Jharkhand Ready To Offer Best To Build Prosperous India: Governor

Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Monday said the state was ready to offer its best to build a prosperous India. In his maiden address to the state assembly on the first day of the budget session, he said the Jharkhand government was committed to the poor, deprived, exploited, tribals, and minorities, and the priority was to ensure that all sections of society get their due. The state's economy remained robust even during the pandemic, he said, adding that in 2020-21 when the economic growth rate of the country was minus 6.6 percent, Jharkhand's growth rate stood at minus 5.5 percent.

In 2021-22, the state recorded a growth rate of 8.2 percent, Radhakrishnan said."During the epidemic, the per capita income in Jharkhand was Rs 71,071 in 2020-21, which increased to Rs 78,660 in 2021-22. These figures indicate that Jharkhand has the potential to scale new heights of success even in adverse circumstances," he said. The government was working relentlessly to bolster development in the state, he said. Jharkhand is determined and ready to continue its best in building a glorious and prosperous India with its rich resources, he said.

Radhakrishnan emphasized that the government is giving thrust on industrial development, and is making efforts to garner investment to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore, which is expected to generate 1 lakh jobs. Work is also on to create a robust infrastructure in the state, including roads, he said. Describing agriculture as an important pillar of Jharkhand's economy, he said the state's loan waiver scheme has benefitted 4.5 lakh farmers who were brought out of the vicious debt trap with the waiver of loans worth Rs 1,727 crore. To provide relief to the drought-hit farmers, the state has given Rs 461 crore to 13 lakh farmers, while a relief proposal of Rs 9,681 crore has been sent to the Centre, which sent a team for assessing the impact in 226 drought-hit blocks of 22 districts, the governor said.

"Fifteen dilapidated canals under the old irrigation schemes with a total length of 140 km are being renovated, strengthened, and paved. A total of Rs 260 crore has been spent for this," he said, maintaining that it will benefit 50,317 hectares of land. Free foodgrains are being provided to more than 60 lakh families under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), and 4 lakh eligible families not covered under it are getting the benefit of the Jharkhand State Food Security Scheme, Radhakrishnan said.

Pension cover was provided to 21.08 lakh beneficiaries under the state's SarvaJan Pension Yojna, he said. To reduce the school dropout rate among girls in higher classes, more than 6.51 lakh female students were provided benefits in 2022-23 under the Savitribai Phule Kishori Samridhi Yojna, the governor said. A total of 5,618 applications have been approved under the Mukhyamantri Rojgar Srijan Yojna in 2021-22 and 2022-23, he said. Following the speech, Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and other members of the House paid homage to the people who died recently.