Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said that the faith of the people in the Government and governance has been reinstated in the last one year. On the occasion of completion of one year as Chief Minister, Das said that the people of Jharkhand, who did not believe in the Government machinery, have now confidence in the Government. He also sought the support of the people and the Opposition party members to play a constructive role in building the State.
Addressing media persons on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the State has crossed several milestones of success in the past one year. "We have passed many stages of success in the past one year that were hard to even imagine earlier. But, I do not consider milestones as destinations. We have to work tirelessly to make the benefits of the Government schemes reach the last person in the State," he said.
Talking about the work culture of bureaucracy in the State, Das said that the Executive has proved very efficient and has worked well during his tenure. "People used to say that bureaucracy is dominant in Jharkhand. Bureaucrats do not work here but the officials have proved them wrong with their work. The direction (towards development) will lead us to new successes in the coming four years," he added.
Das, on the occasion, thanked the people of the State for their support reiterating the Government's resolve for a corruption-free, transparent and accountable Government in the State. "From Ease of Doing Business to maximum expenditure of Plan Outlay of the annual Budget and many more things we have done a lot of work drawing an indelible line in the history. One cannot negate the works done in the last one year just on the basis of unnecessary annoyance and despair," he said.
Das expressed happiness on the Budget expenditure ratio going to 50 per cent from 30 per cent and thanked the officials for the same. He said that the Action Taken Report of the Annual Budget 2015-16 would be presented in the legislative Assembly. And, to make a people-centric budget the Government was conducting a huge exercise of interaction with the representatives of all sections of society, he added.
However, the Chief Minister found this an appropriate occasion to seek the support of the Opposition parties as he appealed them to join the State- building exercise. "We also want to keep the Opposition parties in the fold because no Government can work properly without a creative Opposition. I appeal to Opposition party members to use their energies for creating a better Jharkhand and not for defaming it," he said.
The Chief Minister also went to meet JMM chief and veteran leader Shibu Soren in the evening and received his blessings.
Soren expressed happiness over the Government's 'Apna Gaon Apna Kaam' scheme and gave suggestions to Das about the next year's Budget. The Chief Minister also talked to Opposition leader Hemant Soren's mother Rupi Soren over telephone and received her blessings.
Earlier, talking about the most significant achievements of the Government in the last one year, Chief Secretary Rajiv Gauba said that an ambience of decisive action has been made that is resulting into all successes. Gauba advised the people to avoid excess of criticism of small issues as he counted the achievements of the Government, including the State's success in the Ease of Doing Business, all-round action on policy fronts, restructuring of the Government departments, speed of decision-making by the Government, considerable increase in the expenses of the planned outlay of Budget and empowerment of the rural and urban local bodies, among others.
In his welcome speech, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Sanjay Kumar said that in the last one year the Government earned the trust of the people. "The Government runs with hope and trust. Trust is very important and it comes with efficiency," he said, adding that 814 Cabinet decisions in 42 meetings over the last one year tell the tale of a Government's resolve to perform.