CM Hemant Soren writes to PM Modi demanding Rs1.36 lakh cr coal royalty pending dues before polls

Ranchi, September 25: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the recovery of ₹1.36 lakh crore in outstanding dues from central coal companies operating in the state.

The letter written on Monday and shared on social media on Wednesday is an attempt by the ruling coalition to highlight BJP-led Centre step-motherly treatment towards Jharkhand.

Soren reiterated that the state government’s demand detailing the outstanding dues are the state’s rightful demands, adding that these are only for justice and not privileges.

Neither we are seeking special status like the alliance states of BJP, nor are we demanding a major portion of central budget. We are just demanding what is our right. Our demand is for justice, and not of special status. People of Jharkhand have struggled long for a separate state and now we want a just use of our rights and resources,” Soren said.

In his letter, Soren has proposed two solutions to ensure the payment is made. He suggested either starting interest payments from Coal India and its subsidiaries until the dues are paid in installments or directly debiting the amount from Coal India’s account with the Reserve Bank of India, similar to the method used in the DVC case with the Jharkhand State Electricity Board.

The chief minister emphasized that receiving the dues would help fight poverty and improve the living standards of the state’s people. He highlighted that timely payment of these dues would enable the state government to accelerate social and economic projects.

 Hemant Soren also referenced a recent Supreme Court ruling on mining royalties, affirming the state’s right to collect overdue royalties on mineral-rich land. Despite legal provisions and judicial orders, coal companies have not made any payments, causing significant financial losses to Jharkhand.

Soren criticized the disparity in the enforcement of dues, noting that while coal companies profit from exploiting the state’s resources, Jharkhand suffers due to non-payment. He pointed out that when the DVC was delayed in making payments, 12% interest was immediately deducted from Jharkhand’s RBI account. The CM called for a fair approach to the dues policy, highlighting the inconsistency between what the state owes and what is owed to the state.

This is not the first time CM Soren has raised the issue. In March 2022, he had written to the central government regarding the ₹1.36 lakh crore dues owed by coal companies. Despite efforts, no payments have been made to date, and the CM continues to push for recovery.