaquat Ashram to encourage Congressmen of the state. He said that the Congressmen will always take inspiration from his visit and will work collectively for the growth of the party.
State Congress President Ashok Choudhary was not present at the party headquarters when Chidambaram visited the party office as he was busy with addressing a divisional level meeting at Begusarai.
He, however, thanked Chidambaram for considering to accord backward status to Bihar and providing special funds for the speedy growth of the state.