Patna, March 11: Chief minister Nitish Kumar’s demand for “special economic assistance” to Bihar when the country is set to enter the Twelfth Five Year Plan period (2012-17) has united Biharis in the run-up to the centenary celebrations of statehood.

Cutting across party lines, political leaders have underlined the need of special help to the state. So have those representing the intelligentsia.

Nitish, during his Delhi visit in the first week of this month, gave memoranda to Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia pressing for the state’s demand of additional Rs 25,295 crore per annum to bring the state at par with the national average of per capita development expenditure. One of the key points in the document highlighted that the per capita development expenditure of Rs 3,467 in Bihar was the lowest among all general category states in the country.

“The chief minister has raised a very pertinent point because right from the beginning of planning era in India, the per capita plan allocation to the state has been far below the national average. It has led to a development deficit, which can be overcome by pumping in additional funds to the state. The Centre should address the issue in the 12th plan period,” a senior state government officer closely associated with the planning process told The Telegraph.

The assertion of the officer appears to be based on official figures for the first 10 five-year plans (see graphics) reflecting how Bihar failed to draw the attention of those who decide allocation of funds to states.

Echoing the point raised by the government officer, economist and member secretary of Asian Development Research Institute Shaibal Gupta said: “Bihar is a case of ‘financial anaemia’ and it can be cured by ‘financial blood transfusion’ only. If the Centre is really interested in addressing the issue of regional imbalance, then it would have to address the points raised by the chief minister.”

Economist N.K. Choudhary, who has been vocal against several policies of the Nitish government, also appeared to be convinced by the point raised by the chief minister during his recent visit to Delhi. “Eastern India in general and Bihar in particular is a case of historic injustice as far as development through planning in India is concerned. Special status or special economic assistance only can bail out Bihar from its economic backwardness,” he said.

Praising Nitish for raising the point of special economic assistance at the right time, former chief minister Jagannath Mishra said: “Given the kind of support the chief minister is enjoying at present, he should ensure that the points raised by him are iterated time and again from every possible platform till justice is done to the state.”

Mishra, who led the Congress government in Bihar thrice and has now joined the JD(U), recalled how difficult it was for him to raise such things with a Congress government at the Centre. “My speech in the Assembly on this very issue on July 26, 1983, resulted in my removal from the chair as it did not go down well with the party high command.”

The government, it appears, is seized with the point suggested by the former chief minister. “If the Centre accepts our demand, well and good. Else, we will use all constitutional and democratic means to put pressure on it to give Bihar its due,” water resources minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said.

The minister said the Centre cannot resort to the old rhetoric of Bihar being not capable of utilising central funds as an excuse now for denying funds to the state. “Our government has proved its worth by effective utilisation of funds and the seven-fold increase in the annual plan size in the past six-seven years underlines this fact. Now it is the Centre’s turn to deliver Bihar its due,” he said.

According to official figures, the annual plan size of Bihar in 2005-06 was worth Rs 4,490.80 crore. The figure witnessed a constant increase in the subsequent years and touched Rs 24,000 crore in 2011-12.

Even the Opposition in Bihar appears be in a mood to lend full support to the NDA government on this issue. “For the first time, Nitish Kumar has raised the point with some convincing logic and our party will extend support to him if he does not indulge in politics on this issue,” Prem Chandra Mishra of the Congress said.

The RJD, too, is willing to support the state government on this issue. “Bihar has been neglected by successive governments at the Centre and now the time has come when leaders, cutting across party lines, should join hands to put pressure on the Centre so that the state could get its due,” said RJD general secretary Ram Kripal Yadav.

Terming the “consensus” on an issue concerning the economy of the state a good development, Gupta said: “Bihari sub-nationalism is now becoming an issue and it augurs well for the state.”

Sociologist Hetukar Jha also termed it a “good omen” for the state but he cautioned against politicising such an issue. Those trying to bring forth the issue of “Bihari sub-nationalism” should take this fight to a logical conclusion without giving any consideration to political gains, he added.