NITI Aayog's report backs Bihar govt's demand for special category status

Bihar has figured at the bottom in SDG Index, despite improvements on some parameters

Bihar government 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.

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, told PTI, "The latest report of Aayog has vindicated our long-standing demand for greater central financial assistance..this is the reason that we have been asking for special category status (SCS) or special package for Bihar which is managing its finances on its own. But Bihar comes among the poorest states in the country."

He 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," said Chaudhary.

"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.

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.

Echoing a similar view, Shrawan Kumar, senior JD(U) leader and Bihar Rural Development Minister, told PTI, "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 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 0100, 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.

Reacting sharply to Niti Aayog's latest report, RJD spokesperson (Bihar unit), Mrityunjay Tiwary, told PTI, "The latest report of NITI Aayog has exposed tall claims of the NDA government about Bihar. This shows that Bihar is not on the priority list of the double-engine government. It is quite ridiculous that Bihar's progress starts from the bottom.