Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. File photo
| Photo Credit: PTI
In the run-up to the assembly election, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the Central Government to release dues to the tune of ₹1,36,042 crores pending as of March 2022 payable to the State exchequer from the coal companies operating in Jharkhand. The letter was written on September 23 but released on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) through social media platform ‘X’.
In the letter, Mr. Soren asserted that he was not asking for special status like the BJP-allied states, nor he was asking for a bigger share of the Union Budget, rather the demand is only for justice, not for privileges. He wrote a similar letter in March 2022.
Expressing the pain, Mr. Soren said that when he demanded the rights of Jharkhandis, he was put in jail.
“As you are aware the social-economic development of the state of Jharkhand mainly depends on revenue from the mines and minerals and 80% of which comes from the coal mining. As already conveyed in my earlier letter, there are major dues to the tune of ₹1,36,042 crores. Despite repeated reminders, nothing has moved in this direction which has caused great prejudice and loss of the State depriving the State Government of the possibility of extending & expanding various socio-economic reforms and policies to the last person in the last village,”Mr. Soren said in the letter.
He alleged a double standard behaviour saying when Jharkhand electricity companies had slightly delayed in payment of the dues to DVC, they were charged interest at the rate of 12% and direct debit was made from the Reserve Bank of India from their account on account of the said non-payment.
He further said that the difference in policy between dues which are “payable by us” and dues “payable to us” shows a dichotomy and arbitrary to say the least, which puts the state at a very disadvantageous position.
“Just give us our rights, that’s our demand. Our demand is only for justice, not for privileges. The people of Jharkhand have fought a long struggle for their state, and now we want proper use of our resources and rights. We will use our outstanding amount of ₹1.36 lakh crore to take Jharkhand on a new path of development – a development that protects the interests of our environment, tribals and every Jharkhandi community. We will improve education and health services so that our children have a bright future. We will better protect our language and culture so that our identity remains intact and we will provide new dimensions of employment to our youth,”Mr. Soren said in a message posted on social media platform X.
Demanding to release the dues, Mr. Soren said that the central government should take a decision on their rights and their money soon and should not become an obstacle in the development of Jharkhand but should become a partner.
“We will fight for our rights, no matter how many difficulties we have to face for this. It is the duty of every person born on the soil of Jharkhand to protect the interests of his state and we will unite and raise our voice for our rights, fight and take our rights like our ancestors,” Mr. Soren said.
He highlighted if the law permits to include the interest amount of 4.5% on the same ₹510 crore per month would be the interest amount only payable to the state.
“This delay in payment of the just legal demand raised by the state has constrained me to write to you that this negligence is causing irreparable damage to the State and its people. Various social sector schemes in education, health, women & child development, clean drinking water and last-mile connectivity are unable to be translated on ground because of lack of funds.
Published – September 25, 2024 01:59 pm IST