| The future of the MoUs signed by the investors during Arjun Munda's tenure has been plunged into political uncertainty following the installation of a coalition government installed by Madhu Koda who represents nobody but himself and has not a single other legislator or party to back him up.
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| It is a classic case of power without responsibility on the part of Koda's backers, and one of responsibility without power in the case of Koda.
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| The departure of the NDA government headed by Arjun Munda and installation of a coalition government led by the independent MLA Madhu Koda in the state capital in Ranchi on Monday had therefore led to confusion within the state administration over the future of their MoUs signed with the Arjun Munda government during its tenure in the last 18 months.
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| The Arjun Munda government had signed MoUs with 46 companies, envisaging a total investment of over Rs 2,00,000 crore.
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| The Munda government had taken nearly two years to formulate the state's rehabilitation policy, to pacify the opposition parties in the Jharkhand Assembly which had been agitating for such a policy.
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| The former government, just three days before Munda's resignation, had put up the rehabilitation policy before the Cabinet and had it passed.
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| However, the new government led by Madhu Koda was not expected to accept this decision and was expected to prevent its implementation.
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| Instead, it was expected to draw up a fresh policy to retain support of the lone CPI (ML) member and the lone Forward Bloc member in the Jharkhand Assembly as the survival of the new government depended on the support of the two MLAs in the 82-member Assembly and they were seen as being vital, political analysts said.
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| The Forward Bloc MLA had assured to support to the new government when the chief minister designate Madhu Koda had assured him verbally the new government would meets its charter of demands on the rehabilitation of the displaced peoples besides taking steps to end migration of labour, declare a mineral policy and bring out a white paper on MoUs signed by the Arjun Munda government.
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| There were more problems ahead.
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| The lone CPI(ML) MLA, Dipankar Bhattacharya, had imposed six conditions to support the new government.
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| They were termination of all the MoUs signed by the Arjun Munda government, suspension of SP of Garhwa, Deepak Verma, and honour for all those "who fought for the state and died in police custody".
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| Koda had served in the Arjun Munda government as mines and geology minister and had resisted the grant of iron ore leases to many investors.
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| Koda was instrumental in cancelling the three lease-holds of IISCO relating to the Chira mines.
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| SAIL now owned IISCO and it had challenged the cancellation orders of the Jharkhand government before the national tribunal and won the case.
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| Koda had then taken the initiative to file a writ before the Jharkhand high court challenging the verdict of the national tribunal on restoration of lease of IISCO in Chira mines.
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| However, hardly a fortnight before the resignation of Arjun Munda, an agreement was reached in New Delhi between the steel ministry, SAIL officials and Jharkhand officials to restore the rights of SAIL on the iron ore mines leased out to SAIL in the Chiria deposits.
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| The three sides also agreed to withdraw the case filed by the Jharkhand government in the Jharkhand High Court against the orders of central tribunal in favour of IISCO.
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| However, top sources in political and industry circles said here that the implementation of the agreement reached in New Delhi over the extension of lease rights of SAIL on the Chira iron ore mines by the new government appeared to be unlikely in view of Koda's earlier stand.
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| L N Mittal's 12-million tonne greenfield project received a severe jolt after the resignation of the Arjun Munda government as this led to the cancellation of a crucial meeting between senior Mittal officials and top Jharkhand bureaucrats to finalise the site of the steel project. The meeting was slated for September 16 but the meeting could not be held owing to the confusion in Jharkhand after the resignation of the Arjun Munda government. |
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