Chief minister Hemant Soren said on Tuesday that the state government was working on a plan to make school education free for Jharkhand’s girl child.

Hemant, addressing more than 20,000 people at Golf Ground to mark the JMM’s 48th foundation day, said educating the betis of the state was their government’s priority.

Party president Shibu Soren, HRD minister Jagannath Mahto and minority affairs minister Haji Hussain Ansari were also present.

He added that the state would not allow mining companies operating from Jharkhand to deprive land-losers from their due rights of compensation and job, and make changes in rules to compel the mining companies to provide jobs to all land-losers irrespective of the amount of of land taken from them.

“The state will fight a battle with the central government if need be to share the major portion of the benefits accrued from mining for the developement of Jharkhand' said Hemant who began his speech around 8pm. He added they would bring changes in land acquisition policy to benefit the people.

“The implementation of GST has deprived the state of its revenue as major share is being taken by the central goverment,” charged Hemant.

He charged the previous government of BJP led by Raghubar Das of plundering the state’s resources.

“Such is the situation of the state exchequer after five years of the Raghubar Das government that we are finding it difficult to pay even the salaries of state government employees. But this government will turn the challenges into opportunities,” the chief minister promised.