The first-of-its-kind meeting involving MPs and the Governor delivered many positives. The four-hour meeting saw nine members of the lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha participating, along with an array of senior officials.
The meeting decided to include beneficiaries of Annapurna scheme for old-age pension too, which has not been in practice at many places. Another major decision was to release MlA funds, which have been stopped as the Assembly is in suspended animation.
“The fund is to be released because it is associated with development. MPs will be getting information related to schemes like MGNREGA and RGGVY now onwards,” said Congress MP Subodh Kant Sahay after the meeting. He added that a similar review meeting would take place in three months.
One of the most important outcomes of the meeting was approval on revision of the BPl list. The fresh list will be based on a survey during the ongoing caste census and new names may figure in the next three to four months.
The meeting also discussed ways to facilitate adequate land release for Maulana Azad Urdu University and headquarters for ESIC Hospital, RBI, DVC and lIC.
BJP leader Yashwant Sinha termed it a constructive exercise. “All members gave constructive suggestions. Education, health, MGNREGA, electricity, irrigation and administrative problems that we face everyday came for discussion. We don’t even get acknowledgment against our letters sent here. Political instability may be a reasons but conduct of officers is the main stumbling block in way of development of Jharkhand,” Sinha added.
He cited the example of SAIl’s Rs 35,000-crore Sindri project, stuck for want of a no-objection certificate for land from the State Government.
Sinha was also critical of some parties boycotting the meeting, terming it a political gimmick. “The meeting will be proved a milestone in the development of Jharkhand. Those who did not come have politicised the meeting,” he opined.
When asked about continuation of President’s Rule, Sinha said he had written to Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde for instructing the Election Commission on election in Jharkhand. Tenure of Central rule ends on June 19. The BJP leader also defended the consultation, saying they too were elected representatives of the people.
Echoing Sinha’s observation, Sahay termed it a new beginning aimed to improve the situation and an effort to bring the administration back on track. Ravindra Pandey, Devi Dhan Besra, Nishikant Dubey, PN Singh, JPN Singh, Pradeep Balmuchu and Dheeraj Sahu attended the meeting that the JMM and JVM boycotted.