The Centre on Thursday appeared to reach out to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by approving a special package of Rs 12,000 crore for his state for the remaining period of the 12th Five Year Plan.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, which met in New Delhi today, gave its approval to continue the special plan for Bihar in the remaining four years (2013-14 to 2016-17) of the Twelfth Five Year Plan with a total allocation of Rs 12,000 crore for the entire Plan period.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari, however, denied there is anything political in the cabinet decision.

“UPA has been running a government for the past nine years. It has been our endeavour not to mix politics and governance. But we live in a democratic country and everybody is free to draw his or her own conclusions,” Tewari told reporters .

Bihar had demanded Rs 20,000 crore from the Centre.