JHARKHAND

8L migrant workers rescued in 3 years

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The state migrant control room, which was initially conceptualised and set up during the nationwide migrant labourer crisis owing to Covid-19-induced lockdown, has so far managed to successfully rescue around 8 lakh workers from across the globe in the last three years.

Even though the Covid-related migrant crisis largely ended after the first two waves, the Jharkhand government’s decision to keep the control room functional as part of its safe and responsible Migration initiative taking into account the trafficking menace in Jharkhand, has now emerged as the one-stop centre for early bail out of migrant workers in distress irrespective of the geographical locations.

The entire operations and management of the control room is being managed by Partnering Hope Into Action (PHIA) Foundation, which had been working on migration and human trafficking issues in Jharkhand.

Jharkhand govt may reopen schools closed during BJP regime

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The state governments school and Literacy mission department is considering to reopen schools which were closed or merged with other institutes on various grounds during the previousBJPadministration between 2014 and 19.
TheJharkhand Education Project Council(JEPC) has initiated steps in this regard by asking all 24 districts to conduct surveys at their levels and submit their feedback for taking an appropriate decision.

According toJPECs data, about 4,096 schools were closed or merged since the 2016-17 academic session on grounds such as lack of sufficient students, teacher crunch or close proximity between two similar schools among others. The BJP government had then justified the move to rationalise the states schooling set-up for better efficiency. However, the move met with resistance and criticism from various levels and claimed that it also resulted in high dropout rates.

Jharkhand: Hemant cabinet withdraws subsidy on power tariff

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In a major blow to the middle class, the on Thursday decided to withdraw the subsidy offered on grid power to various categories of power consumers who use 400 plus units ofelectricityper month. The decision was taken by the cabinet during its meeting on Thursday in which 35 proposals were approved. However, the new subsidy till 400 units was not specified.

Until now, the energy department offered different slabs of subsidy to urban domestic consumers which was approved by the Jharkhand State Electricity Regulatory Commission (JSERC). At present, the tariff order of 2019-20 is in force and the rate has been fixed at Rs 5.50 per unit (for urban domestic consumers). The department has been offering a subsidy of Rs 3.25 for 200 units per month, Rs 1.50 per unit for consumers who used 201-500 units per month and a subsidy of Rs 1.25 per unit to consumers using between 501 to 800 units.

Moreover, 50 paisa subsidy was given to consumers using more than 800 units per month. With this decision, the department targets to save around Rs 210 crore annually. The decision assumes significance in the wake of a new solar power policy approved by the council of ministers aimed at promoting solar power in the state. Under the new policy, the state targets to instal 4,000MW solar power Plants in the next five years and various subsidies and incentives have been offered to the consumers.

Moreover, the government has promised to give free land and offered 100% exemption on stamp duty for the upcoming solar park. At the individual level, rooftop grid-connected solar power plants will be provided different subsidies up to 80%.

The cabinet also approved a proposal for two bills to be tabled during the budget session beginning Friday. The ministers agreed to adopt the central bill on the Marketing of Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture produces with slight amendments and accordingly, theJharkhand State Agriculture Produceand Livestock Marketing Promotion and Facilitation Bill-2022 would be tabled.

Tata Steel signs Technology Transfer agreement with IIT Roorkee

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In an endeavour to make the non-invasive early stage cancer diagnosis an affordable reality, Tata Steels New Materials Business has signed a Technology Transfer Agreement with IIT Roorkee for a breath based Cancer Detector.

Tata Steel would further improve upon the design and use efficiency of the prototype on commercial terms, re-evaluate the efficacy in collaboration with Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata and thereafter commercialise the device under Medical Material and Devices, New Materials Business.

Works initiated and completed under the Nilambar Pitambar Jal Samriddhi Yojana in Jharkhand are now visible on the ground. Under this scheme, Loose Boulder Check Dams have been built near the hills and hundreds of villages across the State. This has helped in controlling the free flow of rainwater and has increased groundwater levels. Additionally, the construction of Trench-cum-Bund (TCB) has helped in the conservation of rainwater. With the construction of irrigation wells under MGNREGA, farmers are now involved in plantations using drip irrigation facilities on a large scale.

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In the previous financial year, more than 25,000 acres of land was covered under Birsa Harit Gram Yojna, whereas in the current financial year, more than 21,000 acres of land is being covered under the same scheme. Villagers are taking initiative to conserve water by joining the Governments scheme; this in turn has helped increase agricultural production and the prosperity of the villages.

The had launched the Nilambar-Pitamber Jal Samridhi Yojana a year ago. The scheme is being executed across 4,000 Panchayats in the State. In many districts, land plots marked as barren fields are now spreading greenery. The scheme has helped increase the groundwater level across the State. Apart from this, workers in rural areas have also been provided with EMPLOYMENT opportunities in their respective villages and Panchayats.

Under Nilambar-Pitamber Jal Samridhi Yojna, a target of implementing 3,32,963 schemes was set in the State. Against this, 1,97,228 schemes have already been completed. Work is in progress for the remaining 1,35,735 schemes. The condition of rural areas has improved a lot due to the implementation of this scheme. In many areas, even barren lands are being used for cultivation with the help of water conservation.

Rural economy move towards strength with strong women power

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On the instructions of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, through an innovative effort, rural Women got the basis of livelihood from the Palash brand, on the one hand, on the other hand, mustard oil, rice, flour, pulses, madua flour, lemon grass, prepared and stored by rural women. Such products are being well liked by the people. Good income of Sakhimandals is being ensured by establishing identity of Sakhimandal’s products at the state as well as national level. In view of the success of the Palash brand, continuous work is being done towards the Empowerment of the sisters associated with Sakhi Mandal. About 2.78 lakh Sakhi Mandals have been formed in 29,953 villages of 264 blocks of 24 districts of the state and about 32.51 lakh families are associated with it.

Rs 418.31 crore has been made available to 2.69 lakh Sakhi Mandals of the state as Revolving Fund and Rs 1296.42 crore has been made available to 2.44 lakh Sakhi Mandals as Community Fund. Around 2.26 lakh Sakhi Mandals have received Rs 6511 crore as credit linkage from banks.

To strengthen the rural economy, 29 lakh families of the state have been connected with strong means of livelihood through the livelihood empowerment skill campaign. Rural families are being covered by livelihood based on Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, animal husbandry, forest produce, egg production, Organic Farming. Under the state sponsored Johar project, 3922 producer groups and 20 producer companies are being formed and operated in 3816 villages of 68 blocks of 17 districts. Under which work is in progress to increase the income of about 2.24 lakh families of the state.

Pact to ease transition from traditional to clean energy

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Taking a step towards realising just transition, involving the phasing out of fossil fuel usage and increasing dependability on renewables in the state, theJharkhandgovernment has signed a memorandum of understanding with International Forum for Environment Sustainability and Technology (i-Forest). The MoU got a nod of the cabinet on January 19 paving the way for targeted initiatives and hand holding of major stakeholders in the state by experts of just transition.

According to a study conducted by Climate activist and scholar University of British Columbia,Sandeep Pai, the local district governments in Jharkhand collected nearly Rs 800 crore under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) in 2020.

Decks cleared for first tribal varsity in Jharkhand

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TheJharkhandassembly, the final day of its winter session, gave its nod to Pundit Raghunath MurmuTribal UniversityBill 2021 paving the way for study and research on tribal culture, art and tradition. The university with its headquarters in Jamshedpur will have its jurisdiction all over the state and allow admission to candidates from all communities and religion.

Named after noted tribal laureate Pundit Raghunath Murmu, who holds the credit of developing Ol Chiki script for Santhal language, the university will be the first of its kind in any state where special focus will be on scientific preservation of tribal culture and study on the subjects pertinent to tribes all across the country.

Backward areas to be focused in upcoming budget

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Government of Jharkhand has started preparing the budget estimate for the next financial year 2023-24. Along with this, the revised estimate for 2022-23 is also being prepared. Finance Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh has also written a letter to the departments in this regard and asked them to prepare budget estimates.

Referring to the economic survey of the financial year 2021-22 published by the Planning cum Finance Department Singh said that there is a need to identify such areas by the departments which are still backward in terms of development. He said that while preparing the budget, the departments are expected to prepare relevant plans for the development of such backward areas and prepare a proper budget for those plans. The budget estimate will be on the basis of sanctioned post and working force.

From the financial year 2017-18, the budget in Jharkhand is being prepared by dividing it into four categories which is establishment receipts, establishment expenditure. In the scheme under Central assistance, the schemes running in the current financial year under the Central Sector Scheme, Centrally Sponsored Scheme and State Scheme and the new scheme will focus on income-expenditure in revenue receipt. Transport, land revenue, excise tax etc. Royalty, dividends earned from public undertakings, interest on government borrowings and income of departments from other sources will be included. The budget will also be prepared for the salary and other of the personnel working against the sanctioned posts in the budget. Salary amount will be calculated from September 1.

State to procure 8 lakh metric ton paddy this year

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Jharkhand governments department offood,public distribution and consumer affairsaims to procure approximately 8 lakh metric tonpaddyfrom the states farmers this year. In 2020, the state had procured a little over 6 lakh metric ton paddy during the Kharif season.

In October this year, the state cabinet approved a proposal of the department to cap the maximum procurement from one farmer at 200 quintals. This was done to ensure that greater numbers of small and marginal farmers are brought under the ambit of the paddy procurement scheme. The state procures paddy from a farmer at Rs 2,050 per quintal. More than 1.03 lakh farmers are expected to turn up at the paddy procurement centres this year.