Practical Solutions Over Special Status: Arvind Virmani's Take

NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani argues for practical solutions to state problems, citing Rajasthan and Odisha's success without special category status. Responding to demands from Bihar and Andhra Pradesh for special status due to revenue losses, he highlights the need for recognizing specific issues in a democracy to find pragmatic solutions.

NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani on Wednesday advocated for 'practical' approaches to address state-specific problems, highlighting Rajasthan and Odisha's progress without special category status.

Virmani emphasized recognizing and addressing unique issues within a democratic framework while responding to queries on special category status for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

He acknowledged the complexities surrounding the criteria for special status but pointed out that states like Odisha and Rajasthan have thrived without it.

Andhra Pradesh has sought special status since its 2014 bifurcation due to revenue losses, and Bihar has been requesting it since 2005 after losing mineral-rich Jharkhand.

Virmani underscored the importance of practical solutions, considering that the 14th Finance Commission raised states' share in central taxes but eliminated the special category status introduced in 1969.

He concluded that with cooperation and recognition of distinct problems, states can still achieve substantial progress without special status.

(With inputs from agencies.)