Bihar will get reduced share if special status is granted: Sushil Modi

PATNA: Bihar will get a reduced share in the grant for states under Normal Central Assistance (NCA) if it is given the special status as is being demanded by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, BJP leader Sushil Modi said today.

"Bihar's share in the grant under the NCA for states under the Gadgil-Mukherjee formula will be reduced in the event of grant of special status as it will have to compete with 11 states with special category status to get 9/16 share of the funds under the head," Modi, the former deputy chief minister and state finance minister told reporters.

The funds under the NCA for states have to be shared in the ratio of 9/16 and 7/16 by the special category and general states and under the present formula Bihar gets more funds as a general category state than it will get if granted special status, he added.

Meanwhile, a former RJD MLA Ram Swarath Rai, BSP leader Janak Chamar and the JD(U) leader Rajesh Sinha joined the BJP with their supporters at a function held in the party office.

The leaders in their speeches assailed the UPA government at the centre for price rise and corruption and pledged to work for BJP to ensure NDA's victory in the next Lok Sabha polls under Narendra Modi.