Jharkhand Education minister claims over 7000 single-teacher school in state

FM lying on center not supporting state: Marandi

Ranchi: Jharkhand education minister and Ghatshila MLA Ramdas Soren claimed  that nearly 7930  state-run schools in Jharkhand are functioning with a single teacher each.

In a written response to a question by BJP MLA Raj Sinha in the assembly on the crisis of teachers, he said 3.81 lakh students are enrolled in these single-teacher schools. Later, speaking in the House during the debate on the budget on Tuesday, Soren said that 103 schools are functioning without any students, and 17 teachers work in them.

“We are running a campaign on the lines of ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ in the respective areas so that studeould be brought back,” he said.

The minister said the recruitment of 26,000 assistant teachers is under process.

BJP leader Babulal Marandi said that the budget looks big but there is nothing in it, the government is not paying attention to infrastructure. The condition of education and health is bad. The posts of doctors and teachers are vacant.

BJP MLA Babulal Marandi, referring to the budget speech of Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore, expressed strong objection to the fact that Jharkhand is not getting support from the Modi government at the Center. Presenting the data, he asked the Finance Minister not to mislead the public by saying wrong things.

Babulal Marandi said that the Finance Minister’s statement that there is no financial support from the Modi government at the Center is baseless.

“In 2021-22, the Centre gave 125.78 percent money as compared to the demand of the state. Similarly, in 2022-23, 116.28 percent amount was received from the Centre. In 2023-24, the Centre gave 110.58 percent amount. In all three years, the Central Government has given more money than the demand,” Marandi claimed.

Babulal Marandi said that from 2004 to 2014, during the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh, Rs 56 thousand 90 crore was received by the state whereas between 2014-2024, the NDA government led by Narendra Modi gave Rs 2 lakh 26 thousand 444 crore, that is, more than four times the amount.

Babulal Marandi said that since the Covid period, the Modi government is giving five kg of grains every month for free to 2.64 crore people.

Babulal Marandi said that  Rs 1.36 lakh crore is talked about again and again and asked government to stop politics in the  name of outstanding dues.

Babulal Marandi said that this is not a budget for poverty alleviation at all.

“41 percent of the people in Jharkhand are below the poverty line. The government should take the initiative to take this section forward in the field of education. We are ready to cooperate. But you should have good intentions. The Finance Minister should tell where he will arrange the budget money from,” said Marandi.

At the same time, BJP MLA Purnima Das, said that the budget has been focused on the Maiyan scheme, “but what has our brothers done wrong for whom nothing has been kept in the budget,” said Das.

MLA Jairam Mahato has raised questions on the neglect of the youth by the government and said that it is clear from the budget that the government will not spend and somewhere this year will not be the year of appointment.

Praising the budget, Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey said that the budget is for the people of the state and will be the work of the people.