Frequent Centre-state showdowns mark 2021 in Jharkhand

Frequent showdowns between the JMM-led government and the Centre over a variety of issues including the anti-mob lynching bill and ''insufficient'' supply of COVID vaccines marked 2021 in Jharkhand.

The mineral-rich but cash-starved state basked in glory as its two sportswomen put up a creditable performance as part of the Indian Women's hockey team at the Tokyo Olympics.

The eastern state made a delayed start of COVID inoculation drive and set a target to vaccinate all eligible beneficiaries above the age of 18 years by January 15, 2022, while it went all out to facilitate the return of migrant workers stranded outside the country and in other states during the second wave of the pandemic. A total of 3.52 lakh people were infected with the virus and 5,144 died during the two waves of the contagion.

The JMM-led coalition government launched the 'Safe and Responsible Migration Initiative' in December to protect the interests of such labourers.

The labour department claimed around 10 lakh migrant workers returned to the state during the COVID crisis.

Jharkhand was among the states that earned recognition for supplying medical oxygen to other states during the second second Covid wave.

The state also made news headlines when Uttam Anand, a judge in Dhanbad district court, was killed in a hit-and-run case, which is being probed by the CBI.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who came under attack over the anti-mob lynching legislation, said he was forced to bring it because of the BJP government at the Centre, which he likened to demon king ''Ravan'' out to ''ruin the social fabric'' of the country.

BJP's state unit chief Deepak Prakash hit out at Soren, claiming the bill was brought to appease the minorities. Prakash asserted the Narendra Modi government was working for creating ''Ram Rajya'' in the country.

The Soren government and the BJP were engaged in a face-off after the main opposition party demanded a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the conduct of the state civil services examinations. Soren hit back at the BJP for its ''Manuwadi'' mindset which refused to accept the success of job aspirants belonging to the scheduled castes, tribes and the backward classes.

The chief minister also accused the Centre of meting out ''step-motherly treatment'' to the state ruled by an opposition coalition. Soren said his government will press its demand for clearing its outstanding dues of Rs 65,000 crore from the Centre or 'Maharatna' Public Sector Undertaking Coal India Ltd. for land allotted for mining. ''There should not be any discrimination in the federal system...Unfortunately, we are being targeted for not being a double-engine government and face step-motherly treatment from the Centre. Whenever we raise the issue of Rs 65,000 crore dues, a central minister visits the state and assures us we will get the money,'' Soren said. Central PSUs such as NTPC, DVC, Coal India and Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd operate in Jharkhand and the central government should come forward for helping the state endowed with 40 per cent of the country's mineral resources, he said.

Soren insisted that the Centre should consult with states not ruled by the BJP on key issues to ''uphold the spirit of cooperative federalism''.

The chief minister said the government will focus more on revenue generation from multiple sectors such as health, education, sports, forest produce and industries rather than concentrate just on mines and minerals. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led coalition government launched its industrial policy during the year and is seeking big-ticket investments.

The state assembly passed the Jharkhand State Employment of Local Candidates in Private Sector Bill, 2021 that provides for 75 per cent reservation to locals in jobs with salaries up to Rs 40,000 a month in the private sector.

Once the bill is enacted, Jharkhand will become the third state in the country after Andhra Pradesh and Haryana having a law providing for reservation in private sector jobs for local residents.

The authorities also made knowledge of regional and tribal languages mandatory for government jobs through Jharkhand State Staff Selection Commission.

The government rolled ''Aapke Adhikar, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwar'' (Your rights, your government at your doorstep) scheme, a programme aimed at resolving issues related to welfare initiatives.

The authorities claimed that around 25 lakh of the 35 lakh grievances have been addressed since the launch of the initiative in November. Jharkhand, for the first time, sent three girls - archer Deepika Kumari, and Nikki Pradhan and Salima Tete to the Tokyo Olympics.

Pradhan and Tete were part of the Indian Women's hockey team that narrowly missed out on a bronze medal. Kumari crashed out of the individual and team events after a poor show.

The Jharkhand police, in a major success, arrested top CPI (Maoist) leader Prashant Bose alias Kishan Da, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head. He had masterminded more than 100 violent incidents in several states.