RANCHI, March 22: The JMM-led dispensation in Jharkhand on Saturday alleged that the Union government has slashed its grants for several centrally sponsored schemes, which impacted the state’s development.
Replying to a question of Congress MLA Pradip Yadav in the assembly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sudivya Kumar said that the government would soon conduct a comprehensive study over grants-in-aid and loans provided by the Centre to the state and their impact on various centrally sponsored schemes and other aspects.
The Congress’ Poreyahat legislator asked the government whether grants on the centrally sponsored schemes were slashed in the state in previous financial years.
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The government, in its written reply, said that the state received Rs 8,828.89 crore in 2022-23, Rs 8,980.63 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 5,736.27 crore till January of the current financial year of 2024-25 as grants from the Centre for centrally sponsored schemes in Jharkhand.
“There has been a decline in central tax and grants-in-aid provided to the state. The Centre’s step-motherly approach has impacted Jharkhand’s development,” Kumar claimed in the House.
The Jharkhand minister said that an assessment would be carried out to ascertain the impact on various centrally sponsored schemes and people in light of the “reduction of central grants”.
Yadav claimed that neighbouring Bihar received Rs 1.65 lakh crore as central tax and grants in 2023-24, while Jharkhand got a meagre Rs 46,000 crore during the period.
He demanded a study on the central grants comparing the figures of Jharkhand with neighbouring states.
In response, Kumar said, “The government will carry out a comprehensive study over central loans and grants provided to Jharkhand and its neighbouring states. A comparative assessment will also be conducted over the reduction of funds for Jharkhand. Thereafter, a report will be made public.”
Gandey MLA Kalpana Soren, wife of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, also wanted to know about loans that were received from the Centre.
Kumar said the state received Rs 20,825 crore as loan from 2008-09 to 2013-14, Rs 42,956 crore between 2014- 15 and 2018-19 and Rs 9,593 crore in 2019- 20 from the Centre.
He said that the state received Rs 2,002 crore till January 2025 as loans from the central government.
“Jharkhand’s financial management has been one of the best in the country in the past six years,” he claimed. (PTI)
