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Informist, Sunday, Jul 21, 2024

NEW DELHI - Regional parties of Odisha, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh today raised the demand for special category status for their respective states at the all-party meeting convened by the government a day before the start of the monsoon session of Parliament. 

At least 55 leaders from around 44 parties attended the meeting, which was convened by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The meeting was attended by Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Kiren Rijiju, among others.

At the meeting, the Janata Dal (United), which is a part of the government at the Centre, demanded special category status for Bihar. 

"Bihar should get the special status tag. This has been the demand of our party since the beginning. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has held big rallies for this demand. If the government feels that there is a problem in doing this, then we have demanded a special package for Bihar," party leader Sanjay Kumar Jha said. 

The demand was supported by the Lok Janshakti Party, another ally of the government. 

The Biju Janata Dal also reiterated its long-standing demand for special status for Odisha. "Odisha has been deprived of the special category status for more than two decades. BJD has demanded special category status for Odisha. Political parties from Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have also demanded special category status for their respective states," BJD leader Sasmit Patra said.

Demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress Party said this was the only solution for development of the state. "We raised demand for special category status. It has been our demand not from today, but right from the day it was promised by former prime minister Manmohan Singh on the floor of Rajya Sabha," YSRCP leader Vijay Sai Reddy said.

Under special category status, the financial sharing pattern for Centre-sponsored schemes changes to

90:10, with 90% borne by the central government and 10% by the state government. Regular states get 60-75% of the funds from the Centre under the same schemes. 

Meanwhile, opposition parties reiterated their demand for the deputy speaker's post in the Lok Sabha. The Congress and other opposition parties demanded that elections for the post be held in the upcoming session and that the post be given to the opposition bloc. 

Opposition parties also raised objection towards a recent order by the Uttar Pradesh government directing that the names of owners of eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route be displayed prominently. The opposition parties termed the order divisive and a threat to communal harmony in the country, and sought its immediate withdrawal. 

The government and its allies didn't comment on the issue.  

Opposition parties also raised issues pertaining to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test paper leak, and the violence in Manipur, among others. 

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was open to discussing any issue in Parliament under the laid-down procedure. 

"We hope that this Budget session will be good. We will bring a good Budget, everyone is waiting for it. The government is ready to debate under any rule with an open heart, through the business advisory committee by discussing with the chairmen of both Houses," Rijiju said.  End

Reported by Kuldeep Singh

Edited by Avishek Dutta

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