Page 12 - Jharkhand

BJP must explain delay in releasing funds for Jharkhand: Congress

The Congress on Sunday said the BJP must give an account for the delay of releasing Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhand in the form of pending coal royalties before seeking votes from the people. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed the Centre owes Jharkhand lakhs of crores of rupees in coal royalties and central scheme benefits. In Jharkhand, coal mines are operated by subsidiaries of the Coal India Limited which owe huge sums of money to the state government, he claimed. There is an outstanding of Rs 1,01,142 crore for "non-payment of land compensation", Rs 32,000 crore under "common cause dues" head, and Rs 2,500 crore under "washed coal royalty" head, the Congress leader said. Questioning the Jharkhand unit of the BJP, he asked why it failed to secure funds for the state and why was the prime minister silent. "Why has the non-biological PM failed to release these funds? Is step-motherly treatment being administered to Jharkhand for voting for the JMM-INC alliance? Why

Jharkhand CM Soren promises 7 kg ration monthly if JMM alliance wins

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday said people will get 7 kg of ration instead of the existing 5 kg per month under the public distribution system (PDS) if the JMM-led alliance is voted to power. He said the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led alliance would also increase the pension amount. Soren alleged that 11 lakh ration cards and three lakh pensions were cancelled during the BJP regime in Jharkhand, which resulted in death of several tribal, dalits due to hunger. "I am proud that while deaths due to hunger were common in the BJP rule, in your Abua (our)government, every Jharkhandi is getting ration, pension and nutrition as per their rights," Soren posted on X. He said, "As soon as our government is formed again in Jharkhand, 7 kg of grain will be provided per person instead of 5 kg of grain in the public distribution system. The pension amount will also be increased." He further said that an additional 10 lakh people, who are left out of the subsidised grains, would be .

Jharkhand polls: INDIA bloc partners in for 'friendly battle' on 3 seats

The INDIA bloc partners in Jharkhand are set for a "friendly battle" in three assembly seats in the upcoming assembly polls, bloc leaders said on Saturday. JMM and CPI-ML have already decided to go for a friendly fight in Dhanwar Assembly seat, while Congress and RJD are still trying to avoid a friendly contest in Chhattarpur and Bishrampur seats, they said at a joint press conference here. The elections to the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, with counting of votes to take place on November 23. As many as 1,211 candidates are in the fray for the 81 assembly seats after completion of nomination withdrawal exercises for both phases of the election. The JMM has fielded candidates in 43 Assembly seats, Congress in 30 seats, RJD from six and CPI-ML in four seats. "JMM, Congress, RJD and CPI-ML are jointly contesting the Jharkhand polls under INDIA bloc. Excluding three seats Chhatarpur, Bishrampur and Dhanwar, seat-sharing arrangements

Request PM, Shah to clear Jharkhand's Rs 1.36 trn coal dues: Hemant Soren

Ahead of the scheduled visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to poll-bound Jharkhand, Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday requested the Centre with folded hands to clear Rs 1.36 lakh-crore coal dues to the state. Modi is scheduled to address two rallies in Jharkhand on November 4 while Shah will address three public meetings on November 3. "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 lakh crore to Jharkhandis. This amount is crucial for Jharkhand," Soren posted on X. He also appealed to BJP MPs to facilitate clearance of the amount. "I would also appeal to my BJP colleagues, especially the MPs, to help Jharkhandis in getting our dues," Soren posted on the microblogging site, 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-clearanc

528 candidates in fray for second phase of Jharkhand Assembly polls

Altogether 528 candidates are in the fray for the second phase of Jharkhand assembly polls after 32 aspirants withdrew their nominations on Friday, an election official said. In all, 38 assembly constituencies will go to polls in the second phase on November 20. Initially, 634 aspirants submitted nomination papers from October 22 to 29, but after scrutiny, 74 nominations were rejected. On Friday, 32 candidates withdrew their papers leaving 528 nominees in the fray, Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar said. Dhanwar assembly constituency registered the highest number of candidates at 24, while Deoghar recorded the lowest at 7, he said. In 2019, 583 candidates from 38 seats contested the polls. Disgruntled BJP leader and former Jharkhand minister Satyanand Jha 'Batul' also withdrew his nomination on Friday, reportedly following a meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who urged him to step aside in favour of the BJP. The elections to the 81-member assembly will tak

66% spike seen in noise pollution in Ranchi's silence zone on Diwali night

Sound pollution in Ranchi's silence zone touched 74.65 dB (decibels) on Diwali night on Thursday against a permissible limit of 45 dB, a spike of 65.88 per cent, an official said. It was, however, a 5.27 per cent increase if compared to pre-Diwali levels recorded on October 24, the official said on Friday. Ranchi's Old High Court in Doranda locality, classified as a silence zone, registered an average sound pollution of 74.65 dB between 6pm and midnight, according to a data released by the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB). On October 24, the area registered a noise level of 70.91dB. In the commercial area of Albert Ekka Chowk, noise levels rose by 21.71 per cent against the average permissible limit of 60 dB. The area recorded 73.03 dB on Diwali night, compared to 68.65 dB earlier in the month. The permissible sound limits are 65 dB during the day and 55 dB at night in commercial areas. The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) measured sound levels at four

JMM criticises BJP for distracting from development in CM's age debate

Jharkhand Minister Mithilesh Thakur said, "The mistake that the BJP candidate made in his nomination, the nomination should have been cancelled, but it did not happen, it needs to be understood why

Guruji student credit card scheme fails to take off in Jharkhand

Under the scheme, a loan of up to Rs 15 lakh will be given at an interest rate of only 4 per cent with a condition to repay in 15 years

These people stir up Hindu-Muslim tensions: Hemant Soren slams BJP

He then underlined that India belongs to its people and questioned the control of the border

J'khand will turn into mini-Bangladesh: Himanta warns of demographic shift

He also stressed on BJP's promise of implementing NRC in the state if it returns to power

BJP releases second list; names CM Hemant Soren's rival from Barhait

Jharkhand Assembly elections: The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is contesting the polls with the AJSU, Janata Dal (United), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)

JMM demands removal of CEO, two IPS officers ahead of J'khand polls

The ruling JMM in Jharkhand wrote to the Election Commission on Sunday and demanded the removal of Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar and two senior IPS officers, alleging that they were working in favour of the BJP. Elections to the 81-member Jharkhand assembly are scheduled on November 13 and November 20. "Giridih police today intercepted a vehicle carrying Mandal Murmu along with some other persons. When asked, the people on board did not reply as to where they were going. So, the police detained the vehicle. Mandal Murmu happens to be one of the proposers of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who has filed his nomination from the Barhait assembly constituency," JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said. "Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar and two senior IPS officials, misusing their official position, put undue pressure on the Giridih administration to release the vehicle," he alleged. Bhattacharya claimed that this was a gross violation of the model code of conduct, a

PM Modi urges nation to celebrate 150th birth anniversary of 'great men'

PM Modi also added that both Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Birsa Munda were great men who had different challenges but their vision was the same

BJP appoints Ravindra Kumar Rai as working prez for poll-bound Jharkhand

Meanwhile, ahead of the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, the BJP on Friday announced the list of 40-star campaigners for the polls

Jharkhand polls: BJP's list of star campaigners out, PM Modi, Shah on list

BJP CMs such as Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Nayab Singh Saini (Haryana), Mohan Majhi Himanta Biswa Sarma and Vishnu Deo Sai (Chhattisgarh) are also in list

Jharkhand MLAs' average asset Rs 3.7 crore; Kalpana Soren among richest

The richest legislator is Lohardaga MLA Rameshwar Oraon, having total assets worth Rs 28 crore. CM Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana boasts assets worth over Rs 25 crore

Ex-J'khand CM Champai Soren files nomination as BJP nominee from Saraikela

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren on Friday filed his nomination papers as BJP nominee from Saraikela assembly constituency. Saraikela is among 43 assembly constituencies that will go to polls in the first phase on November 13. The nomination process for the first phase, which started on October 18, is set to conclude on Friday. Soren, who joined the BJP on August 30 citing "insult" and "humiliation" at the hands of JMM leaders, claimed that there is a wave in favour of the saffron party in the state. "There is a wave in favour of the BJP in the Kolhan region as well as entire Jharkhand. The BJP will form the government this time," he said. The JMM candidate from Saraikela seat, Ganesh Mahli, who recently joined the party after defecting from the BJP, also reached the nomination centre to submit his documents. The JMM in its fourth list of candidates on Thursday announced the name of Mahli as party nominee for the seat. The Jharkhand assembly polls will be held in tw

Jharkhand elections: Hemant Soren, Rameshwar Oraon among key candidates

Jharkhand Assembly elections: The elections will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20, with results on November 23

Cyclone 'Dana' to bring heavy rainfall in Jharkhand, NDRF teams deployed

Parts of Jharkhand could experience heavy to very heavy rainfall from Thursday night under the influence of cyclonic storm 'Dana', a Met Department official said. An orange' alert has been issued in the Kolhan region (West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharswan and East Singhbhum districts) for Friday, he said. This category of alert indicates heavy rainfall ranging from 115 mm to 204 mm in 24 hours, the official said. "Apart from heavy rain, the region might also experience thunderstorms and gusty winds with speeds of up to 60 kmph," Ranchi Meteorological Centre in-charge Abhishek Anand said. The cyclonic storm is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha early Friday with wind speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour (kmph), the IMD said. The weather system lay 280 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 370 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal) at 2.30 am, it said in a bulletin. Six teams of the NDRF have been deployed in Jamshedpur and

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