Ranchi: Stating that education and employment opportunities could help check the problem of extremism, which is not only a law and order or social problem, new Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren said on Wednesday.
Soren's priorities and proposals contained in a prepared six-page handout was read out by cabinet secretary P K Jajoria to newsmen as he did not address the customary press conference after his swearing-in.
Soren in his handout said the government would initiate steps to mitigate naxalism and asked district officials to provide good and effective governance. He said, strengthening the public distribution system would be his top prioirity. "I know PDS shoppers have been retaining BPL cards from the poor and selling rice, wheat and kerosene in the black market. I will make surprise checks and those ration shoppers found guilty would be sent to jail."
Referring to the labour force in the tribal state, Soren said he was aware that most of them were being deprived of their full wages given under NREGA and asked officials responsible for implementing the central programme to put an end to the irregularities 'within 15 days or face arrest'.
Asking government officials not to delay welfare projects meant for the common people, he said Jharkhand had been lagging behind in the implementation of Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). ''I would like to warn the engineers and officials to pull up their socks and put Jharkhand in front in the implementation of PMGSY,'' he added. (PTI)
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