Participants at the seminar in Patna on Thursday. Picture by Nagandra Kumar Singh

Patna, Feb. 24: A two-day national seminar on granting of special status to Bihar, organised by the geography department of Patna University, concluded today with an unanimous consensus.

The academicians present at the seminar — Development Needs of Bihar and Justification of Special Status Demand — stressed that the special status package should be granted to the state. The conference had started off with an address by Rash Bihari Singh, the head of geography department, who stressed on granting special status to Bihar.

The delegates present at the seminar said they would submit a recommendation seeking the package for Bihar to the Planning Commission, University Grants Commission and the state and central governments. Jia Lal Arya, the former home secretary of the state government, said: “Special status package is necessary for the development of Bihar. It is not possible for the state to develop with the help of internal resources. Moreover, the resources should be utilised judiciously and for that proper planning and strategy is required.”

Arya said states like Punjab, Haryana and others are developed despite of a special status, as they have been receiving central assistance.

Environmentalist Mehta Nagendra Singh said for the state’s development, the planners should not forget about the environment and large-scale aforestation should be carried out.

He also added that the state should not always beg the Centre for special assistance and should work towards developing its own infrastructure. “The state government should come out with a Bihar development bond, through which funds should be collected from the potential investors, who are interested in the state’s development,” said Singh.

He also spoke about various ways of developing the state and said the government should work towards development with a specific set of principles and guidelines, with development works being carried out at the district and village level.

The chief guest at the function, the former vice-chancellor of Patna University, L.N. Ram said the state could develop only through development of infrastructure. He added special emphasis should be given to the development of infrastructure, electricity and health.

On Wednesday, the speakers had also said that the demand for granting special status to the state should not be confined to the political corridors but should be taken to a much larger forum.