Bihar, Jharkhand agree to form panel to resolve issues

Patna: Bihar and Jharkhand on Friday agreed to form a standing committee to settle various inter-state issues through discussion instead of approaching the High Courts and the Supreme Court to find a way out.

A decision in this regard was taken here by the two states at the 21st meeting of Eastern Zonal Council (EZC) chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Representatives of West Bengal and Odisha were also present on the occasion.

"Our culture and heritage are similar. Our present condition is similar due to various historical, political and social reasons. Our problems are also similar. We need to solve our issues by coming together. EZC provides us an opportunity for it," Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said while speaking on the occasion.

His Jharkhand counterpart Raghubar Das echoed the sentiments.

"We have decided to form a standing committee to solve bilateral issues and improve our relations. Representatives of Bihar, Jharkhand and the Centre will be part of it. We need not got to court to solve our problems. Both states could take decisions in their own interest," Das said.

Das said that the various issues will be solved within two to three months once the standing committee is formed.

The two states have been on confrontational path on several issues since Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in the year 2000.

Among the issues is over Rs 2584 crore pension liability of Jharkhand to Bihar. The Union Home Ministry had asked Jharkhand in 2012 to transfer the amount to Bihar, which has been continuously raising the issue. Manjhi brought up the issue at today's meet as well.