By Nityanand Shukla, IANS,
Ranchi : Jharkhand’s new Chief Minister, Shibu Soren, promised Wednesday to provide a corruption-free government in the state.
Soren said in an interview soon after taking office that he had learnt valuable lessons from his two previous stints as chief minister – once for just 10 days.
“We have learnt lessons form the past … like political instability, corruption and incompetence in Jharkhand,” Soren told IANS here. “All the components of a new coalition government are committed to the development of the state.”
Soren spoke after he took oath as the seventh chief minister of Jharkhand at the head of a coalition government involving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) won 18 seats in the 81-member assembly and refused to back either the Congress, which got 25 seats in a smaller alliance, or the BJP, which too won 18 seats. In the end, the BJP, once Soren’s tormentor, decided to prop up the JMM chief.
Soren said the priorities of his government would be to provide “roti, kapda and makan” (food, clothes and houses) to all sections of the society as well as corruption free governance.
“Enormous political corruption and instability worsened the condition of Jharkhand since its formation. We are dedicated to work for the members of backward communities and the downtrodden.”
The 65-year-old veteran tribal politician first became chief minister of Jharkhand in August 2005. He had to quit in 10 days after failing to prove his majority in the legislature.
He became chief minister again in August 2008. He resigned in January this year after losing a by-election to the assembly.
Recalling what he said were his contributions for the welfare of the poor during his earlier tenures as chief minister, Soren said: “When I was the chief minister, I provided wheat and rice to the poor at a reasonable rate. I had a lot of plans for them. But before I could do anything more, I was forced to step down.
“In my third tenure, we will stand on our commitments and we will try our best to provide clothes and food and houses to all.”
The chief minister also promised to resolve all disputes over land acquisition so as to implement all memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the state.
He stressed that his government was committed to industrial development but not at the cost of displacing poor people whose land is taken away to set up businesses.
“It is our duty and responsibility to encourage industrial development. We promise to provide all facilities, including land and law and order, to those wishing to set up units in Jharkhand.”
Soren also felt that the Maoist insurgency could be ended simply by “strengthening the irrigation system in the state as well as in the other parts of the country”.
“Education, employment and other developmental works are the other most important factors,” he said. “If abundant water reaches all fields, no one will get time for this nuisance.”
He added: “Jharkhand has everything in its womb including minerals, iron ore, gas, alluvial soil and natural greenery. Despite having all this, the condition of the people is very bad in the state.”