Jharkhand government to study mining models of Odisha and Chhattisgarh

Mail News Service

Ranchi, Dec 8: To boost the state’s mining revenues, a high-level team from Jharkhand is set to visit Odisha and Chhattisgarh to study their mining models. Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore revealed that while Jharkhand holds 40% of the country’s minerals, it only generates Rs 11,000 to 12,000 crore annually from mining. In stark contrast, Odisha’s mining revenue has soared from Rs 4,900 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 50,000 crore in 2021-22.

“We have been blessed with abundant mineral resources, but our revenue generation from mining has not kept pace with the potential. Odisha’s model can provide valuable insights for improving our own system,” Minister Kishore said, highlighting the need for strategic reforms in Jharkhand’s mining sector.

Additionally, Minister Kishore discussed the state’s welfare schemes, particularly the Maiya Samman Yojana. The scheme, which provides financial aid to women, will require an estimated Rs 17,700 crore annually to be sustained, despite Jharkhand’s total annual budget of Rs 1.28 lakh crore. “For a woman, even Rs 2,500 is a significant amount. It will make a real difference in her life, whether it’s buying basic medicines or small daily necessities,” he said, highlighting the importance of such schemes in empowering women.

Minister Kishore also expressed frustration with the lack of a clear rural development plan since Jharkhand’s formation. “There was no vision for boosting agricultural production or promoting agro-allied industries to benefit the majority of the rural population,” he noted. He criticized previous governments for constructing hospital buildings without addressing the shortage of doctors, nurses, and medical supplies in rural areas.

On another note, the minister also commented on the state’s pending dues with the central government, amounting to Rs 1.36 lakh crore. “Political morality dictates that the central government should act fairly and release Jharkhand’s dues. The Centre must come to the negotiating table and resolve this issue,” Kishore said, emphasizing that pursuing legal action would be a last resort.