Will take legal action to realise Rs 1.36 trn coal dues from Centre: Soren

Barely 25 days after requesting the Centre "with folded hands" to clear Rs 1.36 lakh-crore coal dues to the state, Hemant Soren who was sworn in as Jharkhand chief minister on Thursday announced that the state will take legal action to realise its dues.

"Legal action will be initiated to realise Rs 1.36 trillion of the state pending with the Centre," Soren told the media while briefing the decisions of the maiden cabinet meeting of his present government.

Though the CM said the decision was taken at the 'Cabinet meeting', no minister took oath during the day.

Soren's first official meeting after his re-election was with PM Modi in Delhi on Tuesday, where they discussed state matters and Soren invited PM to his swearing-in ceremony.

On November 2, he had posted on X: "The PM and the home minister are coming to Jharkhand. I once again request them with folded hands to clear the outstanding (coal dues) of Rs 1.36 trillion to Jharkhandis. This amount is crucial for Jharkhand."  "I would also appeal to my BJP colleagues, especially the MPs, to help Jharkhandis in getting our dues," Soren had posted, sharing a copy of a letter to the prime minister.

Soren emphasised that the dues with central PSUs, like Coal India, are "rightful" to the state and claimed that "non-clearance is causing irreparable harm to Jharkhand's development".

A recent ruling by a nine-judge Supreme Court bench affirmed the state's right to collect its mining and royalty dues.

Soren pointed out that the development of Jharkhand and essential socio-economic projects are getting hampered owing to the non-clearance of dues.