NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Union Budget, Bihar government has approached the Centre with a demand to announce flood mitigation measures to address a long-standing problem, especially in the northern part of the state, along with several infrastructure projects. This is in addition to Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United)’s demand to accord ‘special category’ status to one of the most backward states in the country, something that the Bihar chief minister is unrelenting on despite BJP ministers maintaining that this kind of a dispensation is no longer possible.

JD(U) functionaries said rules can be tweaked to address a long-pending concern of the state, especially after the creation of Jharkhand more than two decades ago. “It is within the realm of powers of any govt to devise policies to address the imbalance,” a party source told TOI.

While Andhra Pradesh too had similar demands, CM Chandrababu Naidu is now seeking specific projects and a package for the backward regions of the state which too was bifurcated to create Telangana. He gave a long list of projects from an oil refinery to a push for petrochemicals when he recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top Union ministers.

The special status issue flagged by two major constituents of NDA will be dealt with by the 16th Finance Commission chaired by economist Arvind Panagariya when it presents its report towards the end of 2025 as several other states have been demanding the tag as well.

For the time being, Bihar govt has sought finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s intervention to deal with the flood problem especially because it involves Nepal. Any restriction of flow of water will have to be dealt with bilaterally with the neighbouring country, but the state govt’s proposals are meant to build infrastructure to address the issue domestically, as far as possible, a source familiar with the discussions told TOI. The state govt is hoping for some announcements in the Budget.

Along with infrastructure-related proposals, the state has also asked for support in centrally sponsored schemes, suggesting that the Centre should take over the state’s contribution as well. Bihar, however, is focused on driving the best bargain given the current political situation at the Centre with representatives from BJP as well as JD(U) knocking on the Centre’s doors.

JD(U) is studying Naidu’s proposals and is expected to have a more detailed wish list in the months ahead with party representatives suggesting that the coalition with BJP is a long-term partnership and everything cannot be delivered through one Budget.