The Jharkhand government expects the Union Budget, to be unveiled on Monday, to provide for increasing Central assistance to the state, improving inter-district rail connectivity, an IIT in Ranchi and special road projects under the Bharatmala project.
State finance minister Rameshwar Oraon, who is understood to have sent the state’s wish list to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman earlier this month, said he expected the Centre to focus on timely and increased assistance.
“Considering the revenue shortfalls in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with inadequate and untimely compensation to the states under goods and service tax (GST), the Centre must act accordingly,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
Giving an example, the minister said that under various social security schemes, the state government gives Rs 1,000 to every beneficiary. “Out of this, the Centre’s share is only Rs 300. They (Centre) should increase its share so that the load on poor states like our is lessened,” he said.
“After the introduction of GST, states have limited scope for generating revenues. Hence, the onus of more assistance lies with the Centre now. This apart, I have also demanded that the time of transfer of Central funds to the state should be changed to the first of every month against the existing practice of transferring funds on the 20th day of the month,” Oraon added.
To boost higher education, the minister said he has asked for an IIT in Ranchi even though ISM in Dhanbad was accorded the status of an IIT a few years back. “An IIT in Ranchi will give our students, mainly tribal youths, access to state of art technical education,” he said.
Oraon said districts like Khunti and Chatra were still without rail connectivity and that the Union government must provide Jharkhand its due share of rail links.
In terms of roads, he said he has cited the Bharatmala project and sought connectivity between Sahebganj in Santhal Pargana and Dharma in Odisha. “This will strengthen port and cargo activities between the two states,” he said.
