Need to find out practical solutions of problems facing states: NITI member

NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani on Wednesday made a case for finding 'practical' solutions to problems faced by states, as many of them like Rajasthan and Odisha have done well without getting the special category status.

Virmani further said in a democracy one has to recognise specific problems and find out pragmatic solutions.

He was responding to a question on the issue of granting special category status (SCS) to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

"There have been committees and commissions which have tried to define criteria for special category status (for states). And again, it is a difficult issue," Virmani told PTI.

The economist noted that in the last 30-40 years, "we used to have BIMARU states".

"But Odisha for example developed a lot, Rajasthan has developed a lot and things change.

"As far as I know, none of those states had special category status. That does not mean it is not important," he said.

Andhra Pradesh has been demanding special category status after its bifurcat