The demand for special status to Bihar, one of chief minister Nitish Kumar's pet subjects, will not be made when Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes visiting on Saturday to participate in the centenary celebrations of Patna University.

'Discussion on special status for Bihar has not been scheduled during the visit of the Prime Minister,' Nitish said on the sidelines of his Lok Samvad (public dialogue) programme at 1 Aney Marg.

Nitish was giving details of Modi's itinerary for what would be the Prime Minister's first visit to Patna since the formation of the NDA government in the state in July. Modi made an aerial survey of flood-affected areas of north Bihar on August 26 but did not come to Patna.

The demand for special status has been close to Nitish's heart: he has been raising it for the last several years, more vociferously when he was not in the BJP-NDA between June 2013 and July 2017.

However, the chief minister was quick to point out that he has not dumped the demand. 'We all want special status for Bihar because investment has been less despite our industrial investment promotion policies. It will increase if the central government gives incentives,' he said.

Nitish pointed out that the state has to bear 40 per cent to 50 per cent of cost in most of the centrally-sponsored development and welfare schemes, which will be reduced to 10 per cent if special status is accorded. 'Bihar also suffers as it is a land-locked state and needs special status to overcome this handicap,' the chief minister added.

Nitish revealed that Modi had accepted the invitation to the university's centenary celebrations last year itself. There were plans to attend a function in this regard during the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh in January this year.

However, the plan was postponed since another mega event would have inconvenienced the lakhs of Sikh pilgrims who had gathered for the Prakash Parv celebrations.

'Several development schemes will be initiated during the Prime Minister's visit. He will launch the work on the construction of a six-lane bridge across the Ganga at Mokama, a four-lane highway at Bakhtiyarpur in Patna district, a few other bridges and roads, including one between Maheshkhunt (Khagaria)-Purnea-Saharsa,' Nitish said.

Modi and Nitish are scheduled to take a chopper ride to the site at Mokama of the six-lane bridge which would cost over Rs 1,000 crore. The Maheshkhunt-Purnea-Saharsa road will too cost around Rs 1,000 crore.

Work on a few urban development schemes, including four sewage treatment plants, will also be launched. Sources said the total cost of projects started by Modi during his visit will be around Rs 5,000 crore.

Nitish said these projects form a part of the Rs 1.25 lakh crore special package that Modi announced for Bihar in the run-up to the 2015 Assembly elections.

'The kind of attitude and cooperation we are getting from the Centre, I feel projects that have been delayed for years will start rolling,' Nitish added.