Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has decided to initiate legal action to recover ₹1.36 lakh crore in pending dues from the Central government, primarily related to coal mining royalties, Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore announced while presenting the ₹1.45 lakh crore state budget in the assembly on Monday.
Legal Battle Over Coal Dues Intensifies
The state government has long claimed that the Centre owes it a massive sum in lieu of coal mined by Coal India Ltd (CIL) and its subsidiaries. To verify the claims, a joint committee comprising representatives from both the Centre and the state was formed on March 1 to assess and confirm the outstanding amount.
“A joint committee has been formed to evaluate the state’s claim of ₹1.36 lakh crore. The panel will verify the dues under various heads, and we will recover the amount based on the committee’s report,” Excise Minister Yogendra Prasad informed the assembly.
Jharkhand Government Authorizes Legal Action
Shortly after the budget announcement, the Jharkhand government issued a notification authorizing the Revenue, Registration, and Land Reforms Department Secretary to commence legal proceedings to reclaim the dues.
Key highlights of the notification:
- Legal action to be initiated immediately to recover ₹1.36 lakh crore.
- Advocate General to assist in resolving any obstacles in payments from Coal India subsidiaries over washed coal royalties and other dues.
- Jharkhand MPs urged to push for settlement of outstanding payments.
Hemant Soren’s Strong Stand Against Centre
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has consistently demanded that the Centre clear Jharkhand’s dues. In November 2024, after being sworn in, he announced legal action against the Centre in his first cabinet meeting.
In a viral social media post on November 2, he publicly appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, urging them to release the funds, stating:
“I request the Prime Minister and Home Minister with folded hands to clear the outstanding ₹1.36 lakh crore coal dues. This amount is crucial for Jharkhand.”
Soren also called on BJP MPs from Jharkhand to support the state’s fight, emphasizing that the funds belong to the people of Jharkhand and are essential for the state’s development.
