Centre discriminating Bihar on political ground: Nitish

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today alleged that the UPA government was discriminating Bihar for political reason as it had opened its purse for the states ruled by friendly parties.

Referring to a package of Rs 21,614 crore granted to West Bengal by the UPA Government, Kumar said he had no no problems with other states receiving packages for development, but it was painful when the Centre adopted a different yardstick for Bihar to deny its rightful demand for additional funds or packages.

The Centre was so oblivious to the woes of the flood-affected people of the Koshi region that the state government had to obtain loan from the World Bank for rehabilitation works, Kumar told reporters at 'Janata Darbar'.

The Centre had not yet considered demand for refund of Rs 1000 crore spent on the construction of the national highways, financial package for development and conferment of special category state status, he said.

In view of its discriminatory attitude against the opposition-ruled states, it could safely be said that the incumbent UPA government was partisan, he said.

On the special category status demand, the chief minister said that the Centre had referred it to the inter-ministerial group instead of taking up the issue at the National Development Council (NDC).