Centre Owes Jharkhand Rs 1.36 Lakh Crore Over Mined Coal: Hemant Soren

The Centre owes Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhand on account of coal that is mined from the state, Chief Minister Hemant Soren claimed on Friday.

Addressing a public meeting here, he alleged that when asked about this money, the Centre resorts to tactics for evading it.

"Coal is extracted from Jharkhand and on account of it, Rs 1.36 lakh crore is outstanding with the Centre. When asked about the outstanding amount, it evades with one reason or the other. Those who have ruled the state for 20 years never asked for this amount or the rights of the state. This money belongs to the people of Jharkhand," he said.

Hemant Soren alleged that the Centre has stopped providing funds for housing for the poor, and natural disasters such as drought.

"Today, we are building this state on our own. One has to fight for one's rights. Sometimes long movements have to be made for this. For this, we have to unite. We will fight this battle of ours together and will retain our rights," he said.

Sharpening his attack on the opposition BJP, he said it is a group of rich people who work for the welfare of the rich.

"To ruin the common people, railway stations, ports and public undertakings are being sold to businessmen, which we cannot tolerate. We have been opposing it strongly," he said.

"There is no place for backward people, Dalits, tribals and minorities in the politics of the BJP, because it represents the ideology that supports capitalism, where there is cut-throat competition," he alleged.

The chief minister was in Palamu district as part of the 'government at doorstep' programme.

He said that rural development is necessary for the development of the state.

For the development of the rural roads in Palamu, around Rs 1,000 crore is being spent, he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)