Government to improve amenities in villages to curb Naxalism: Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Friday attributed lack of basic amenities in rural areas for decades to the rise of Naxalism and said his government would give priority to address the issues.

It was unfortunate that even after over six decades of Independence, poor villagers were deprived of basic amenities including water, road and electricity, Das said in his maiden press conference as chief minister.

Holding bureaucrats responsible for such a situation, Das said his government was committed to address the issues on priority basis. Charting out his other important works at hand, Das said the government would create a land bank for attracting industries, but in such pursuit they would not change the much-debated Chotanagarpur and Santal Paragana Tenancy Acts.

"Besides, we want to create the industrial districts of Kolhan region as 'Industrial hub' of the state and had already discussed the matter with Tata Steel Managing Director T V Narendran, he said.

On the bad condition of the National Highways, the chief minister said he would soon meet Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and take up the issue. Das also assured to initiate steps to regularise 86 slums and provide basic amenities.

"When slum areas could be regularised in Delhi, then why not in Jamshedpur," he asked adding that it was his responsibility to address the issue.