Waiting to hear about special package from PM: Nitish Kumar

Patna: With BJP leaders claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi might announce a special package for Bihar on Tuesday at his Saharsa rally, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said he had so far heard nothing new about the package, but would wait for details before commenting on it.

"First of all it's a clear-cut violation of cooperative federalism that the state government has been kept in the dark, while BJP leaders are making statements about PM's special package for the state. But, whatever I have heard so far there seems nothing new in the proposed special package," Kumar told reporters here.

As per media reports, BJP leaders, including Sushil Kumar Modi, have been asserting that the PM might announce a special package worth Rs 56,000 crore at Saharsa rally tomorrow.

"But, still I'll wait for the details of the PM's special package before making a comment on it," he said.

Kumar said he would observe protocol and go to Patna Airport to receive the PM tomorrow. He, however, said he would not be present at Ara where the prime minister would lay the foundation of 10 roads of national highways, including a four-lane road from Buxar to Patna and a six-lane bridge at Koelwar in Ara.

"Road Construction Department Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan will go to Ara for tomorrow programme," he said.

But, Kumar sounded unimpressed saying "I am waiting to see whether the special package will have new projects or merely repackaging of the old ones."

To drive home his point, he said the four-lane highways from Buxar to Patna for which the PM would lay foundation stone tomorrow was approved by the previous UPA government.

Accusing the prime minister of not fulfilling any promises he had made on the eve of the general elections last year, Kumar said "One Rank One Pension, return of black money and distribution of Rs 15-20 lakh out of it to citizens are some of those."

Besides, enhanced MSP to farmers, job to youths and special status, special package and special attention to Bihar also remained unfulfilled although 25 per cent of the five-year tenure of the present PM was spent, he alleged.

Modi during his election campaign had made a strong pitch for OROP at his Rewari rally which fetched him support of ex-armymen in the poll. "But, when the time for delivering the promise came, he is saying the government has in-principle agreed for it but working out details, what is new about his approach on OROP than it was during UPA?" he asked.