The Jharkhand Cabinet on Monday constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) that will look in various problems and their remedial measures arising out due of Covid19.
The group of ministers includes finance and planning minister Rameshwar Oroan, Health minister Banna Gupta and State Labour resources minister Satyanand Bhokta. The group of ministers will be eyes and ears of government to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
The State Cabinet at its meeting held at Project Bhavan Secretariat and being attended by Chief Minister Hemant Soren also initiated various steps such as welfare schemes in tackling Covid 19 pandemic.
In a big relief and financial assistance to labourers, the Cabinet gave its nod to a decision under which lawmakers can utilize Rs 25 lakh in providing financial assistance to labourers. Cabinet Coordination department principal secretary Ajay Kumar Singh said, “As per Cabinet decision an MLA can recommend financial help of Rs 1000 to poor families and Rs 2000 to those who are stuck in other parts of country due to lockdown.
The MLA can recommend the name of the beneficiary along with the labourer’s account number to DDC and though DBT the money will be credited in beneficiary’s account.”
Sources said that with this many families who are workless and whose survival is at stake will be benefitted.
The Cabinet also decided that for the month of April and May such families who have not applied for ration cards or such families whose ration card is under process will get 10 kg of rice for two months.
The number of such families is 699443 and the state government for this today earmarked Rs 36 crore.
The Cabinet also decided that these families will also get 1 kg of salt for two months and the State cabinet for this earmarked Rs 10 crore.
In today’s Cabinet meeting decision to nine agendas were given approval. Apart from decision related to Covid19 pandemic, the State cabinet also gave its nod declaring seven districts as drought affected districts.
These seven districts are Bokaro, Chatra, Pakur, Godda, Giridih, Hazaribag and Deoghar. 55 blocks of these seven districts have been declared as drought hit. In these districts against the annual rainfall of 530 mm, 333 mm rainfall was recorded last year.
However, in disappointment to RJD leadership no decision was taken on RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s parole, who is languishing in jail on multi crore fodder scam. Lalu on medical ground in admitted at RIMS paying ward.
Sources said that as patients suffering from coronavirus treatment is going on at RIMS, it was speculated that State cabinet will take a decision on release of Lalu on parole ground.