Soren speaks on land reforms; offers dialogue with naxalites

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren today announced distribution of land to the landless rural population and appealed to the Naxalites to abjure violence as his government was ready for a dialogue.
"The state's objective is that no family in villages should remain landless. Direction has been issued to identify government land for distribution among them," Soren said after unfurling the tri-colour at Morabadi ground here.
The government would also initiate steps to turn the land as their own on which forest dwellers are presently engaged in agriculture, Soren said adding the policy of development based on resettlement would be adopted instead of development based on displacement.

Appealing to the naxalites of all extremist groups to join the mainstream as violence is no solution, the Chief Minister said "we are ready for a dialogue, but bloodshed should be stopped."
He said efforts were on to keep the morale of the police high and the personnel would be given modern equipment and weapons.
Reaching out to the elderly population, Soren said his government has decided to increase the annual income of the elders to Rs 10,500 from the current Rs 5000 (in rural) and to Rs 12,500 from Rs 5,500 (in urban areas) to bring more beneficiaries under the old age pension scheme.

He also announced setting up 'Oldage Home' at every district headquarters.