Jharkhand CM announces Rs 4 lakh for boat capsize victim, no proposal for revival of old pension scheme

Oppn seeks clarification on domicile, employment policy at budget session

Ranchi, Feb 28: Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in a recent boat capsize in the Barakar river in Jamtara district.

Several people had gone missing after the boat capsized in the river on February 24, and eight bodies have so far been recovered.

Replying to a question by BJP legislator from Nirsa, Aparna Sengupta, in the Assembly, Soren said, ”Rs 4 lakh compensation each will be given to the families of people who died in the accident from disaster management department.”

The boat was going to Berigaon in Jamtara from Berbedia in Nirsa. According to locals, there were 17 people on the boat when the accident took place and five of them were rescued. Several leaders of the opposition parties had said the accident could have been avoided if the Barbendia bridge over the river was operational. They had said people have been taking the water route to cross the river as the repair works of the bridge have not been completed. Soren said the government will soon conduct a feasibility study for construction of a bridge over the river as demanded by the BJP MLA.

”Based on the feasibility study, size and budget of the bridge will be decided,” Soren said.

There is no proposal before the Jharkhand government to revive the old pension scheme scrapped by the central government and states with effect from January 1, 2004, chief minister Hemant Soren told the state assembly on Monday.

Soren said the government will take a call on reviving the old pension scheme once a proposal reaches the government.

“The member has raised the issue in light of the announcement made by the Rajasthan government. They have also now just made the announcement. However, no such proposal is under consideration in our government as yet,” Soren told the assembly on a question by Congress legislator Pradeep Yadav.

The opposition BJP and AJSU Party on Monday sought clarification from the Hemant Soren government on its stand over recruitment rules, its new employment policy and domicile and Khatiyan issues.

The opposition legislators also raised the ongoing language row on the second day of the ongoing budget session of the House.

It asked the government to clarify its stand on job eligibility under the new recruitment rule for students of unreserved category who clear matriculation (Class-10) or intermediate (Class-12) examinations from outside the state even though they are original inhabitants of Jharkhand.

AJSU legislator Lambodar Mahato raised the issue during question hour, which was supported by other opposition lawmakers including BJP’s Bhanu Pratap Sahi and AJSU chief Sudesh Mahato.

They demanded an embargo on the recruitments until definition of locals and employment policies are clearly defined.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren in his reply did not speak on employment eligibility and said the issue of 1932 Khatiyan (proof of land document of a person) is under consideration.

“We will soon take a decision whether to set up a committee or frame rules in this regard,” he said.