Jamshedpur, Feb 7 (PTI) Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram on Saturday described the union budget as “reform express”, aimed to focus on economic reform with sustainability.
It is a forward-looking and inclusive budget emphasising on economic growth, productivity, and to address the aspirations of people, including the poor and under-privileged sections of the society, Oram said at a press conference here.
Referring to Jharkhand, the union minister said as per the budget estimate, Rs 51,236 crore has been budgeted for the financial year 2026-27 under tax devolution, while 17,057 crore grants-in-aid for 2025-26.
Altogether, the union government has allocated 4.18 lakh crore, including Rs 3.14 lakh crore tax devolution between 2014-26 to Jharkhand, he said.
The union government also released a total of 11,567 crore to Jharkhand between 2020-21 and 2025-26 (till Jan 2026) under special assistance for capital investment, Oram said.
About the rail sector, the union minister claimed the average annual commissioning by railways in the state was doubled under the Modi government.
While the average annual commissioning of rail track between 2009-14 was 57.4 km/year, it has gone up to 121.56 km/year between 2014-23, he said.
Besides, seven Vande Bharat trains from Jharkhand have been operationalised since June 2023, the union minister said, adding that the annual average budget outlay for 2024-25 was Rs 7,302 crore, which was sixteen times more than Rs 457 crore between 2009-14.
Jharkhand is 100 per cent electrified, while 57 stations will be developed as Amrit stations, including Bokaro, Chaibasa, Chakradharpur, Daltonganj, Deoghar, Dhanbad, Dumka.
The union government has approved eight projects of the Ministry of Railways in August 2024, including the construction of a new line between Buramara-Chakulia covering nearly 60 km and three significant railway projects, including Jamshedpur-Purulia-Asansol third line covering a distance of 121 km worth Rs 2,170 crore.
The union minister said the Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata greenfield corridor being developed under Bharatmala Pariyojana would benefit mineral-rich Jharkhand.
Development of 1,000 km of National Highway with a tentative total capital cost of Rs 30,575 crore has been approved in Jharkhand, he said.
On the tourism sector, he said, the development of the eco-tourism circuit between Dalma-Betla National Park-Mirchaiya-Netarhat would be developed at a cost of 30.44 crore and over Rs 39 crore has been sanctioned under the PRASHAD scheme for the development of Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar district.
Under the central sponsored scheme, he said the second phase of two medical colleges in Koderma and Chaibasa and two Kendriya Vidyalaya in Latehar and Giridih district would be developed.
To a query about stalled construction of an airport in Dhalbhumgarh in Ghatsila sub-division of East Singhbhum district, the union minister said the construction work was stalled as the state government was yet to acquire land for it.
BJP MP Bidyut Baran Mahato said he had taken up the issue of the airport with the Jharkhand government several times but received no response yet.
However, the Ministry of Forest and Environment, as well as Civil Aviation, has assured all necessary support to develop the airport within a stipulated timeframe as soon as the state government hands over 100 acres of land for the purpose, Mahato added. PTI BS RG
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