Jharkhand Assembly has passed the second supplementary budget amounting `1,327.48 crore on Tuesday. Replying to the barrage of objections from the Opposition through Cut Motion, Finance Minister Rajendra Prasad Singh justified the midterm demand and counted on the milestones the five-month-old JMM-Congress-RJD coalition Government has achieved.
Singh, who is also holding Energy portfolio, said the Government through global tender had invited players for Patratu Power station and also in the process of taking land from SAIl for another power plant at Bhawnathpur in Garhwa. “We have purchased 7,369 transformers for the State and there is no dearth of it now. By March 31, we would ensure zero power cut in Ranchi,” said he. TVNl plant of 1,320 MW capacity would also come up after Supreme Court clearing the dispute.
The Minister also underlined decisions made for setting up a cancer hospital in Ranchi and identification of consultant for that besides constructing 938 various positions in health sector. “The Department has made over 200 doctors permanent and opened 104 health helpline for common man,” said Singh.
Making certain announcements in the House, Rajendra Singh said that every block of the State would get five kilometers of rural roads and MlAs of the area would monitor the work. He also assured that by noon of December 19, letter for releasing MlA fund would be issued and hinted that the Government was in the process of regularising para-medics along with considering demands of para-teachers.
Reacting to the allegations about sons of the Ministers controlling affairs in the Government, Singh said he was ready for probe.
“No mantriputra is involved into this. I would also like to make it clear that neither my son nor son of any other Minister would be made Chairperson of the Youth Commission,” he said. On the issue of firearms case of Minister Jaiprakash Patel, Singh gave clean chit to him and lauded the quick response of the police officials of Hazaribagh.
Earlier, BJP’s Satyanand Jha Batul blamed the Government for shedding the welfare schemes started by previous Arjun Munda Government like dal-bhat scheme, ladli laxmi yojna etc. Batul’s aggressive postures irked Rajendra Singh who said that his mental checkup was needed by a civil surgeon. CP Singh raised the issue of cleanliness in Ranchi and blamed A2Z for hand in glove with the top officials.
CPI-Ml’s Binod Singh raised the issue of beacon light and demanded a notification from the Government banning its use and not to wait for three-month timeline given by the Supreme Court in this regard. CP Singh also questioned whether DGP can use a siren-fitted vehicle.
Rajendra Singh said Government is taking cognizance of the matter.
Matter of providing relief to Uttarakhand flood victims also was raised on which Singh said that in 10-day time all outstanding dues would be cleared. The Government has received assistance from Centre and Uttarakhand Government for 36 affected families belonging to Jharkhand. The State Government has to contribute `1 lakh to each of the families from its coffer.