Jharkhand will establish commission for displaced individuals

The state minister for revenue, registration, and land reforms, Deepak Birua, announced on Tuesday that Jharkhand will create a commission to address issues faced by people displaced by mining, industrial, and infrastructure projects. He made this statement during a session in the state assembly. Birua responded to concerns raised by several MLAs about the compensation given to displaced residents. MLA Roushan Lal Choudhary highlighted that the Patratu Thermal Power Corporation took 6,500 acres of land from 25 villages in 1965 and that the compensation provided was insufficient. He mentioned that affected people have been protesting for several months seeking justice. Birua confirmed that the Chief Minister, Hemant Soren, is committed to ensuring justice for these displaced individuals. He stated that the process to establish the commission is already in motion and that it would be formed soon. Various social and political groups, including the CPI and the Jharkhand Andolankari Sangharsh Morcha, have also been advocating for the commission. They have planned a march to the assembly and a demonstration on March 24 to further push their demands. Additionally, during discussions about the budget for welfare departments, some MLAs expressed concerns about changes in reservation for Scheduled Tribes due to the shrinking tribal population. They stressed that the number of tribal reserved seats should not be reduced. The state government also presented the annual report of the Damodar Valley Corporation for 2023-24 during this session.