Bihar does not need special category status: Pitroda

Bihar does not need special category status: Pitroda

Patna,(BiharTimes): There is no need to grant special category status to Bihar as the state has sufficient resources to develop on its own. Not only that it is not possible for the Centre to meet such demands from all states as it has its own limitations.
This was the view expressed by the father of India’s telecom revolution, Sam Pitroda, who is at present Advisor to the Prime Minister on Pubic Information Infrastructure and Innovations.

Talking to newsmen on Sunday he said everybody is asking for special assistance, be it Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala etc.

Pitroda, who came to Patna after 22 long years said he had visited Bihar last time during the reign of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He came along with Jairam Ramesh. He is not in position to say anything about the development in the state. “I believe Bihar has change, it has changed. But the question is at what pace?”

On Bihar’s argument that special category status would bring in private investment for industrial development, he said investors have a lot of options to set up industrial units across the country. Investors take decision on setting up industrial units depending on the availability of various resources and infrastructure anywhere in the country.

Pitroda said he was not in a position to advise the state government but would be happy to make suggestions if asked.

Apart from Press conference Pitroda, who is the chairperson of National Innovation Council, took part as chief guest in the third convocation ceremony of Chandragupt Institute of Management, Patna (CIMP), where he asked students to develop entrepreneurship skills and become job providers and not job seekers.

The students also got valuable advice from him. He said it was essential to change the mindset of the people to bring about change and development. He also said Bihar had experienced significant development in the past few years but there was still potential for a lot more.

He said during the 1970s there were two million telephone users in India. The number has now risen to 800 million. Mobile connectivity can be used for development in all sectors, from agriculture to education and health.

Pitroda, later made a courtesy call on chief minister, Nitish Kumar.

Speaking on the occasion V Mukunda Das, the director of CIMP, said this year, the students have done better. The average pay package has gone up compared to last year.

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