The Budget Session of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly began on Wednesday with Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar asserting that the state is advancing on the principle of “growth in harmony with nature” while highlighting progress in law enforcement, investment mobilisation and welfare delivery.
The session will continue till 19 March with 17 working days scheduled. The Annual Budget for 2026-27 is slated to be presented on 24 February, while the Third Supplementary Budget for 2025-26 will also be tabled during the session.
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In his address to the House, the Governor said the government has adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards crime and corruption to ensure a “crime-free and fear-free environment.”
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He stated that 1,413 cybercrime cases were reported in 2025, leading to 1,268 arrests. Authorities blocked transactions worth ₹111 crore and returned nearly ₹12 crore to victims. Fifty-four public servants were arrested in corruption cases.
On the economic front, the Governor said Jharkhand secured investment proposals worth approximately ₹1.27 lakh crore following global outreach, including participation in the World Economic Forum at Davos and meetings in the United Kingdom. The MSME (Special Concession) Act, 2025 has been implemented to simplify compliance and encourage enterprise growth.
In agriculture, ₹2,307 crore in farm loans has been waived and around 14 lakh farmers were covered under a crop insurance scheme at a token premium of ₹1. Irrigation facilities have reportedly expanded across 4.5 lakh hectares. The state recorded fish production of 3.63 lakh metric tonnes last year.
Under social welfare initiatives, more than 51 lakh beneficiaries were covered under the Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana. The Governor said over one lakh child marriages were prevented under a state campaign. In education, 480 government schools have been approved for science laboratories, while STEM labs are being set up in 24 districts. Pre-matric scholarships worth ₹337 crore were transferred to 17.5 lakh students through direct benefit transfer.
In healthcare, ₹1,074 crore has been approved for a new medical college and RIMS-2 in Ranchi, and 145 urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are operational.
Infrastructure expansion includes 116 road projects worth ₹3,112 crore, construction of 1,644 km of rural roads and strengthening of 5,400 km of existing roads. More than 7,000 villages are reportedly fully covered under functional household tap water connections.
Earlier, Assembly Speaker Rabindranath Mahato described the Budget Session as a guiding document for the state’s development trajectory and urged members to ensure constructive, fact-based debate.
The Governor concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to inclusive development and social harmony, while appealing for cooperative support from the Centre.
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