Jharkhand is likely to hold a low-key Statehood Day ceremony at the Project Building at Dhurwa here owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, highly placed sources in the government said on Saturday.

Every year, the Jharkhand government holds grand celebrations at Morhabadi Ground on Statehood Day on November 15. This year, however, the state is unlikely to organise a cultural event or a musical night in the wake of the challenges posed by the pandemic.

“The Statehood Day ceremony will be held on the second floor of Project Building in Dhurwa instead of Morhabadi Ground,” said an official involved in the preparations.

Jharkhand celebrates November 15 as Statehood Day since the year 2000, when it got bifurcated from erstwhile Bihar. November 15 is also the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Birsa Munda, and following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suggestion, the state is likely to hold major vaccination drives on the day in tribal-dominated areas.

During the Foundation Day ceremony, the state will announce several welfare schemes, lay the foundation for new schemes and inaugurate schemes that are ready to be rolled out. According to sources, Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh has directed officials to make necessary preparations for the big day.

A source from the Chief Minister’s Office said that the government will run "Aapke Adhikari, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwaar (Your Authorities, Your Government at your doorstep)" programme, a campaign to spread awareness among the people about various welfare schemes and accept forms for ration cards in the run-up to the second anniversary of the Hemant Soren-led government. This programme will be launched on November 16 and continue till December 29.

Senior government officials have directed all districts to set up special camps at blocks to ensure the success of the Aapke Adhikari programme during this period.

Reviewing the arrangements for Foundation Day recently, chief minister Hemant Soren said, “The Jharkhand Foundation Day celebration holds an important place in itself. However, benefitting the people of the state from various schemes is more important than that.”

On the completion of two years of the ruling government, a mega event is likely to be held at Morhabadi Ground. The government plans to distribute appointment letters during this event and share achievements of the last two years, most of which was affected by Covid-19.