Governor Syed Ahmed on Thursday outlined the initial roadmap of the newly-formed Raghubar Das Government for development of Jharkhand, which looked totally in sync with the Centre.
In his first address to the newly-constituted Fourth Assembly, the Governor stressed on requirement of land for industrial purposes and also laid out the resolve to lessen the attrition of farmers. Besides, he also listed the new Government’s priorities while underlining programmes for village level sanitation, industrial policy and mass migration existent in the State. “To set up industries and infrastructure projects lands of villagers are to be acquired which creates problem of displacement. We have to understand the pain of the displaced. The rehabilitation and resettlement policy would have to be reviewed and need to be made more beneficial for the displaced. It would be the main priority of my Government to make the land acquisition for setting up industries more rewarding in the benefit of the villagers.
This would on one hand encourage the establishment of industries and infrastructure in the State while interest of the displaced would also be safeguarded on the other,” said the Governor on the third day of the inaugural session of the fourth Assembly on Thursday. Notably the Centre has moved an Ordinance to tweak some of the provisions made in the land Acquisition Act passed by the previous government. It is aimed to make the land acquisition process smoother, especially for infrastructure projects and those coming on PPP modes. Jharkhand has been at the receiving end as several projects for industries, power plants and railways are hanging in the fire in the want of land.
The address also mentioned about reforming the Industrial Policy in place so that more number of industries can come and in the process generate greater employment for youth. The policy would be aiming to provide impetus to the industrialisation process through promotion. Speaking about sanitation, another issue close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s heart, the Governor said, “My Government is committed to make available potable drinking water to all citizens by rejuvenating older sources and building new drinking water projects in urban and rural areas of the State. low-cost toilets in the light of Honorable Prime Minister’s directions would be built for the people residing in villages to take the State towards complete sanitation,” he said.
Commitment to develop Ranchi, Dhanbad, Jamshedpur, Bokaro, Deoghar and Dumka as smart cities and eradication of urban slums was also underlined in the document. This apart, the address also vowed for a crime-free and fearless society where rights and liberty of downtrodden are protected and also to the commitment for a corruption-free system. “My Government would adopt zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. Vigilance system would be strengthened to check corruption,” said the Governor. The government also stressed on filling up vacancies to provide fillip to developmental programmes, integrated farming scheme according to the irrigational needs, programmes for dairy, fishery, poultry etc. Rural and agricultural infrastructure would be developed through cooperatives to make poor self-dependent. “The government is committed to provide job opportunities at villages so that migration of labourers can end. Action would be initiated against middlemen active in MGNREGA,” he added.
The Governor, at the same time, emphasised on energy generation as Jharkhand is blessed with the resources required. Issues such as technical education, healthcare, woman and child development, science and technology, doorstep delivery of services, digital connectivity to panchayats, mechanism to rollout DBT, stop illegal human trade have also been mentioned. Members of the treasury benches thumped the desk to welcome the address while JVM’s Pradeep Yadav interrupted the Governor’s address. later, speaking outside he criticised the document terming it directionless and filled with the “same old songs.” Discussion on the Thanks Giving Motion would take place on Friday.