"The very concept of 'special category status' was dismissed by the Raghuram Rajan Committee. And the 14th Finance Commission has completely abolished the system of a special category state. The special category status cannot be accorded to any state even if the government wants to give it," Modi told reporters here.
Modi was replying to a query whether a special category status for Bihar would figure in the Union Budget.
The previous UPA government had constituted the Committee on the repeated demands from Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government and other states for according them a special category status.
Further, Modi said, the Narendra Modi government at the Centre had given Rs 1.65 lakh crore special package to Bihar, which gave more to the state than what it could have got under special category.
Also Read
"Through Rs 1.65 lakh crore special package, which is being implemented in the state, the Centre has given more to the state and that is why Nitish Kumar has forgotten it (special category status) also," said Modi, who was accompanied by party leaders and former Bihar minister Renu Kushwaha and former Bihar DGP Ashish Ranjan Sinha.
The former Bihar finance minister, said advancement of the presentation of Budget to February 1 would enable government departments to start spending from April 1. Earlier, the actual expenditure of government departments used to start from May-June, he added.
When asked to comment on Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's invitation to the Bollywood, he said those who stopped the release of 'Deswa' and delayed the release of Gangajal are now inviting Bollywood film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to Bihar.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content