Jharkhand budget 2026-27 draws divided response, govt defends inclusivity
Chief Minister Hemant Soren defended the budget as transparent and inclusive, saying it was prepared with a focus on comprehensive development.
The Jharkhand BJP on Saturday mounted a sharp attack on the Hemant Soren government as it completed one year of its second term, releasing a chargesheet that accuses the ruling coalition of breaking promises, failing on welfare commitments and allowing a chain of scams to surface.
The chargesheet was released at the state BJP headquarters by party president and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi, Working President and MP Aditya Sahu, State General Secretary (Organisation) Karmaveer Singh, chief whip Navin Jaiswal and state media in-charge Shivpujan Pathak. Former ministers Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Amar Kumar Bauri and former MP Geeta Koda, all members of the committee, were also present.
Advertisement
Marandi termed the last six years “an era of decline,” alleging that none of the seven guarantees announced by the INDIA bloc during the Assembly elections moved forward “even by a step.” He said the state “slipped backwards on every indicator” and accused the government of misleading every major section, including youths, women, farmers, tribals and OBCs. He added that policing in the state had turned “predatory rather than protective.”
Advertisement
On the 1932-based domicile policy, he said the government “fooled people for six years” and failed to safeguard local language and culture. He demanded a complete ban on changai sabhas, calling them promoters of superstition.
Marandi alleged that thousands of women under the Mahiyaan Samman scheme had been removed from beneficiary rolls and that rural applicants struggled with a non-functional portal. He also accused the government of diverting benefits to “illegal infiltrators.”
On reservations, he said the state failed to ensure OBC quota in panchayat elections and made no progress on municipal polls. He added that the SC-ST reservation framework saw no real movement.
He raised concerns about food security, citing a scam in Pathna block of the Chief Minister’s constituency. He said the government did not deliver the promised 7 kg grain and that even the 5 kg quota was siphoned off. He also criticised the state for backing away from its promise of LPG cylinders at Rs 450.
On employment and health cover, Marandi said the promises of 10 lakh jobs and Rs 15 lakh insurance “remained on paper.” Nearly 30,000 employees retired over six years while the government issued 8,791 appointment letters. He accused the administration of scrapping more than two lakh posts and recalled the death of 19 candidates during a 2019 recruitment run.
He questioned the government’s reluctance to order a CBI probe into exam-related irregularities if it believed it had nothing to hide.
Marandi said the government failed to open new degree colleges, set up medical or engineering universities or establish the promised 500-acre industrial parks.
On farmers’ issues, he said the promise of Rs 3,200 MSP for paddy was misleading. Even at the announced Rs 2,400 rate, procurement targets were not met and dues remained pending.
The chargesheet lists more than 15 alleged scams, including those linked to liquor sales, JSSC exams, DMFT funds, manpower supply, sports kits, construction tenders and disaster relief.
Marandi said tribals were the “worst affected” under the present regime, citing rising crimes and demographic pressure from “illegal infiltrators.” He questioned the government’s resistance to Election Commission efforts to identify illegal voters.
Advertisement
