Jharkhand’s Financial Report Sparks Debate in Assembly

The Jharkhand Assembly session was marked by controversy following the presentation of the CAG report by Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore. The report revealed significant details regarding the state’s finances. A key concern was the outstanding revenue collection, which stood at ₹84.72 crore as of March 31, 2024. A substantial portion, ₹38.91 crore, was in arrears for more than five years. Within the Excise and Prohibition Department, ₹7.72 crore of outstanding dues were held up in legal proceedings. Revenue receipts showed a 9.57% increase compared to the previous year, yet were 10.58% below the budgeted figures. Despite a 14.99% increase in revenue expenditure, it was still ₹7,999.58 crore less than the allocated budget. The state reported a revenue surplus of ₹11,252.08 crore and received ₹165.63 crore in GST compensation during the 2023-24 fiscal year. The presentation of the supplementary budget led to a tense situation in the Assembly. BJP MLAs Satyendra Nath Tiwari and Raj Sinha moved a cut motion, which was rejected by the Speaker. The resulting disorder prompted the Speaker to adjourn the session until 2 PM. Prior to this, the session had been disrupted by protests concerning the Surya Hansda encounter, with members from both sides of the House participating in the demonstration.