MANISH GUPTA
Ranchi, Sept 1: Amid political crisis, the Hemant Soren Cabinet on Thursday decided to call a special session of the state assembly on September 5. Though no reason was given for this special session, it is widely believed that Chief Minister Hemant Soren will seek a vote of trust on the pattern of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“One-day special session has been called on September 5 at 11am,” Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel told reporters briefing about the decisions taken at the meeting. Soren is facing a possible disqualification from the assembly in an office-of-profit case. Most of the UPA MLAs have been shifted to Raipur to prevent any poaching by the BJP.
In another important decision apparently related to the current political turmoil, a proposal of Rs 2.06 crore has been sanctioned for the service of chartered planes by the VIPs and VVIPs of Jharkhand for one month starting from August 31 to visit places outside the State.
The Cabinet increased the financial support to patients from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh provided under the Chief Minister Critical Illness Scheme, which covers people of all income groups. It also expanded the number of diseases covered under the scheme from four to 17.
Earlier, the scheme covered only cancer, kidney replacement, serious liver disease and acid attack. Now the list includes thalassaemia, brain hemorrhage, cochlear implants, bone marrow transplant, plastic surgery in case of post trauma deformity and retinal detachment, among others.
Dadel further informed that the Cabinet has granted its approval to the SOP framed after the July 15 decision to end the New Pension Scheme and re-start the Old Pension Scheme. The scheme will be effective from September 1, 2022.
“The Cabinet approved the Rice Fortification Scheme under the public distribution system under the Jharkhand Food Security Act, 2013 for all the 24 districts of the state,” Dadel said.
The Cabinet also approved eight mini hydel projects under Chandil Laghu Jal Vidyut Pariyojana and Tenu Bokaro Laghu Jal Vidyut Pariyojana to be carried out by the Jharkhand Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (JREDA) on a public private partnership (PPP) model.
Some other key decisions:
- Widening and strengthening of 28.7 km of road between Latehar and Herhanj
- Restructuring of Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited and Jharkhand Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd
- Creation of 145 new posts for 5 degree colleges under Nilamber-Pitamber University at a cost of about Rs 11 crore
- Rs 4,120.2 crore worth agreement for improving the existing power supply, decreasing the transmission and distribution loss and revenue loss
- Rs 50 crore for end-to-end computerisation of public distribution system (PDS).
