MANISH GUPTA
Ranchi, July 15: The Jharkhand Cabinet on Friday announced the formation of a committee headed by the Development Commissioner to draft the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for going back to the old pension scheme from the new pension scheme.
“The Development Commissioner along with the Principal Secretaries of Finance and Personnel Departments will come out with an SOP for the transition to the old pension scheme and it will be sent to the Cabinet for approval,” said Vandana Dadel, Principal Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat and Monitoring Department.
Sharing the details of the 55 Cabinet decisions of various departments, Dadel said that 36 castes of Jharkhand that are listed as weaker section in the state but are not there in the Centre’s list will get the benefits of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
The proposal of the Department of Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs related to providing 1kg chana dal at Re 1 per family as part of food security has been granted.
“A proposal of the Department of Rural Development regarding giving additional income to the MGNREGA workers has been approved. The state will provide additional Rs 27 per man day. This will raise the minimum wage to Rs 237 per man day,” Dadel said.
Further, IIM Ranchi will be engaged to build the capacity of teachers and staff of 405 government schools including 18 model schools and 245 block level ‘Adarsh’ schools. Azim Premji University got the Cabinet nod to start their university in Jharkhand. The related bill will be tabled in the Monsoon Session of the assembly.
Another major decision taken was to provide relief to the weaker section in their consumption of electricity. “Houses that use less than 100 units of electricity per month will have it for free but those using higher will have to pay as per the slabs,” she said.
The Cabinet approved the reformation of the Finance Department wherein 505 posts will be eliminated and new 515 posts will be created. Further, outside advisory help will be taken and posts for six advisors for three years have been sanctioned.
Besides, the rules and regulations for the 75 per cent reservation in private sector jobs for local residents of Jharkhand have also been approved by the Cabinet.
Later, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, talking to reporters, said that his government keeps its promises and that he has ensured that all sections of the society get benefitted.
