Ranchi: The state government has approved formation of the Jharkhand State Displacement and Rehabilitation Commission as part of its effort to ensure the rights and entitlements of displaced families. The decision was taken during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The commission’s structure and responsibilities have been outlined under the 2025 framework.
The commission will consist of a chairperson and two members. The chairperson must have at least ten years of experience in rehabilitation-related matters. One of the two members will be a retired administrative officer, and the other a retired district and sessions judge. The tenure of the commission will be a maximum of three years. In total, 66 proposals were approved during the meeting.
One symbolic yet notable decision was the lifetime allocation of the official residence previously allotted to former CM Shibu Soren. The cabinet approved its reallocation on a lifetime basis to his wife, Roopi Soren, following his demise.
In a major push for cultural development, the government gave the nod to establish the Jharkhand State Lalit Kala Akademi, along with the Jharkhand Sahitya Akademi and the Jharkhand Sangeet Natak Akademi. These institutions aim to promote visual arts, literature, music, and theatre across the state. Additionally, amendments to the Jharkhand Tourism Development and Registration Act were also cleared.
On the rehabilitation front, ₹238 crore has been approved for the resettlement of families affected by 35 dams under the Dam Rehabilitation Improvement Project (Phase I and II). Of the total amount, 70% will be funded by the World Bank, while the remaining 30% will be borne by the state government. Further, ₹1,891.67 crore was administratively sanctioned for the Punashi Reservoir Project.
In another key move, the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) will now conduct recruitment exams in two phases – Prelims and Mains – for posts requiring special qualifications. However, if fewer than 50,000 applications are received, the preliminary test will be skipped.
The cabinet also finalised the category-wise seat distribution under the Marang Gomke Pardesh Scholarship Scheme for 50 students pursuing higher education abroad. Of these, 20 seats are for ST students, 10 for SC, 6 for minority candidates, and 14 for OBC students.
On disciplinary matters, the cabinet approved the dismissal of five doctors who were absent from duty for extended periods. The dismissed doctors include Dr. Farhana, Dr. Jyoti Kumari, Dr. Bhavna, Dr. Indranath Prasad, and Dr. Rinku Singh.
Additionally, five commercial tax department employees received approval for regularisation of service and financial benefits. The beneficiaries are Naval Kishore Singh, the late James Daniel Toppo, Lalita Lakra, Nijay Sinha, and Ghulam Ansari.
These wide-ranging decisions reflect the state government’s focus on administrative reform, cultural enrichment, welfare of displaced communities, and transparent governance.