Jharkhand Assembly Session: Focus on CAG Report and Fiscal Concerns

The Jharkhand Assembly’s monsoon session saw Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore present the CAG report, which immediately drew attention to the state’s financial standing. The report highlighted that the state had ₹84.72 crore in outstanding revenue as of March 31, 2024. A considerable amount of this, ₹38.91 crore, had been overdue for over five years. Notably, within the Excise and Prohibition Department, ₹7.72 crore was stuck in legal processes. The report also indicated a rise in revenue receipts, with a 9.57% increase compared to the previous year, although it fell short of the budget by 10.58%. Revenue expenditure grew by 14.99%, but remained lower than the budgeted amount by ₹7,999.58 crore. The financial year 2023-24 showed a revenue surplus of ₹11,252.08 crore. Additionally, the state received ₹165.63 crore in GST compensation. The supplementary budget introduced by the government was met with strong opposition, with BJP MLAs proposing a cut motion. Following the rejection of a proposed cut by Raj Sinha, the Assembly Speaker adjourned the session due to the resulting unrest. Earlier in the session, the proceedings had been disrupted by protests concerning the Surya Hansda encounter, with both opposition and ruling party members participating in the demonstration.