Chaibasa: Chief Minister Raghubar Das today called on Gram Sabhas across the state including Kolhan to ensure village development and weed out corruption with the help of the government. He was addressing a meeting of self help group members and panchayat representatives at Tata college ground in Chaibasa on Friday.
Addressing the gathering, the CM he was enthusiastic and happy on witnessing the huge crowd in the land of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. He said the government banked on the Gram Sabhas and self help groups of villages for the development of rural areas. He said the government had a host of ambitious plans to implement government schemes with the help of Gram Sabhas, members of self help groups and panchayat representatives.
Das promised to publish books and booklets with information regarding government schemes for various self-help groups in their local language such as Ho, Mundari and Nagpuriya. He announced to donate Rs 1 lakh to each self help group and construct 25 lakh toilets within two years. He said that markets will be opened in every district of Jharkhand on the lines of the market opened in Ranchi at a cost of Rs 17 crore.
�The products of self help groups would be purchased by the government through these markets,� the CM said.
Speaking about the Maoist threat issued to his life, he said, �I am not afraid of death. Death is in the hands of God. I warn the Maoists of Andhra Pradesh to vacate Jharkhand. They should not woo our youths to march on their demonic path.�
Das appealed to the youths to give up violence and join the social mainstream. He said the government will not allow anyone to violate the law of the land. He said that strong action will be taken against the Naxalites all over the state. Further praising CRPF jawans, he said the paramilitary personnel worked hard in remote and densely wooded areas to protect the civilians. He said the jawans risked their lives every moment to save the people from Naxalite violence.
The CM said the people were now defying Maoist diktat openly. He said people of several villages had helped government build police stations despite Maoist threat. �The government would go to any extent to fight the Maoists who are just levy collecting gundas. They are antisocial elements and are against development and the Constitution of India,� he said.
Praising the inherent culture of Jharkhand, the CM said that one Munda had come forward in Gudri Block and assured him to donate his land for the construction of police station. Such an indomitable spirit has prevailed in Jharkahnd right from the ancient time and we must keep alive this spirit, he said.
While giving importance to the Gram Sabha, the CM said that Gram Sabha meetings should be held every month. The Gram Sabha will make plans for village development. �If any Mukhiya and BDO is found involved in corruption or anomaly, the Gram Sabha should directly intimate me. An inquiry will be set up immediately and the guilty will be removed within 24 hours,� he said.
Speaking about Kolhan, Chief Minster became emotional and said that outsiders dug out iron ore and made money and left the people of Kolhan to drink polluted red water. He assured that 30 per cent of the profit would be spent in the district and it would increase 10 per cent every year. This year Rs 1.65 crore would be spent on development in the district.
Das said in every village of Kolhan drinking water would be supplied through a pipe line. He expressed concerned about human trafficking in Jharkhand and assured that no one should go out in lure of money.
Development Commissioner Amit Khare and Principal Secretary N N Singh also spoke on the occasion. A session of question answer was also organized. Others present included TAC member J B Tubid, MLA Deepak Birua, MLA Geeta Koda, MLA Laxman Tudu and government officers of Kolhan. The function concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Deputy commissioner Dr Shantanu Kumar Agrahari. It was conducted by DPO JJ Benjamin Tirkey.