Question : Special Status-Package to States

(a) the number of States enjoying special status and special package at present, State/UT-wise;
(b) whether the Government has received representations/demands from various States for according Special Category Status, if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise and the action taken thereon;
(c) the criteria laid down for according this status to a State along with the nature of assistance given to the States under this category;
(d) whether some of the States have desired special package for the socioeconomic development of backward, tribal and hilly areas, if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise along with the action taken by the Government thereon; and
(e) the funds allocated/released and utilized under special package during the last three years, State/UT-wise?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNING
AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE
RAO INDERJIT SINGH

(a) There are 11 Special Category States namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand. Special package/ special assistance has been provided for Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir.

(b) & (c) Government has received requests for according Special Category Status from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana and Jharkhand. Special Category Status for plan assistance has been granted in the past by the National Development Council (NDC) to some States that are characterized by a number of features necessitating special consideration. These features include: (i) hilly and difficult terrain (ii) low population density and / or sizeable share of tribal population (iii) strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries (iv) economic and infrastructural backwardness and (v) non-viable nature of state finances. At present there is no proposal to modify the criteria for grant of Special Category Status to States.

For the eight North-Eastern states and the three Himalayan States, funding pattern for some of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes is more favourable with the Central: State share of 90:10 for core schemes and 80:20 for optional schemes whereas it is 60:40 and 50:50 respectively for other States.

(d) & (e) During 2014-15 and 2015-16, Special package/ special assistance has been provided to Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir.

Special package for Andhra Pradesh: As part of the special package, during 2014-15 the amount released are: (i) Rs. 350 crore for development activities in seven backward districts of Andhra Pradesh consisting of four districts of Rayalseema and three districts of North Coastal region of Andhra Pradesh (ii) Rs. 500 crore for the construction of Raj Bhawan and Assembly, etc. and (iii) Rs. 1000 crore for creation of essential urban infrastructure for the new capital region of Andhra Pradesh for Storm water drainage scheme at Vijayawada city (Rs. 460 crore) and Comprehensive underground sewerage scheme at Guntur city (Rs. 540 crore). During 2015-16, the amount released are (i) special assistance of Rs. 350 crore for the development of the seven backward districts and (ii) Rs. 350 crore for the new capital of the State.

Bihar: A package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore has been provided to Bihar in August 2015 (2015-16) for development of the State. This package covers various sectors for implementation of infrastructure projects in the areas of Farmer’s Welfare, Education, Skill Development, Health, Electricity, Rural Roads, Highways, Railways, Airports, Digital Bihar, Petroleum & Gas and Tourism. The projects approved under the package would be implemented by respective line Ministries in phased manner over a period of 2 to 5 years.

Jammu & Kashmir: During 2015-16, a PM’s development package 2015 - Reconstruction Plan for Jammu & Kashmir for Rs. 80,068 crore has been provided for new initiatives/ projects as well as for on-going and existing projects. The Reconstruction Plan includes projects to be implemented by the various Ministries.

During 2015-16, allocation has been made for Special Plan for Bihar (Rs. 1887.53 crore), Special Plan for KBK districts of Odisha (Rs. 132.07 crore) and Special Plan for West Bengal (Rs. 836.77 crore).