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Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh questioned the uncleared dues as claimed by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren towards the state by the central government and asked if the state was being administered step-motherly treatment for voting for the Congress-JMM alliance.
In a post on X on Sunday, Ramesh alleged that the PM Modi-led central government owes Jharkhand "lakhs of crores of rupees" in coal royalties and scheme benefits and asked why PM Modi failed to release these funds. "The Central government owes Jharkhand lakhs of crores of rupees in coal royalties and central scheme benefits. In Jharkhand, coal mines are operated by subsidiaries of Coal India Limited who owe huge sums of money to the state government. There is an outstanding of Rs 1,01,142 crore for "non-payment of land compensation", Rs 32,000 crore under "common cause dues" head, and Rs 2,500 crore under "washed coal royalty" head," Jairam Ramesh mentioned in his post. "Why has the non-biological PM failed to release these funds? Is step-motherly treatment being administered to Jharkhand for voting for the JMM-INC alliance? Why is the state BJP leadership unable to secure any funds for the State?" he asked. He added that the BJP must explain the delay in releasing Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhand before seeking votes from its people. "Before seeking a single vote from the people of Jharkhand, the BJP must provide an account for this delay in the release of 1.36 lakh crores to the state," Jairam Ramesh said. Earlier on Saturday, Jharkhand Chief Minister urged PM Modi and the Union Home Minister to clear Rs 1.36 lakh-crore coal dues to the state. "Today the Home Minister, tomorrow the Prime Minister is coming to Jharkhand. I once again request him with folded hands to return the outstanding amount of Rs 1.36 lakh-crore of us Jharkhandis. This amount is very necessary for the development of Jharkhand and Jharkhandis," CM Soren said on X as he shared a letter addressed to PM Modi. In response to the request, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that CM Hemant Soren is answerable for the Rs 1.36 lakh-crore coal dues not Bharatiya Janata Party. Addressing the BJP's manifesto release event in Ranchi, Shah alleged that during the UPA government only Rs 84,000 crore were given, whereas PM Modi has given Rs 38,000 crore. "Hemant Soren is asking Modi ji for an account of 1 lakh 36 thousand crores. Hemant Babu, I have brought the account. During the UPA government between 2004-14, only 84 thousand crore rupees were given to Jharkhand, whereas Modi ji has given 3 lakh 8 thousand crore rupees between 2014-24. Jawab aapko daina hai soren ji, BJP ko nhi daina hai (You have to answer, Mr Soren, not BJP)," Shah said. Elections for 81 seats in the Jharkhand Assembly will be conducted in two phases on November 13 and November 20, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 23. In the 2020 Assembly election in Jharkhand, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) won 30 seats, BJP won 25 seats and Congress won 16. In 2014, BJP won 37 seats, JMM won 19 seats and Congress only won 6 seats. (ANI)
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