The Centre has constituted a six-member Committee headed by Chief Economic Advisor Raghuram Rajan, to decide on the criteria for grant of backwardness status to the States. The panel is to submit its report within 60 days.

An official statement said, the Committee will consider backwardness in terms of measures like, distance of the State from the national average, as per capita income and other human development indicators.

The panel will also evolve a composite development index of States. The Committee set up in pursuant to the Budget announcement, can invite other experts as Special Invitees for deliberations. The terms of reference of the committee is to be issued separately.