Jharkhand CM seeks 75 per cent job reservation for locals in mining work

Mines ministry keen on commissioning of 29 coal blocks in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Dec 4: The additional secretary of Union mines ministry M Nagaraju held a meeting with Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday at his residential office in Ranchi.

The meeting was regarding commissioning of 29 coal blocks located in the state of Jharkhand. In the meeting the Chief Minister was apprised that mining work has already started in three out of 29 coal blocks of the state and in the coming few months with the joint efforts of the Central and State Government coal mining will commence from Keredari, Chatti Bariatu, Badam, Tubed, Tokisud and Lohari coal blocks.

Information was laid before the Chief Minister by the Additional Secretary mines that positive efforts are being made by the officials of the Central and State Governments to start the mining work in these six coal blocks.

“It should be the priority of all of that excavation work can start in these six coal blocks soon,” the additional secretary said.

 The Chief Minister asked the additional secretary of union mines ministry to ensure that the allottees of various coal mining companies comply with the Jharkhand Act.

 According to the rules of the state government, it should be ensured on a priority basis that 75 percent of the manpower working in the mining companies should be from Jharkhand.

The Additional Secretary of the Union Ministry of Mines assured the Chief Minister that 75 percent of the manpower of the state itself would be looked after meeting with the allottees of various coal mining companies.

The additional secretary of the Union Ministry of Mines placed it before the Chief Minister that the State Government should undertake the work of constructing a new road from Pachwara coal block in Pakur district to Dumka.

With this, the transport facility will be accessible, in this regard, the Chief Minister said that the construction of the road will adversely affect the environment.

It may be better that the central government should work to build a dedicated railway line on that route so that the people living in the surrounding area can get a clean environment.

In the meeting, a special discussion was held on the positive steps being taken by the officials of the Central and State Government to start many more coal blocks.

State chief secretary Sukhdev Singh, additional chief secretary L Khiyangate, principal secretary to Chief Minister Rajiv Arun Ekka, secretary to chief minister Vinay Kumar Choubey, secretary mines Pooja Singhal, mines director Jitendra Kumar Singh were also present in the meeting.

Significantly, chief minister had in a meeting with Union coal minister Pralhad Joshi last month requested the Centre to ensure that all coal companies operating in Jharkhand provide 75% reservation in jobs to local residents and strongly pitched for awarding tenders/contracts worth up to Rs 1 crore to only local firms to pave the way for a harmonious work environment.

Following his whirlwind tour of the state in the second week of October in the backdrop of the nationwide coal crisis, Joshi’s current visit was aimed at weeding out issues to operationalise more coal pockets falling in Jharkhand to achieve the Union government’s aim of reducing coal import.