The Jharkhand government on Friday defended its welfare initiatives and criticised the Centre over changes in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), as the Chief Minister Hemant Soren replied to the debate on the Governor’s Address in the Assembly .
The Chief Minister said over one crore people are registered under MGNREGA in the state, with more than 40 lakh active workers, and alleged that structural changes and pending dues from the Centre have affected rural livelihoods. He said the state has supplemented wages from its own resources.
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Highlighting social security measures, he claimed Jharkhand has universalised pension coverage and is supporting more than 25 lakh beneficiaries under state-funded schemes. He also said over 50 lakh women are receiving Rs 2,500 per month under a financial assistance programme, with nearly Rs 20,000 crore transferred so far.
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The government has fully restored the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for employees, he said, and completed three Jharkhand Public Service Commission recruitment cycles during its tenure. He also cited the expansion of Chief Minister Schools of Excellence and student success in national examinations.
Referring to participation in the World Economic Forum meeting at Davos, the Chief Minister said Jharkhand showcased its mineral resources to attract global investment.
Marking 25 years of statehood, he said the government aims to transition Jharkhand from a labour-based to a knowledge-based economy over the next 25 years.
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