Jharkhand to study central funding impact on poor programs

The Jharkhand government will examine the reduction in central funding since 2014 and its effects on programs for the poor. This decision follows concerns raised by two MLAs about how decreased financial support may have impacted assistance for the needy. The minister responsible for parliamentary affairs, Sudivya Kumar, acknowledged that there has been less funding for various centrally sponsored schemes. He noted that, despite the decrease, it has not affected the state's welfare programs. MLA Pradeep Yadav accused the central government of treating different states unfairly. He highlighted that neighboring Bihar received about Rs 1.65 lakh crore in grants and tax shares, while Jharkhand received only Rs 46,000 crore in the same fiscal year. Yadav pointed out that when funds for the PM Awas Yojana were cut, the Jharkhand chief minister introduced a local housing scheme to help. He stressed the need for a detailed evaluation of the state’s funding to identify any areas where it may be lacking. According to the government’s report, Jharkhand received Rs 8,828 crore and Rs 8,980 crore in 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively. However, funding dropped to Rs 5,736 crore in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.