Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to clear Rs 1.36 lakh crore coal dues to the state.
PM Modi and Shah are scheduled to visit poll-bound Jharkhand. The Prime Minister will address two rallies on November 4 while Shah will address three public meetings on November 3.
In a post on X, Soren said, “The PM and the home minister are coming to Jharkhand. I once again request them with folded hands to clear the outstanding (coal dues) of Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhandis. This amount is crucial for Jharkhand.” Soren also appealed to BJP MPs to facilitate clearance of the amount.
Soren stressed that the outstanding payments owed by central public sector undertakings, particularly Coal India, are legitimate entitlements of Jharkhand and argued that “the delay in payment is causing irreparable harm to the state’s development.”
“I would also appeal to my BJP colleagues, especially the MPs, to help Jharkhandis in getting our dues,” Soren posted on X, sharing a copy of a letter to the Prime Minister.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, he stated, “I, Hemant Soren, the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, would like to bring to your attention a grave issue that is obstructing the development of our state. Our dues from coal companies amount to Rs 1.36 lakh crore.”
He added that, despite legal provisions and judicial verdicts, coal companies have failed to make any payments. “These issues have been raised at various forums, including your esteemed office, the Finance Ministry, and NITI Aayog, yet the compensation of Rs 1.36 lakh crore remains unpaid,” Soren mentioned.
A recent decision by a nine-judge Supreme Court bench reaffirmed the state’s right to collect its mining and royalty dues. Soren pointed out that the non-payment of these dues is hindering vital socio-economic projects in Jharkhand, which is already an under-developed state.
“Numerous socio-economic development projects are being stalled due to the non-payment of our legitimate claims,” he noted.
Last month, he proposed a direct debit arrangement from Coal India’s account to the state, similar to what was established for the Jharkhand State Electricity Board’s dues to the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).
“This continued delay in addressing our rightful demands has compelled me to reach out to you, as this negligence inflicts irreparable damage on Jharkhand and its people. Many social sector initiatives in education, health, women’s and child development, clean drinking water, and last-mile connectivity cannot be implemented due to insufficient funding,” Soren asserted.
He previously accused the central government of being indifferent to the challenges faced by the state, drawing attention to the unequal treatment regarding outstanding dues. The Jharkhand Assembly elections are set to take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, with vote counting scheduled for November 23.