Feb. 2: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today invited Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit Bihar while simultaneously handing over a long list of grievances.

Nitish also called on Union home minister P. Chidambaram and Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia to demand more for his state. Tomorrow, he will meet finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and also call on Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav, who is in Delhi.

“I met the Prime Minister and invited him to visit Bihar. I am trying my best to cooperate with the Centre,” Nitish said even as he accused New Delhi of not cooperating with the rising development wishes of the state.

“The Centre is certainly not cooperating the way it should do,” the chief minister said when asked whether he was satisfied with the central government’s approach. He said he raised the crisis of drought in the state and demanded central assistance.

Nitish, who met the Prime Minister in the morning at his residence, listed 16 areas on which he sought the Centre’s cooperation with the remark that they were “critical” for Bihar’s progress.

The list of 16 started with “greater devolution of funds to states” and ended with “expediting setting up of the Nalanda International University”, not to forget Nitish’s core demand for granting “special category status to Bihar”.

The chief minister sought time for an all-party delegation to meet the Prime Minister and renew the demand for grant of special category status to Bihar, pointing out that it was rightful given the state’s “high poverty, poor infrastructure, low tax base, low expenditure and negligible private investment”.

On the Nalanda International University, Nitish complained to Singh that the external affairs ministry was moving slowly and demanded that it be expedited.

Demanding greater devolution of funds to states, the chief minister said “centrally sponsored schemes tie up the states’ own funds and encroach on the states’ autonomy”. He said central ministries should desist from micro-managing schemes and placing obstacles in implementation and fund releases.

Drawing attention to the key area of power deficit in Bihar, he urged the Centre to grant coal linkage applications from the state pending before it. He also asked for completing restructuring of the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, pointing out that the expenditure for the scheme was proving to be wasteful as it was not catering to agriculture and rural industries.

Nitish asked the Prime Minister to expedite release of funds for projects sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) and also clear pending work under the scheme. On national highway projects, the chief minister urgently demanded tendering for roads selected under phase 3.

Raising the issue of providing better healthcare to the people, the list calls for speedy construction of the AIIMS-like institute in Patna to make it functional from the next academic session. He also demanded upgradation of Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital at Muzaffarpur and establish a central institute for degree course in paramedical sciences in the state.

Nitish also asked for setting up of a central university at Motihari as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi who had started the freedom movement from the region.

Pointing out that it was difficult for the state to implement the Right of Children to Fee and Compulsory Education Act, he demanded that the Centre should share 90% of the financial burden.

Tomorrow, Nitish will meet finance minister Mukherjee to protest against reduction in the share of the state in the 13th Finance Commission award and point out that it amounts to injustice for a state with development deficit with high proportion of below poverty line families.