The Jharkhand Government on Wednesday decided to make an exit from ‘Tripartite Agreements’ between Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Central Government (through Union Power Ministry) and State Governments/UTs. The decision to make an exit from Tripartite Agreements’ was taken at the Cabinet meeting here on Wednesday.
As per the Tripartite Agreement, to which these three bodies are signatories, the Central Bank (RBI) has the power to deduct amounts equal to Discoms’ overdues to the power generation company from the accounts of the State Government/UT to pay it directly to the power producer.
The agreement makes it incumbent on the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to deduct the default amount from the respective State government’s accounts with the central bank.
Energy Department Principal Secretary Avinash Kumar said, “The Jharkhand Government has decided to make an exit from Tripartite Agreements in the larger interest of State, people of State and going by the financial position of State.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Hemant Soren reacting to today's Cabinet decision said, “The Jharkhand Government decided to withdraw from the Tripartite Agreement as the agreement was one sided and lopsided. The fund which was meant for development and uplift of tribals and marginalized sections of societies was deducted from the Centre.”
It may be recalled that last year, a sum of Rs 1417.50 Crore, was auto debited from Jharkhand’s account with the Reserve Bank of India without consulting the State. The amount was adjusted against dues the state owed to Damodar Valley Corporation.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren had objected to the power company move expressing “deep anguish and disappointment at the blatant and continuous attempt by the Centre to impose fiscal penalties on Jharkhand”.
Power distribution company, the Jharkhand Bijli Vitaran Nigam Ltd (JBVNL) owes Rs 5000 crore to DVC (a unit of Centre government), and the DVC on earlier occasion had written a letter to JBVNL to clear the dues. The DVC from last month (December) had already made power cuts in the seven districts — Dhanbad, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Koderma, Bokaro, Giridih and Chatra — by as much as 30 per cent after JBVNL faulted on payment of monthly power bills. The DVC with non-payment of power dues had written a letter to JBVNL to make 50 per cent power cuts if the dues are not cleared.
In another Cabinet decision, the Jharkhand Cabinet today gave nod to the rules and regulation of Jharkhand Combined Civil Services examination. The new rules and regulations will replace the existing Civil Service rules and regulations framed in 1951. A three member committee headed by Development Commissioner, Finance Secretary and Secretary Department of Personnel and Training made the rules and regulations.
Cabinet Secretary in-charge, Ajoy Kumar Singh said, “The Cabinet decided to make new rules and regulations for Jharkhand Combined Civil Service Examination as due to existing rules and regulations there were a lot of controversies in examination and results with several cases pending at High Court.”
As per new rules, fifteen times more candidates than total seats of JPSC will be called for Mains examination based on Preliminary Test (PT).
The Cabinet also decided to lower the eight per cent marks from total cut off marks for SC, ST and OBC candidates in JPSC examination. The Cabinet also decided that Hindi and English test marks will be only qualifying marks and it will not be added in the merit list.