Thursday, June 8 2006 14:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today (June 8, 2006) requested the Centre to grant his state a special category status in order to help meet its economic requirements, especially in the power sector.

Kumar, who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence here, told reporters that he requested continuation of Central power supply to the state under the Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojna in the eleventh five-year plan.

"We also requested the Prime Minister to grant a special category status to Bihar and an all-party delegation from the state will also meet him soon in this regard," Kumar said.

Also, he sought Central assistance in the state's hydel and thermal power projects.

The Chief Minister, whose state had faced criticism for its handling of crime, insisted that law enforcing agencies in Bihar have been 'by and large' successful in their job over the past couple of months.

"Law enforcing agencies have been successful by and large in anticipating and controlling crime in Bihar, which is evident from the fact that the rate of convictions have spiralled," Kumar said.

He also cited the arrest of all the suspects in the murder of a former Patna DIG, A K Singh, in a running train on Sunday.