No special status to any state: Modi govt

Central government has made it clear that there would be no special status to any of the states in the country as being desired by many. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam are some of the states that have been raising a demand for the same.

New Delhi: The central government on Thursday ruled out any possibility of providing special category status to any of the states in the country.

Minister of State for Statistics and Planning, Rao Inderjit Singh, replying to a query raised by Assam Congress MP Ripun Bora, informed the Rajya Sabha that the government has no plans to do so.

Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam are some of the states who have been demanding the special category status.

Sources in the government told ETV Bharat that government in May last had received a request from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister seeking special category status for the state, which was referred to the Fifteenth Finance Commission.

However, in view of the recommendations of the Niti Aayog report - 'Developmental Support to the Successor State of Andhra Pradesh Under A.P. Reorganisation Act, 2014', the government has approved special assistance measures to Andhra Pradesh which would make up for additional central share that the state might have received during the period 2015-16 to 2019-20.

The special assistance measure is to be provided by way of repayment of loan and interest for the externally aided projects (EAPs) signed and disbursed during 2015-16
to 2019-20 by the state.