Special status linked to peoples sentiment: Nitish Kumar

PATNA: With demand for special category state for Bihar expected to be main agenda in the coming Lok Sabha elections in the state, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the matter was linked with sentiment of all the citizens.

"Every citizen wants that the state should get special category status...its linked to everyone sentiment," Kumar said addressing a function here.

The CM said peoples support for the issue could be understood from the fact that they participated in large numbers in the Adhikar rally both at Patna and later in Delhi.

Kumar said Bihar was demanding special status not only for itself but for other backward states too.

Pointing to low position of the state on major development indices like per capita income, energy consumption, road and rail density among others, the CM reiterated demand for special category status to Bihar.

He said that while 8.2 per cent of the country's population live in Bihar, the state contributes less than 2 per cent in its GDP. "Country's GDP is dependent on performance of a few developed states for which the Centre alone is responsible," he said.

The CM said special status would spur industrial growth of the state by attracting investment towards it.