No change in criteria for special category status

HYDERABAD: The Central government on Wednesday once again rejected extending special category status to Andhra Pradesh or to any other state.

Replying to Nalgonda Congress MP Gutta Sukhender Reddy on the subject, Union minister of state (independent charge) for planning, Rao Inderjit Singh wrote that not only AP even other states like TS, Odisha, Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand had also made representations to the Centre seeking special category status.

He wrote: “Special category status for plan assistance has been granted in the past by the National Development Council to some states that are characterised by a number of features necessitating special consideration. At present, there is no proposal to modify the criteria for grant of special category status.”

The minister said a copy of the letter had been forwarded to Niti Aayog.