Jharkhand Assembly Sees Chaos as CAG Report is Presented

The Jharkhand Assembly witnessed a tumultuous session as the CAG report was tabled by Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore. The report highlighted the issue of pending revenue in the state, a matter of concern for the administration. The report indicated that ₹84.72 crore was outstanding in revenue collection as of March 31, 2024, with ₹38.91 crore of this amount overdue for over five years. Within the Excise and Prohibition Department, ₹7.72 crore was held up due to legal proceedings and appeals. While revenue receipts for the fiscal year 2023-24 showed a 9.57 percent increase compared to the prior year, they fell short of the budget estimates by 10.58 percent. Expenditure rose by 14.99 percent but remained significantly below the budget projections, by ₹7,999.58 crore. A revenue surplus of ₹11,252.08 crore was recorded during this fiscal year. Furthermore, the state received ₹165.63 crore as Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation. The presentation of the supplementary budget sparked considerable unrest in the Assembly. BJP legislators Satyendra Nath Tiwari and Raj Sinha put forth a cut motion, with Raj Sinha proposing a ₹10 reduction. The Speaker dismissed the motion, leading Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato to adjourn the House until 2 pm due to the opposition’s protests. Earlier in the week, the proceedings had been disrupted following the opposition’s objections to the encounter involving Surya Hansda. Members from both sides of the aisle participated in the ensuing commotion.