NITI Aayog’s report supports Bihar govt’s demand for special category status: Mins

NEW DELHI/PATNA: Bihar government ministers have claimed that the latest report of NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index 2023-24 vindicated the state’s long-standing demand for greater central financial assistance.

NITI Aayog on July 12 released SDG India Index 2023-24. Bihar has figured at the bottom, despite improvements on some parameters, in the SDG Index India that makes an assessment of sustainable development.

Commenting on NITI Aayog’s latest SDG Index, senior JD (U) leader and Bihar Water Resources Minister, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said: “Bihar is the most deserving state that needs special financial assistance from the Centre. The economy of Bihar is one of the fastest-growing in India. Bihar has not only grown consistently but also outperformed even the most developed states.’’

“We also need a special package for the overall development of the state”, Chaudhury who earlier held the Finance portfolio in the Nitish Kumar government added.

Chaudhary said the Bihar government has been demanding SCS for the state since 2011-12. Before that, a resolution in this regard was passed by both Houses of Bihar legislature. Bihar needs a special package/special assistance for the overall growth of the state. Echoing a similar view, Shrawan Kumar, senior JD(U) leader and Bihar Rural Development Minister, said: “I must say that now the Central government should announce a special package or special status to Bihar without any delay. The NDA government in the state, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is committed to the overall development of Bihar.”

The NITI Aayog had earlier admitted that Bihar made “tremendous progress” across multiple sectors in the last decade, but owing to its weak base in the past, the state may take some more time to catch up with others and reach the optimum growth in all aspects, he added.

The SDG India Index computes goal-wise scores on the 16 SDGs for each state and UT. Overall state and UT scores or composite scores are generated from goal-wise scores to measure the aggregate performance of the sub-national unit based on its performance across the 16 SDGs. These scores range between 0–100, and if a state/UT achieves a score of 100, it signifies it has achieved the targets. The higher the score of a state/UT, the greater the distance covered to the target.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Monday sought to know what Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is doing about the demand for special category status for the state and asserted that “he should strike” as he is in a position to get this done now.

The opposition party’s remarks come after Bihar ministers claimed that the latest report of NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index 2023-24 vindicated the state’s long-standing demand for greater central financial assistance. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said senior ministers in Bihar are now arguing that NITI Aayog’s latest analysis vindicates their demand for special category status in the matter of Central assistance to the state.

“Basically this would mean that instead of 70 per cent of such assistance being as a loan, only 10 per cent would be,” Ramesh said.

“But instead of giving press statements and passing resolutions in party meetings, what is the Bihar CM (Nitish Kumar) doing about this demand? He has talked and talked and talked while doing nothing about it,” the Congress leader said in a post on ‘X’.

Ramesh also said: “He (Kumar) is in a position to get it done now. He should strike. The same goes for the Andhra Chief Minister (N Chandrababu Naidu) as well.”

The SDG India Index computes goal-wise scores on the 16 SDGs for each state and Union Territory. Overall state and Union Territory scores or composite scores are generated from goal-wise scores to measure the aggregate performance of the sub-national unit based on its performance across the 16 SDGs.

These scores range between 0-100, and if a state/Union Territory achieves a score of 100, it signifies it has achieved the targets. The higher the score of a state/UT, the greater the distance covered to the target.

Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) and Naidu’s TDP are key partners of the ruling NDA grouping which is led by the BJP.