Union panchayati raj ministry releases Rs 277 crore for Jharkhand

Ranchi: Days after Jharkhand govt hit out at the BJP over Centre’s delay in disbursing funds for welfare schemes, the Union ministry of panchayati raj on Tuesday released its first instalment of Rs 277 crore to the state under the 15th finance commission.State rural development minister Deepika Pandey Singh met her Union counterpart Lalan Singh in New Delhi on Tuesday. At the meeting, Deepika thanked Lalan for releasing the first instalment to the state.The treasury and opposition benches traded barbs at each other over the delay in disbursement of funds during the winter session of state assembly, which concluded last week.Talking to TOI, Deepika said that the Centre on December 12 recommended release of funds to the state.

“I had met the minister today to thank him and discussed wide range of issues,” she said. Her meeting however raised eyebrows as state BJP leaders including party president Babulal Marandi too was present on the occasion. She however said that she too was surprised to see them as she had independently sought an appointment with Lalan.

“It should have been an official meeting where I had expected minister and his officials,” she said.

Marandi, who led a party delegation to both Lalan as well as Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar Khatik to raise issues related pending payments, claimed that the delay on funds release was mainly due to the negligence, incompetence and financial mismanagement of the state govt.“The reason behind pending scholarship amounts for backward class students is due the state govt's failure to inform the Centre at the appropriate time," he said. Deepika hit back at BJP and Marandi for spreading lies. “From our part, all compliances have being done at least my department is concerned, but it is the panchayati raj department which keeps delaying. Only after we gheraoed BJP in the assembly, they have started meeting their leaders.

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