PATNA: Bihar has asked Jharkhand to forego its claim on
Bihar Niwas
in Delhi and accept compensation in lieu of it.
According to Bihar officials, Jharkhand government already has two addresses in Delhi: Jharkhand Bhavan in
Vasant Kunj
and a land plot in Connaught Place. It, should, therefore, forego its claim on Bihar Niwas in
Chanakyapuri
.
The claim arises out of the mandatory distribution of assets between the two states following their bifurcation in the year 2000.
The Bihar Reorganization Act, 2000 envisages transfer of one-third of its assets to Jharkhand. Accordingly, Jharkhand has been demanding one-third of the 32-room Bihar Niwas and 64-room Bihar Bhavan.
Since the 2:1 ratio entitles Jharkhand to 32 rooms, it has pleaded that it be given Bihar Niwas. It argues it is faced with paucity of space at Jharkhand Bhawan, which has only 20 rooms.
Following the Centre’s directive to Bihar to give away Bihar Niwas to Jharkhand, Bihar moved the
Supreme Court in 2004 and the case is pending.
“The SC recently asked the two states’ chief secretaries to resolve the issue in the supervision of
Solicitor General of India
and the Union ministry of home affairs. The ministry is expected to hold a meeting in this regard soon,” a Bihar official said on Thursday.
Supplementary budget: The state cabinet on Thursday approved the third supplementary budget for the year 2016-17, which would be presented in both the houses of the state legislature in the upcoming Budget session.