Telangana will be a viable state: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh

Terming the decision on creation of Telangana as "late", Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today said it would a viable state.

"I welcome creation of Telangana, although it is a late decision (by Congress).... The three newly formed states-- Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh--have been successful and viable states. Telangana will also be a viable state. People of that area also favour this," Singh told reporters here.

All three states were formed in 2000. The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, who was speaking on the sidelines of a symposium here, refrained from commenting on BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha's remark on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"People have their own opinion/suggestion," he said when asked about his party colleague Sinha's remark.

Talking to reporters in Patna, actor-politician Sinha today dubbed Kumar as "Prime Ministerial material". Speaking at a symposium on National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 earlier here, Singh said Centre must rise above all partisan politics and emulate the Chhattisgarh's Food and Nutrition Security in order to provide food security to poor.

"The Centre should rise above partisan politics and emulate Chhattisgarh Food Security model for betterment of poor in the country," he said. "In my entire political career, I felt content after enacting Food and Nutrition Security Act which ensures that all poor families have access to food," the chief minister said at the symposium organised by Centre for Reform, Development and Justice.

He said there is no magical wand that drafted the Act on a single day. It is the result of eight years of hard work. Chhattisgarh Food and Nutrition Security Act (CFSA) was passed by state legislative assembly in December last year. Whereas, Union Cabinet had early this month approved an ordinance on food security scheme.

Singh also had a meeting with BJP President Rajnath Singh at his residence here. The CM is understood to have sought Singh's guidance for 'Vikas Yatra' (Development Rally) scheduled to begin from August 17.