Chief Minister Hemant Soren Tuesday launched a number of projects and schemes for the development of Jharkhand at the 23rd statehood day function here.
Soren said the government is committed to the welfare and overall development of the people and the work plans of the schemes and projects have been drafted in a way so that the poor and the deprived sections of the society can be uplifted.
Governor Ramesh Bais, who was the chief guest at the function, however, gave it the miss.
"The governor was with President Droupadi Murmu at Khunti in the morning. After returning from there, he was not feeling well. So he could not take part in the programme,” a Raj Bhawan official said.
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Murmu, who paid her maiden visit to the state on Tuesday after assuming office, went directly to Ulihatu, the birthplace of tribal icon Birsa Munda in Khunti district and paid her respects to the freedom fighter and leader on his birth anniversary, which is celebrated as 'Janjaitya Gaurav Divas'.
Murmu, who was a former governor of the state, left for Jabalpur after that.
“We are committed to the welfare and overall development of the state,” Soren said at the function, which was attended by JMM supremo Shibu Soren.
"Even after 22 years of the formation of Jharkhand state the problems of its people remain. Poverty and illiteracy were a curse for the people. So we have decided to take the benefits of various schemes to the doorsteps of the beneficiaries. This is for the first time in over 20 years, when government officials will be visiting the doorsteps of beneficiaries through Apki Yojana, Apki Sarkar and Apke Dwar campaign, he said.
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The chief minister said that the UPA government in the state has introduced several schemes to alleviate poverty and improve education in the state.
"Now students of the state will not have to struggle for higher studies and for the preparation for competitive examinations,” he said launching Guruji Student Credit Card Yojana, Eklavya Prasikshan Yojana, Mujkhya Mantri Siksha Protasahan Yojana and Mukha Mantri Sarathi Yojana for the students.
He also inaugurated the Jharkhand Electrical Vehicle Policy, 2022, Jharkhand Industrial Park and Logistic Policy, 2022 and Jharkhand Ethanol Production Promotion Policy, 2022 on the occasion.
Assets worth Rs 2,006 crore were distributed among 22,85,487 beneficiaries on the Jharkhand Foundation Day. Besides, a total 369 schemes worth Rs 7,310 crore were inaugurated and foundation stones were laid on the occasion.
He said that since the UPA government came to power in Jharkhand in 2019, it has been facing challenges one after another - first the COVID pandemic and now the drought situation in 226 blocks of the state.
The government, he said, has decided to provide immediate relief of Rs 3,500 in advance to the affected farmers. "Around 31 lakh farmers will be provided the benefit of crop relief scheme”.
A portal for crop relief scheme was also launched at the statehood day programme to provide farmers the benefit of direct benefit transfer.
A special campaign of Apki Sarkar and Apke Dwar were carried out for one month. “During it, we received 54 lakh applications from 45 lakh people and 35 lakh applications were resolved on site at the camp,” he said.
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Speaking at the programme, Congress’ Jharkhand in-charge Avinash Pandey said that since the UPA coalition government came to power in the state efforts are being made to destabilise it.
“A new obstacle is created every day for the government in a bid to stop its welfare and development works. I congratulate the chief minister and his ministers, who have been overcoming the obstacles and working for the benefit of the people of the state,” he said.
