As cases of witchcraft keep coming from different parts of the State on regular basis the Government has decided to take the bull by the horn. Five fast track courts in different parts of the State would come up to deal with the menace that often hounds weaker and vulnerable section women particularly in rural areas.
The Cabinet in its meeting on Tuesday gave its nod in this regard that would see the courts coming at five districts. “The Cabinet has okyed to set up five fast track courts at Ranchi, Chaibasa, Khunti, Palamau and Simdega to hear cases of witchcraft in speedy manner. In this way, the cases would be disposed-off quickly,” informed Additional Chief Secretary NN Pandey.
The social menace is widespread in several parts of the State and as a glaring case in August last year five women got lynched in a village of Mandar, just 40 kilometres from Ranchi allegedly for practicing witchcraft.
Besides, the Cabinet also recognised drinking water shortage in the State caused by scanty rainfall over the years. “It has been witnessed that lower than normal rainfall have been recorded in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Just 83 per cent, 72 per cent and 75 per cent rainfall has been recorded and this year too the precipitation has been very dismal. The Cabinet has decided to include drinking water shortage as Special local Disaster under which now 10 per cent of the fund under SDRF would be given to Drinking Water and Sanitation Department for dealing with the problem,” added Pandey.
In another decision fees of Additional Public Prosecutor attending District Courts in the cases related to SC/ST atrocities Act has been hiked from Rs 150 per day to Rs 500 per appearance. Also, amendment in Jharkhand Consumer Protection guideline has been made thought which chairpersons at district and State levels would be paid their last salary drawn minus pension and allowances.
This apart, Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam limited along with State Government and REC would sign a tripartite agreement for Rs 1260.92 crore Deendayal Upadhyay Rural Electrification scheme, earlier Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme. 90 per of the expenditure would be met by the Center as grants whereas 10 per cent would come as REC loan from there. Rs 5 crore has also been sanctioned to the power transmission company of the State for doing surveys and preparing DPRs for new transmission lines so that existing resource gaps can be filled.
Different Departments can now take services of the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange limited (NCDEX) e-platform for their purchases and commodity exchanges in future. The services would be provided free of cost to the State Government for e-auction purposes.
The Cabinet also decided to build a corpus fund of Rs 10 crore for the purpose of organising cultural events. “The money would remain deposited in the Pl account and can be released by Director of Tourism, Art and Culture and Sports Department and Secretary of Jharkhand Kala Mandir jointly,” said NN Pandey.
3.29 acre GM land has been given to the railways for dedicated freight corridor at Giridih at the cost of
Rs1.66 crore. Some level crossings would be replaced with ROBs and the Cabinet has released its share to the railways for the purpose.