Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Tuesday launched Rs 15000 crore 'Abua Awas Yojna' on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day to build homes for the needy in the next two years.

Hoisting the national flag at the Morabadi Ground here, Soren said the government is constantly striving to build a strong state and making attempts to fulfil the promises made by it .

He hit out at the Centre saying that the state did not get necessary assistance for drought. "Although we did not get the expected help from the Central government, yet the state government tried to provide all possible help to the farmers through Chief Minister Drought Relief Scheme and Jharkhand Agriculture Loan Waiver Scheme. The government is keeping a close vigil on the situation," Soren said, "I had promised three-room houses for all in the state. Fulfilling my promise, I announce a new scheme 'Abua Awas Yojna'. In the coming two years the government will ensure homes to the needy at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore from its own funds.

"A strong Jharkhand will be built. With public support and public participation, our government is trying to give shape to a system where the poor, deprived, labourers, farmers, tribals, backwards and Dalits can get their rights .... Keeping the identity of Jharkhand intact, the government is trying to touch the heights of development. Efforts are being made to move forward by taking everyone along in the journey of development," he said.

Elaborating on the various steps taken by the government, he said appointments to about 38,000 posts in various categories were on the anvil while ensuring that the local citizens get its benefits. "In order to speed up the process of recruitment in the state, the requisition has been sent to the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission for the recruitment. Advertisement has been published for the recruitment of 36,000 posts and the process of appointment will be completed soon".

The government is trying to ensure that the people of Jharkhand get their due and the Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Prevention and Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Bill, 2023 has been passed in the Assembly to ensure a clean and transparent selection process in competitive examinations and secure the future of the youth.

"We had promised employment incentive allowance and skill training to the unemployed youths of the state. Today, I am very happy to inform from this platform that the Mukhya Mantri Sarathi Yojana has been started to provide skill training to the youth of the state make them skilled<' Soren said.

Under the first phase of the scheme 'Birsa Kendras' have been started at 80 block headquarters where lakhs of youths of the state are being given skill training, employment incentive allowance and transport allowance, he said.

The Mukhyamantri Rozgar Srijan Yojana is being implemented to provide loans at cheap and subsidised rates to tribal, dalit, backward, minority and differently-abled youth of the state for self-employment, for starting their business. In 2022-23 a total loan amount of Rs 105 crore was released under the scheme and will be further expanded in the current financial year.

Speaking of other schemes adopted by the Jharkhand government, the chief minister said the universal pension scheme has been started in the state and Rs 1400 crore was given a 35 lakh beneficiaries as pension till July 2023.

In the education front, he said in 2022-23 pre-matric scholarship was distributed among 33 lakh students and Rs 724 crore was distributed. Post matric scholarship of Rs 315 crore to 2.5 lakh students.

The government, he said, is also building modern multi-storey hostels for students which will be equipped with modern libraries.

"Jharkhand Competitive Examination Bill 2023 has been passed from the Assembly to secure the future of the youth and to ensure a transparent selection process in competitive examinations. The government is trying to ensure that the people of Jharkhand get their proper rights in appointments," he said.

Referring to farmers, he said the state government is running a total of 88 schemes for their benefit, including the Birsa Sinchai Koop Yojna under which one lakh wells will be dug by November 15, 2024. Besides, work is underway on Son Kanhar Pipeline Yojana and Massalia Raneshwar Mega Lift Yojana to address water and irrigation issues in Garhwa and Dumka districts, he said.

The Jharkhand government is committed to provide clean drinking water to 61 lakh rural families under Jal Jeevan Mission by 2024, Soren said.

On industries, he said the government has approved a proposal to set up the first hydrogen engine plant in Jamshedpur. In the next five years Jharkhand has plans to generate 4000 MW of solar power.

Soren said efforts are on to showcase the culture and tradition of Jharkhand in the global arena and the recent 'Jharkhand Adivasi Mahotsav' was a milestone in this direction. About highways in the state, he said "Under the Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojna, the target is to construct about 2000 km of roads at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore ....The target is to construct 70 bridges under the Chief Minister's Gram Setu Yojna," he said.

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