Krishak Pathshalas and cold storages in each district, improving road connectivity: Hemant
Ranchi, August 15: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday said that along with protecting the cultural identity, traditions and Jharkhandi integrity the government is moving ahead with a pledge to build such a state where participation of all will be ensured in development.
Delivering his speech to celebrate India’s 75th Independence Day at Ranchi’s Morabadi ground on Sunday, his second since assuming charge in 2019, he stressed on the principal of “Vikas Moolmantra, Aadhar Loktantra”, and said that his government was working on multiple fronts to usher in holistic development in Jharkhand, which since its creation in 2000, is still battling numerous problems.
The Chief Minister said that apart from ensuring participation of all his government is also working to protect the rights of the poor, tribals, backwards, Dalits and minorities and make sure that development reaches to the last person of the society. “Our government has adopted the approach of Vikas Moolmantra, Aadhar Loktantra,” he said.
To speed up development in the state new policies are being framed and as per need changes are being made in the previous policies he said adding that as part of the process the Jharkhand Industrial and investment incentive policy 2021 has been implemented which will remain in effect for the next five years. He said that this policy will be a milestone for creating more and more job opportunities for the poor people of this mineral-rich and naturally blessed state.
The Chief Minister said that the government has given priority to frame the necessary rules and make changes wherever necessary to speed up the recruitment process in the state. He said that henceforth only such candidates will be able to appear for category third jobs in the state who have done their 10th and 12th from education institutions based in the state or recognised by it.
He said that students who are covered under the reservation policy of the state have been excluded from the provisions so that their rights can be protected. Soren said that it has been also made compulsory that candidates have knowledge about local customs and traditions, language and living conditions of the people which will open doors of employment for the youth of the state in government jobs.
Hemant said upgrading the agriculture sector to working on industrial promotion, job creation, development of sports, strengthening elementary and higher education, ensuring basic necessities, boosting power production, among others, are his government’s key focus areas.
Revealing plans to boost agriculture, one of the mainstays of people living in rural areas, he said the government had over the last year come up with several plans and policies. Jharkhand, he said, was working to set up Kirshi Pathshala in every district for all-round capacity building of farmers.
He said, “It will be known as Samekit Birsa Gram Vikas Yojana-cum-Krishi Pathshala, which is going to start soon. In the first phase, we plan to identify one agriculture farm in every district to first upgrade it with all facilities which will act as a model place for others to come and learn various nuances of farming. This will help local farmers cutting across dairy, fishery and others, to get exposed to state-of-art facilities and latest techniques so that they can replicate it further.”
Hemant spoke of his government’s farm loan waiver scheme and plans to build cold storage.“We offered loan waivers to the tune of Rs 750 crore, benefitting 1.82 lakh farmers so far,” he said.
Talking about post-harvest facilities, he said that construction of 5000 metric tonne capacity cold storages was underway in various districts while several major and minor irrigation schemes were being refurbished to improve irrigation facilities.
He also spoke on how they are working to increase income of those living in rural areas citing that since the onset of the pandemic followed by lockdowns, the government has been tackling the situation on the principle of life and livelihood (“jeevan bhi and jeevika bhi”).
The Chief Minister said that Jharkhand has a separate identity in the area of sports in the country and also abroad, therefore in the sports policy of the state government a provision has been made that players who will be winning gold silver or bronze medals in the Olympics will be given Rs 2 crore, Rs 1 crore and Rs 50 lakh respectively while for participation they would be given Rs 5 lakh each. He said that daughters of the state who were part of the women’s hockey team in the Olympics Salim Tete and Nikki Pradhan have been given Rs 50 lakh each to recognise their better performance in the games.
