Page 6 - Jharkhand

Jharkhand govt hikes DA of employees by 7%, effective from July 1, 2024

The Jharkhand government on Tuesday approved a 7-per cent hike in the dearness allowance (DA) of its employees, effective from July 1 last year, an official said. Under the sixth central pay commission, the employees would be receiving DA of 246 per cent (of the basic pay) from the existing 239 per cent, he said. The proposal was approved during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The dearness relief to pensioners under the sixth pay commission was also increased by 7 percentage points to 246 per cent. The DA for the government employees under the fifth pay commission was also hiked to 455 per cent from the existing 443 per cent, effective from July 1, 2024, Joint Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Ranjan told reporters. A total of 12 proposals were cleared by the cabinet, including approval for the Jharkhand Micro, Small and Medium Units (MSME) Special Exemption Bill, 2025. The cabinet also approved the Factories (Jharkhand Amendment) Bill, 2024 in order to comply wit

J'khand's credit potential for FY26 priority sector lending at Rs 88,303 cr

The credit potential for the priority sector lending in Jharkhand has been projected at Rs 88,303 crore for the next fiscal, an increase of about 64 per cent from the current financial year, an official said on Saturday. It was fixed at Rs 54,008.31 crore for the year 2024-25. Priority sector lending (PSL) is a policy tool aimed at ensuring that key sectors crucial to the nation's development receive adequate financial support. Mandated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), PSL obligates banks to allocate a specified proportion of their loans to sectors such as agriculture, education, housing, and small industries. "The credit potential for the priority sector in the state has been projected at Rs 88303.77 crore for the year 2025-26, as against Rs 54,008.31 crore for the year 2024-25, showing an increase of 63.50 per cent," the official said. Earlier, Jharkhand Finance Minister Radha Krishna Kishore launched the state Focus paper 2025-26 emphasising the need for sustainable agricult

Jharkhand lone outlier as youth voter share declines, shows ECI data

Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Sikkim, West Bengal, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh witnessed some of the sharpest declines of young electors

JSW Group to invest Rs 2,600 cr in copper mines, plant in Jharkhand

JSW Group on Monday said it will invest Rs 2,600 crore to develop and operate two copper mines and set up a copper concentrator plant in Jharkhand. The development marks JSW Group's foray into the copper business as part of its commitment to diversification and growth. "With a planned investment of Rs 2,600 crore, this marks a significant milestone in strengthening India's position in critical resources," it said in a statement. JSW Group said it has made a significant expansion into the mining of non- ferrous metals by winning the mine operator and developer (MDO) contract of two blocks of copper mines in Jharkhand from state-owned Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL). "The project involves operationalising the two mines and setting up of a copper concentrator plant, with the total capital investment estimated to be Rs 2,600 crore," it said. On full-scale ramp up, the mines will have an ore capacity of three million tonne per annum (MTPA). The mines are likely to become part operational

SC dismisses J'khand's plea against quashing case against BJP leaders

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea of the Jharkhand government against the high court's decision quashing criminal cases against state BJP leaders and MP Nishikant Dubey over protests held in Ranchi in 2023, observing that prohibitory orders are misused whenever there is a protest. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said it is not inclined to interfere with the August 14, 2024 order of the high court and dismissed the appeal. At the outset, the counsel appearing for the Jharkhand government said despite prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC in place, the accused held a protest which turned violent and several people, including administrative officials, were injured. The high court erred in its finding and said they have the right to protest, the counsel said. The bench observed that nowadays there is tendency to impose prohibitory orders, whenever there is protest. "If we interfere, it will send the wrong signal. What is the requirement of issuin

J'khand chief secy urges expediting fund utilisation for capital investment

Jharkhand chief secretary Alka Tiwari on Friday instructed state departments to promptly submit utilisation certificates to the Centre for funds received under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme. She said submitting the certificates on time would strengthen the state's claim to remaining funds and demonstrate its commitment to financial discipline. Tiwari was reviewing the scheme with the secretaries of the departments concerned. Notably, the Centre provides interest-free loans to states for 50 years under SASCI. For the financial year 2023-24, the state was allocated Rs 5,255.14 crore by the Centre, with Rs 4,580.62 crore already received, according to an official communique. For 2024-25 fiscal, the state has proposed Rs 4,302 crore, with Rs 2,763 crore approved and Rs 1,233 crore received so far. Additionally, the state is eligible for an extra Rs 1,250 crore under the scheme, the statement added. "If work is done according to the guidelines o

State police has no role in lodging complaints for airport violations: SC

The Supreme Court has held the Aircraft Act was "a complete code" to deal with the safety and security of civil aviation and aerodrome whereas the state police could only forward probe material to the authorised officer to decide on lodging a complaint. The significant verdict, ruling out any significant role of a state police in dealing with the airport violations cases, came from a bench comprising Justices A S Oka and Manmohan on an appeal of the Jharkhand government. The state government challenged the Jharkhand High Court judgement which quashed the FIR against BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Manoj Tiwari and others. They were accused of allegedly forcing the Deoghar air traffic control to allow their aircraft to take off after sunset in 2022. The judgement, authored by Justice Manmohan, and made available on Wednesday said, "The Aircraft Act, 1934 as well as the rules framed thereunderis a complete Code which deals with safety and security of civil aviation and aerodrome." It ad

Airport violation: SC rejects plea on HC order quashing FIR against BJP MPs

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea of the Jharkhand government against the high court order quashing an FIR against BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Manoj Tiwari, who are accused of forcing the air traffic control to allow their aircraft to take off from Deoghar airport after sunset in 2022. A bench comprising Justices A S Oka and Manmohan, however, granted the state government the liberty to forward the material collected during the probe to the authorised officer under the Aircraft Act within four weeks. The competent authority of the DGCA shall take a decision in accordance with law as to whether a complaint needs to be filed under the Act, the bench said. The top court, in December 18, had reserved its verdict on the appeal of the state government against the Jharkhand High Court judgement. The case relates to an FIR lodged at Kunda police station in Deoghar district of Jharkhand against nine people, including Dubey and Tiwari. They had allegedly forced ATC personnel at

Jharkhand chief secy urges officials to resolve coal block issues

Jharkhand Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari on Wednesday directed officials concerned to resolve issues hindering the commencement of operations of 34 coal blocks allocated by the government. She said that as soon as these coal blocks become operational, the economic activities would lead to the creation of job opportunities and an increase in the state's revenue. Tiwari was chairing a review meeting on Wednesday to discuss the problems of the allocated coal blocks. During the meeting, it was found that most of the issues are related to land acquisition, rate calculations, compensation, forest clearances and land transfers, besides streams, rivers, and roads passing through the coal block areas. Some places were also facing law and order challenges, according to an official release. The chief secretary asked the deputy commissioners of the districts concerned to resolve the issues in a stipulated time. The officials confirmed that four coal blocks - Rajhara in Palamu, Tubed in Latehar,

PVUNL to commission three 800 MW units in phase-1 by Dec this year: CEO

The three 800 MW units of phase 1 of Patratu Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (PVUNL) in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district will be commissioned by the end of this year, an official said. The Patratu Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (PVUNL), a joint venture of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL). Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PVUNL, R K Singh on Friday said that the year 2025 would be a year of development and achievements for Jharkhand and Ramgarh as all three units of the phase-1 project with 2,400MW capacity would be commissioned by December 2025. As per the MoU signed between NTPC and JBVNL, 85 per cent of power generated by PVUNL would be supplied to Jharkhand, which will likely to get over 2,000MW power from phase-1. An initiative has been taken for 2800MW capacity power plant project in phase 2, he said. "PVUNL feels happy to announce that three units of 800 MW each are to be commissioned by December 2025 while the first unit of 80

Jharkhand CM urges Centre to clear state's Rs 1.36 trillion coal dues

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren urged Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy to clear the state's coal dues "worth Rs 1.36 lakh crore". Reddy assured Soren that the central government would take necessary steps to ensure payment of the outstanding dues, an official release said. A meeting was held among senior officials of the state government, the coal ministry and Coal India Ltd in the presence of Soren and Reddy on Thursday. The Jharkhand government presented a detailed assessment of the outstanding mineral royalty payments to the Union minister in the meeting, the release said. "...The Union coal minister directed that central government officials collaborate with the state government to verify the authenticity of these claims," it stated. Soren said the central and state governments need to move forward together to better manage coal mining, production, transportation, land acquisition and compensation. The CM also said the lands on which mining operations ha

No need to panic as J'khand still unaffected by HMPV cases: Health minister

Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari on Tuesday said the state has been unaffected by the human metapneumovirus infection, and there is no need to panic over the detection of such cases in other parts of the country. Ansari said he is closely monitoring the situation. The infection of HMPV has been reported in parts of the country but there is no impact in Jharkhand. I have been closely monitoring the situation. There is no need to panic as no cases of the HMPV infection have so far been reported in the state, Ansari told reporters at Congress headquarters here. Human metapneumovirus is one of the many respiratory viruses that can cause infections in people of all ages, particularly during the winter and early spring months. The infection is usually a mild and self-limiting condition and most cases recover on their own, according to doctors. The Centre has advised states to step up surveillance for respiratory illnesses, including ILI and SARI, and spread awareness about the ...

INDIA bloc to take a call on subsidised LPG cylinders: J'khand minister

Jharkhand Finance Minister and Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore on Sunday said that INDIA bloc will take a call on providing subsidised LPG cylinders to consumers at a rate of Rs 450 in the state. At present, domestic LPG cylinders are available for Rs 860 in major cities of Jharkhand. The Congress during assembly elections has promised gas cylinders to all citizens at a subsidised rate on being voted to power. The party is part of the JMM-led alliance in the state. "The call to provide LPG cylinders at Rs 450 has to be taken by the INDIA bloc. The promise was made by a political party - Congress to which I also belong. But a final call can be taken only by the alliance," Kishore told reporters here. He also said that the Jharkhand government is actively considering resorting to multiple steps, including legal action, to recover the outstanding amount of Rs 1.36 lakh crore from the central government. The finance minister highlighted that the outstanding sum has been pending f

Scams @2024: Major political controversies that made headlines this year

From Delhi's liquor policy fallout to NEET exam leaks, 2024 was a year of explosive scandals. Read on to know more about the controversies that defined this year

11 of 47 workers stuck in Cameroon brought back to Jharkhand, says Govt

The Jharkhand government on Sunday said 11 of the 47 workers stranded in Cameroon in central Africa were brought to the state and efforts were underway for the safe return of the remaining labourers. The development comes after the state government filed FIRs against a Mumbai-based firm and some middlemen for alleged non-payment of wages to 47 workers from the state, who were stuck in the African country. "Eleven out of 47 migrant workers from Jharkhand, stranded in Cameroon, were brought to the state as per instructions from Chief Minister Hemant Soren. All the workers were sent to their homes by the Labour Department. The return of the remaining 36 workers is also being ensured," a statement from the chief minister's secretariat said. Earlier this month, the labour commissioner had filed the FIRs at Hazaribag, Bokaro and Giridih police stations against middlemen and employers following a direction from Soren who had received complaints that these workers did not receive their wage

Jharkhand 2024: A year of political thrills, twists, and stunning comebacks

The year 2024 in Jharkhand unfolded like a gripping political drama, a narrative filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and electrifying comebacks. The year began like a Bollywood thriller with Chief Minister Hemant Soren's mysterious disappearance from Delhi sparking widespread speculations. As the entire nation was watching the drama, Hemant, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam, appeared in his official residence in Ranchi on January 30, having made a 1,250 km road journey, leaving everyone astounded by his sudden return. This was only the beginning of the year's political spectacle. Hemant was arrested shortly after resigning as chief minister on January 31 at Raj Bhavan. This prompted JMM to elect Champai Soren, a loyal aide of JMM supremo Shibu Soren, who earned the sobriquet 'Jharkhand's Tiger' for his contribution to the long fight for the creation of a separate state in the 1990s, as par

NIA conducts searches in Jharkhand's Giridih in CPI (Maoist)-related case

Houses and other premises of suspects and over-ground workers (OGWs) were extensively searched by NIA teams, which seized several mobile phones and SIM cards

Jharkhand hikes employees' dearness allowance by 3%: Check benefits

Central government and West Bengal announced similar steps before

From Maharashtra to Andhra, 2024 was the year of political comebacks

From the Lok Sabha elections to state assembly polls, various leaders staged striking returns in 2024, capturing the attention of both the public and political analysts

Jharkhand Congress to launch drive in January to strengthen organisation

Jharkhand Congress is set to launch a statewide campaign in the first week of January to take its mission and agenda to every household, a senior party official said on Saturday. During a meeting here, the party also decided to strengthen the organisation in the state and continue the agitation against the BJP for allegedly insulting the architect of the Constitution, BR Ambedkar. Addressing party workers, Jharkhand Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir said, "We will release a calendar highlighting party activities." "On January 6 or 7, we will launch a campaign where party workers will visit every household to spread the party's mission and agenda," he added. He added that the purpose of the meeting was to express gratitude towards the party workers and voters who worked hard to bring the alliance government back to power. "The alliance performed well, even though the Congress had expected to win 28 seats in the assembly polls," Mir told reporters after the meeting. The Congress