Patna,(BiharTimes): After the political parties, academics and professional organizations it is various trade and industries associations of Bihar, who have taken up the cause of the state.

Bihar Industries Association (BIA), Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI), PHD Chamber of Commerce (PHDCCI) and others placed a 12-point joint memorandum before the members of the visiting 14th Finance Commission.

This demand is separate from the one prepared by the government at all-party meeting a couple of days back. The representatives said they voiced their concerns separately as most of the government demands were for social sector development.

The trade bodies jointly demanded over Rs two lakh crore from the 14th Finance Commission for industrialization, urbanization and other incentives to speed up development in the state. They said the Commission should take into account the Census 2011 instead of considering the population base of 1971 as a term of reference for granting funds.

They proposed to develop Patna capital region (PCR) in a 100 km stretch between Patna and Rajgir.

According to Satyajit Singh, chairman of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industries some of the PCR features should be an eight-lane expressway, metro rail connectivity, multi-specialty health centres and townships etc. The 14th Commission should grant Rs 50,000 crore under state specific needs for the master plan, land acquisition and infrastructure of PCR.

The trade and industries’ association also demanded Rs 80,000 crore each for urbanization and industrialization in the state as Bihar has just about 11 per cent urbanization compared to the national average of 31 per cent. At least, 10 urban centres should be marked and developed in the state in the next five years.