Katihar: Blaming the Centre for 'step
motherly' treatment to Bihar, its Deputy Chief Minister S K
Modi on Friday said it had deprived the state of the special
package required for tackling the floods and drought
situation.
''Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made an aerial survey of
the devastation caused by Kosi river last year and declared it
as a national calamity, but he maintained silence over the
state's demand for special package after giving Rs 1000 crore
against the demand of Rs 14,800 crore,'' Modi, who was here to
attend an official function, told reporters here.
''This year, the state government submitted a memorandum
to the Centre seeking a package of Rs 23,000 crore to tackle
the drought problems, but the Centre has failed to allocate a
single penny on this head,'' he charged.
Alleging that the Congress-led UPA government at the
Centre was discriminating against the state, Modi said its
decision not to help the state in its critical hour reflected
''malafide in intentions.''
Bihar was not against the Rs 7266 crore central package
for Bundelkhand ''But it is highly unjust and condemnable if
the centre is overlooking Bihar's genuine call for
assistance,'' he added.
PTI
First Published: Friday, November 20, 2009, 19:16