Inter-State Council meeting: Nitish raises demand for Bihar's special category status

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday raised the demand for special category status for Bihar at the 11th Inter-State Council meeting here, saying that it is needed to bring the state out of backwardness.

The meeting, which is being attended by Chief Ministers, Union Territory administrators and several other state and Centre officials, is being held in the national capital after a gap of 10 years.

Listing a four-point agenda for discussion at the 11th Inter-State Council meeting, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that Centre is committed to realize the equitable development of all states.

Emphasizing that states should actively participate in the formulation of development related policies and their implementation, Singh said states should indulge in a healthy competition and adopt each other's best practices.

According to reports, the chief ministers of non-BJP states are expected to corner Prime Minister Modi and are expected to question Centre government on the spirit of federalism, following political crisis in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

It will be interesting to note whether the chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states voice their support for the long-pending bill as the government has reached out to the grand old party for passage of the GST in the Rajya Sabha where it does not have a majority.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi is likely to seek Chief Ministers' feedback and support for the GST.